how much weight can i put on the tailgate and not worry about it bending or anything? how heavy a person can sit on the end?

I asked my dealer that and they said 2, maybe 3 people. I commented thats me at 250# and my grandson at 6'9" and 370#, plus a 3rd. So how much can a 3rd person weigh. Dealer rep replied I take that back, will have to check and get backwith you. Has been several months now and still no reply.

I think that GM says not to exceed 600 lbs.

I though that is is the owner's manual some where.

I had a 900# gun safe rocking off the end of it and my uncle ~250+# standing there at the same time and we definately bent something. It closes a little tigher now. Not sure what bent but something is different about it.

I think that GM says not to exceed 600 lbs.

I though that is is the owner's manual some where.

good thanks

just wonderiing if my 240lb ass can safely sit on it
:D

yes, easily. my brother and I (500 lbs) sit on mine often. 2 years now and no problems, and that was before the new tailgate cables !!! an HD truck and we have to worry about sitting on a tailgate.........

myself 270,my friend 330,and another friend 270, sit on mine all the time.ive also loaded a 800 pound quad into with me riding it. almost 1200 lbs. no problems

The PRO-TEC tailgate is supposed to be 3 times stronger and weighs only half of the steel tailgate.
Would an Avalanche tailgate (w/o the ugly cladding) work on a Silverado???

I had a 975lb container of transmission output shafts set on my tailgate then pushed into the bed with a forklift and everything seems alright now? I must admit, the one cable does look a little tighter than the other when the gate is sitting down. Held fine though..

I think the cables will be the weakest link

mine broke with the front of my four-wheeler on it... it weighs 375 pounds total......this was the day before i got my recall notice for new straps. I think the straps suck IMHO even the "new ones"

I think the cables will be the weakest link
Eliminate the weak link, once and for all. The cables aren't worth it.
http://www.vrstraps.com/

mine broke with the front of my four-wheeler on it... it weighs 375 pounds total......this was the day before i got my recall notice for new straps. I think the straps suck IMHO even the "new ones"
do i need new straps?

i haven't even put anything in the bed yet, waiting for the cash for a rhino lining before i potentially put anything heavy on the tailgate (besides myself)

Whats with having to sign a waiver to buy those vrstraps..... sounds like they arent real sure about their product...

Whats with having to sign a waiver to buy those vrstraps..... sounds like they arent real sure about their product...
seems like they have a very cautious lawyer....
Since they are using the same concept as on the older trucks (have that on my 1970 and I think it was on my S10 as well) makes me wonder how they prevent them from ratteling as the hinge starts to wear....
Wouldn´t one of the straps off an older truck work, has anyone tried? Might be a lot cheaper to get a pair off a junk yard.

:cool: I load full dressed Harleys in the back of the truck and have had no problem,,,,, And I do have the new cables...the bikes weigh in close to 900lbs.

Whats with having to sign a waiver to buy those vrstraps..... sounds like they arent real sure about their product...The deal is this, I'm not a businessman, just a truck owner and member like most of the guys here. I'm not a mega corporation that sells millions of these that has deep pockets in a lawsuit happy world. I've made quite a few friends here over the years so I used my skills/resources to help out the community and not to make myself wealthly(this all started well before the recall was initiated).

The downside is that I needed to protect myself and my family from financial ruin in the case of some guy that decided to overload his tailgate.

Those that you that are doubting the VR straps obviously have never seen a set. I put a set on mine shortly after replaceing the straps for the recall..

You'll bend the tailgate in half before those straps let loose so there is nothing to worry about there. Construction of them rivals any large company and they fit perfect.

Go to the website and order a set, fill out the waiver and put them on, you wont be unhappy.

PS, do we complain to Edge, TTS, etc when we buy a comp box and sign a waiver?

VR Straps good :ro), GM straps bad -:t Broke my first set unloading ATV. Scared the Censored out of me. Had the VR Straps for over a year and am nothing but satisfied. Sign the paper and feel better about using your truck. These are the HD part of the truck that GM forgot.

Got a recall notice for the O1that I traded in last July for the cables that hold the tailgate. Believe on the earlier trucks GM used a galvanized cable that was subject to rusting and busting. New cables are supposedly stainless steel. (probably from China).

Love my VR Straps! No more worry.

Steve

New cables are supposedly stainless steel. (probably from China).Its funny you say that...the sticker right on them says made in China:rolleyes:

I've never kept cables on my truck after I saw a guy loading up his Harley at bike week in Daytona ride halfway up the ramp when a cable snapped. Wrecked his knee, his bike, & his tailgate.

I use chains.
Just measure a length to fit, get an "s" hook for each side of the tailgate - heat the hooks with a plumbers torch to bend them to fit (they need to be twisted to fit on the tailgate, use OEM bolts from tailgate) & then close the end you put the chain on, slide a piece of bicycle tire tube over the chain (so the chain doesn't rattle) a hardened bolt with a nut & 2 washers for the bed (on each side), stand out the bolts (on the bed) so the chain will swing freely between the 2 washers (making sure they clear the tailgate so it closes properly) & then use the nut to "lock" the bolt to the bedside (no lockwashers), & for about $20 total & a 1/2 hour of work, you'll never worry about tailgate loads again (cable wise)
Oh yeh, & nobody will be stealing your tailgate (not without tools anyway). It does happen.

See earlier post as to two cops injured when tailgate cables broke!

what's wrong with that vr website?

I'm currently not sure what's wrong with the site. I was piggybacking on a fellow members site and now it seems to be gone. I'll have to send out info the old fashioned way until I get this resolved.

how much weight can i put on the tailgate and not worry about it bending or anything? how heavy a person can sit on the end?With chains instead of cables, I can safely get at least 4 fat chicks & a keg of beer without concern, or 3 kegs of beer & 1 fat chick (fat chicks stack better than kegs).


"this is your captain speaking, we are preparing for take-off, please fasten your safety belts & put your tailgate in the upright position"