How much weight can the my lift gate handle?

high country · June 22, 2015

The tailgate latch is not designed to carry weight, those bars are just a crutch that will fail and ruin the latches. They are very careful to show only loading pictures and make no reference to supporting a load when moving. Buy a trailer.

ember1205 · June 22, 2015

The tailgate latch is not designed to carry weight, those bars are just a crutch that will fail and ruin the latches. They are very careful to show only loading pictures and make no reference to supporting a load when moving. Buy a trailer.

Agreed.

If you're going to transport it, a trailer is the proper way to do it for your safety and the protection of the RZR and your truck.

nards444 · June 22, 2015

I used to put sleds in the back of the truck all the time, granted a sled is about 500lbs, and maybe 1/3 of that is on the tail gate. If a UTV is 1000lbs with the motor up front, I cant image there is more than 2-300lb on those back wheels.

ember1205 · June 22, 2015

As high country has already pointed out, weight on the tailgate while stopped is nowhere near the same as the amount of force exerted while it's in motion. It doesn't take much of a bump or "whoop" in the road to turn 300 lbs of weight into a literal ton (2000lbs) of force. So, unless you're out for a "hold my beer and watch this" moment, a trailer is the right way to transport that thing.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · June 22, 2015

As long as you strap it down good to the point where the UTV won't bounce up and down away from the tailgate where it slams down then it shouldn't be a problem. If it doesn't bounce up and hit the tailgate then it's not a big deal, even hitting bumps in the road. I've hauled a lot of weight on the tailgate before and didn't do anything to it or the cables. You should see the weight contractors put on their tailgate when down or up when carrying a load longer than the bed itself. Of course some do it on a daily basis. They do put thought into the fact that you might end up putting real weight on the tailgate.

tstehle · June 22, 2015

Thanks for pointing these out. I am going to go with these.

You are welcome, they are well made.

bass mechanic · June 22, 2015

Personally, ive never seen the guard dog but from what i see i have a few concerns.

first of all when i haul my bikes in the bed of my truck i prefer they be tied down so they don't move. that apparatus may be easy to load and unload but all it really does is keep the machine from actually falling out. i don't see anything wrong with tie down straps.

also in the video you can see that bar being dragged all along the ground on steep terrain. that looks like a recipe to damage something, if not bend the entire thing up into your tailgate..

also it wont allow your UTV to ride as far ford in the bed as it possibly could. i would prefer to have as much weight as far forward as possible in the bed of my truck.

as for tailgate damage I've seen several Toyota tacoma tail gates bend from loading things inside. they are thin and flimsy.

i don't think it would be a problem on any full size truck.

when we go dirt biking we just bring a chain and chain up whatever is in the back of the bed. if we have 2-3 bikes we chain them together and to the welded loop at the lower front corner of the bed. it would make a pretty difficult challenge to remove 1,2,or 3 bikes chained together without a lot of help and grunting to get them out.

additionally and this may not be an option for security with an ATV but i like my 6.5 foot bed because i can fit 2 bikes in the back with the tail gate closed and my tail gate locks! we leave the ramp under the bikes and i assure you nobody is going to be able to get them out without a lot of effort.

i don't know what that thing costs but i guarantee you a few straps and a chain with a padlock costs a lot less. it may take more time to load, and unload but who cares? is time that precious to protect your stuff?

Crooks · June 23, 2015

You got insurance on both? Go for it!

crushNchowda · June 23, 2015

The RXR weighs 1000 lbs? Damn. MY $.02 - I see people ALL THE TIME loading and unloading ATV's in the backs of their 1500's, let alone 2500's - I wouldn't worry about it at all IMO.