Tailgate Question

[2004GMC1500CC]

How much weight can the tailgate on my 2004 Sierra 1500 CC support? Bought the truck to be able to haul around my 600lb motorcycle. I can only do this with the tailgate down. Is this a recipe for trouble?

[rascal]

no ideal on the tailgate limits, might call your dealership. well unless your bike is very odd, should be only 250 to 400 lbs on rear tire. if possable might be able to back in you bed? I've had 3 or 4 bags of 100 pound bags of feed corn while unloading from the z71 i used to have, but that would be driving over rough roads. what kinda bike you got any way? I've been wanting one of the small harley sportsters (sp), but haven't been able to talk the wife into it yet.

[muddog]

I dont know how the year difference will come into effect(my truck is a 96, 1500), but I drive my quad into the back of the truck with no problems...and it weighs 600-700#'s and I weigh 160+ #'s, so I would think you would be good....of course I dont hual it on the gate, but like rascal said, there should be only a fraction of the weight on the gate....good luck, hope I helped

[Shaners]

With the bike properly tied down, there won''t be much weight on the rear wheel. Whenever I haul a bike, I always compress the front end of the bike up against the front of the bed. This transfers the weight forward and makes for safer hauling. The rear straps are used mainly to keep the bike from moving side to side.

[asilverblazer]

Just an opinion but if you use a long ramp the closer you get to the top, edge of the tailgate a much higher percentage of the motorcycles weight is on the edge of the tailgate, also a postion that it wll have quite a bit of leverage on. I've seen it done numerous times before, but I would still be leary of it. If it were me I would look for a small utility trailer (under $500). For the risks involved, losing you motorcycle, damaging your truck, and if you are on the highway an unimaginable amount of other cars and people. I think it would be well worth the piece of mind. Gees I can be negative. Now if the tailgate can support more weight...

[bigdogs]

Just an opinion but if you use a long ramp the closer you get to the top, edge of the tailgate a much higher percentage of the motorcycles weight is on the edge of the tailgate, also a postion that it wll have quite a bit of leverage on. I've seen it done numerous times before, but I would still be leary of it. If it were me I would look for a small utility trailer (under $500). For the risks involved, losing you motorcycle, damaging your truck, and if you are on the highway an unimaginable amount of other cars and people. I think it would be well worth the piece of mind. Gees I can be negative. Now if the tailgate can support more weight...

 

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That is exactly what I did. I was loading the Sportsman in the back of a Silverado we had and bang one of the cables snapped causing the hinge to bend. It cost like $150 to repair but I guess it could have been worse if the atv landed on me. Anyway went to Home Depot and got a Snowbear trailer that I use.

[2004GMC1500CC]

With the bike properly tied down, there won''t be much weight on the rear wheel.  Whenever I haul a bike, I always compress the front end of the bike up against the front of the bed.  This transfers the weight forward and makes for safer hauling.  The rear straps are used mainly to keep the bike from moving side to side.

 

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Unfortunately I have nowhere to store a trailer.

[robot225]

I used to haul my bike in my '93 with the rear wheel on the tailgate and never had any problems. It weighs about 500 pounds. Have never hauled it in my '04, but i would think they would be just as strong.

[BigMikeO]

I bought my truck used and the previous owners welded chain on to replace the broken cables. It appears to have worked a little too well as it actually started to rip the top of the truck rail off at the Stake hole.

 

So I now know why the cables aren't as strong as some people would like. It's to protect the truck from damage.