I would have rather purchased an aluminum version of this, but no one sold one for my truck make/model and I WANTED to ensure the top of the tailgate was protected…from my abuse.
My first tailgate got bent loading a 530 lbs Africa Twin motorcycle into the back of my truck. Over two years it just got worse and worse and finally I could not open my tailgate without removing the access panel and manually pulling the disengagement arms. I think the snowbikes pushed the tailgate into an early grave. I purchased a salvaged tailgate and MAY paint it with bedliner this summer, like the rest of the truck is bedlinered.
So, I measured carefully (62×26″) and custom ordered a HDPE 3/8 from
https://shapesplastics.com/3-8-black-hdpe-cut-to-size?redirect_qoc=1&61774=26&61775=62
Which was $136 after scamtax.
LESSON LEARNED, if you plan to bend the HDPE, use a router bit that creates two sides of 45, so you can bend it. I eye balled it and cut about 1/2 wide troth with a skill saw, then followed up with a flat router bit.
- WHY this is important, to use a router bit, where at the end you have 90 (two 45 degrees) degrees?!?
- First, the material will close back onto itself in a perfect line all the way across
- 2nd, when you heat up the material to bend it, there will be less in one spot so you can consistently bend it.
MATERIALS USED
- HDPE 3/8 plastic. Honestly 3/8 is overkill. if there was one between 1/4 and 3/8, you might try that, but the cutting and bending the 3/8 was nice to have a bit of spare material.
- rivnuts Astro Pneumatic Tool RN14 100-Piece 1/4-20 Steel Rivet Nuts
- This is the magic! Being able to put a hidden nut or blind nut, you can screw into is KEY!
- 1/4-20 1.5″ long bolt WITH HEX (you want hex not philips so you can torque them down and get them to fit/align properly. 1/4-20 x 1-1/4″ Flat Head Socket Cap Screws, Allen Socket Drive, Stainless Steel 18-8 (304), Full Thread, Bright Finish, 25 PCS
- you MAY consider getting 1″ long and 1.5″ long bolts…just in case
- Hiltex 10100 Tungsten Carbide Router Bits, 15 Piece Router Bit Set, 1/4” Shank Tungsten Carbide Router Bits, Router Bits for Woodworking on Wood
- Use the 90 degree grooving bit, for the bend. CARE on depth! I would TRY to keep about half the material in the bottom of the groove.
- I used the “cove box bit” to make anti-skid holes. BEFORE putting anti-skid holes, I sanded the whole thing with the roughest sandpaper I had, 60 or 80 grit. (power tools!)
- Ratchet straps to “hold the material for the bend”.
- Proper drill bits for the bolt and the rivnut (test this out, you NEED to get this right!).
- some kind of fence for the router, c-clamp something straight so you can guide for the bending cut.
- Rivet Nut TOOL. I borrowed my buddy’s rivnut tool 😉
- HEAT gun to heat-up the material for the bend. This took the longest time, go slow and build the heat across. Get a 2nd person to help you, so you both can heat it up AND have one person mess with the ratchet straps as needed.
This HDPE will NEVER rust and should last a long long time and add massive guard to my tailgate. It is HEAVY and the thingy that prevents dropping your tailgate can barely hold the extra weight.
PROTIP: clamp the HDPE exactly where you want it (imagine and test where the tailgate closes too-verify fitment on all sides. Then use your 1/4 drill bit and drill through the hdpe AND the tailgate. MAKE sure you mark where to drill, you do NOT want to drill into the mechanisms inside the tailgate and you do NOT want to drill into the recessed metal of the tailgate. Once you have all your 1/4 holes drilled, take off the HDPE and drill your riv-nut holes (they should be tight).
If you can cut wood with a tool, you can cut/sand/shape HDPE…similar to wood. Do yourself a favor and watch some cool vids on hdpe/starboard uses! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAcMwv8eigU
PHOTOS:
