Good afternoon,
I have a 2011 RAM 1500 and am having issues with the tailgate that I am getting no assistance for at the dealership. What occurred is that while loading my ATV into the bed utilizing ramps I heard a pop. I was not sure what caused the pop and thought it might have been the ramps shifting? Anyway, after finishing up with what I was doing and getting done with the ATV for the day and unloading it, when I tried to close the tailgate it would not close. It was hitting the posts and not allowing them to go into the latch. I was able to push it to the right a bit and got it closed, but was obviously concerned what might have occurred. After verifying that the ATV was not too much weight for the tailgate (ATV is about 500 lbs) I brought the truck to the dealership to inquire about it being looked at under warranty (truck at the time had less the 8000 miles) Well after explaining to them what I just wrote above, I was told I would need to talk to the body shop??? I didn't get in an accident, no physical damage to the truck? Anyway, the guy looks at things and then scratches his head and says, "maybe we can put some straps on the bed and try pulling the top of the rails closer together"..............I was like WHAT, are you smoking something or smelling too much paint. The tailgate is messed up, not the bed rails!!!!
So has anyone else run into this problem and if so, I would love to know what you have been told or what was done to correct the problem? It seems to me that somehow the tailgate warped near the top creating a gap clearance issues (bigger space at the top then at the bottom between the gate and bed)
Thanks in advance

 

OH yeah, I forgot to mention that when I was looking for a new truck I was specifically told by the sales manager that the Toyota pick up I was looking at has a very big problem with the tailgate not holding up to loading, especially an ATV or motorcycle!!!! Uhm, so it appears the RAM has the issue too? What are they building these things out of now, aluminum foil? I have loaded the same or similar ATV into a 2004, RAM, 2006 Dakota, 2005 F-150 and non of those tailgates failed? I am just speechless that Dodge has not even tried to think that there might be a flaw in THIS tailgate?

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...s-section.html

 

Sounds like your ramps put all the load on the top couple inches of the tail gate and bent it. I've got a single foldable ramp that I load 800lb sleds with 185lbs of me on them and havn't had any issues, but it spreads the load to 4 places.

Should be easy enough to tell if it is bent by laying it on top of a 4x4 or some other large straight edge.

 

I have the 2 ramps that go beside each other and it hold my ATV just fine

 

Sounds like you need a new tailgate, dealer lots are full of them, go getcha one late at night...hehehe

 

Lol yeah boy!! That's exactly why I lock my tailgate, especially with the camera in there. But i did think of going to visit the dealer one night for a mirror lamp lol, but figured it wasn't worth it, probably loaded with cams.

Tunein36 did you figure what the problem was, get this fixed yet?

 

Been loading my quad in the back for 4 years now. No problems whatsoever.
Your sure the cable ends are straight and the cables did not slip out of the swage fitting? That the tailgate is sitting on the hinge posts properly. I had my tailgate fall off once because I had something in the bed that pushed on the tailgate at just the right time to pop it off the removable side. Had something in my other hand and had a beyotch of time holding it up so as not to scratch my rear bumper. 500lbs is nothing for that tailgate. I've had that much in sand bags on mine easily.

BTW....Yes they are making these things out of tin foil now. Lighter weight equals better gas mileage I banged my knuckle on the side of the truck when I first got it. Left a small dent in the rear quarter panel. From just my knuckle.....

Oh and if you have a frontal on one of these trucks make sure you have a good plastic surgeon.....

 

whenever i am loading something heavy into my truck the tailgate usually comes off.

 

So the truck is rated 1/2 ton (1000#'s) , so the tailgate and cables shoulp be rated the same ?