Tailgate not sitting flat with rest of bed, is this normal?

[Andy Seibel]

This has been eating me up and I can't figure out if its a design flaw, or if my tailgate cables are just too short. Does anyone else have this problem, or am I the only one? Note- I am not talking about having one cable shorter than the other as I have seen in an older thread.

 

My problem is: When the tailgate is fully open, it is higher than the bed. I put a straight 2x4 in there and measured a full inch of gap beneath it at the rear edge of the bed. I can't believe this is intentional. if I put long lumber in my truck, the tailgate is holding up all the weight, instead of having it distributed along the bottom of the bed like my old truck.

 

I called my dealership and they told me it was typical, but I should stop by their body shop to make sure there is nothing else wrong. I haven't made it there yet.

So please tell me if its just me, or is every truck built this way now?

[b1gted]

I would have to look when I get home, but I am guessing they are all like that.

[Shu]

Agree that is odd and definitely would be tough on the tailgate holding that much weight. I'll have to check mine and report back.

[ChrisTronyxYocum]

Phone was dead and charging in the house, but I can confirm that my '16 1500 is the same way. Found it odd from the time I looked at the truck on the lot so the sales guy and I checked a couple other trucks, including GMCs, and they're all the same.

[Shu]

I wonder if as you add weight, if the cables stretch and the tailgate become level?

[newdude]

All like that. The more you weight the gate, the cables will slack up and it will level out.

[jamesonjc]

all 2016's are like that - I cant vouch for 14 and 15 but I just looked at about a dozen on our lot to confirm.

[b1gted]

I would have to look when I get home, but I am guessing they are all like that.

. I can confirm. My 2016 is the exact same.

[RhinoGuy]

My 15 is the same. One of my cables is shorter than the other too. I'm hoping that the short cable will stretch so that my tailgate doesn't warp

[Andy Seibel]

Thanks to everyone for checking your tailgate. I'm sad to hear that it is standard, and in my mind, a design flaw on an otherwise very nice truck.

 

Yeah, my cables are maybe 1/8" difference in length, so there is a hair of slack in the passenger side, but if there is 10 pounds on the tailgate, it tightens right up.

 

There is no way that adding weight will ever push it down to "level". The cables would need to stretch over an inch to do that.

 

So has anyone figured out a way to fix this? I know there are a bunch of aftermarket cables available. If I could get some that would be the correct length I would. but I'm guessing most of the replacement cables are manufactured to the same length as the OEM cables. I will have to take some precise measurements and try to search online.

If anyone had already done this, I'd love to hear about it.

[cbrsilv15]

How can you guys expect a steel cable to stretch??

[Jus Cruisin]

How can you guys expect a steel cable to stretch??

 

It will, especially if twisted.

[amxguy1970]

Thanks to everyone for checking your tailgate. I'm sad to hear that it is standard, and in my mind, a design flaw on an otherwise very nice truck.

 

Yeah, my cables are maybe 1/8" difference in length, so there is a hair of slack in the passenger side, but if there is 10 pounds on the tailgate, it tightens right up.

 

There is no way that adding weight will ever push it down to "level". The cables would need to stretch over an inch to do that.

 

So has anyone figured out a way to fix this? I know there are a bunch of aftermarket cables available. If I could get some that would be the correct length I would. but I'm guessing most of the replacement cables are manufactured to the same length as the OEM cables. I will have to take some precise measurements and try to search online.

If anyone had already done this, I'd love to hear about it.

 

You have no way of knowing otherwise, most likely is designed as such.

 

Ford's do the same (as well as the different length cables). Probably as someone noted before as load increases it becomes flat, probably staggered for load because steel cable most certainly does stretch.

Tyler

[Andy Seibel]

While I agree that steel cables do stretch a little under tension, they are not going to stretch 1" under any load that I can safely carry in my half-ton truck.

 

I have done some googling and found that my stock cables are 16.6" from center of bolt on each end. I have also found that the cables for a 94-04 S10's are 17-1/4" long, which would be the perfect length, but the ends are different. I have no idea if it would fit on my truck until I can get my hands on one. I also can't tell if the S10 cables are thinner/ weaker or made of the same size cable. Does anyone have any experience with the S10 cables?

[silveradotech]

It's not a design flaw.. It's there for safety and so that it doesn't touch the bumper. Why would you want to make the tailgate level with the bed? The tailgate is built to hold heavy weight.