Does anyone know the weight rating of the GMC Sierra 2500HD Tailgate ?

I currently remove my tailgate to ramp load an 800 pound motorcycle (w/rider) but routinely see others hang the ramp directly off the open tailgate and load the bike. I've looked for numbers (E.G. "Max Tailgate load when extrended not to exceed XXX pounds") but have had no luck. Any official numbers would be appreciated.

600 lbs is what I think is in the manual. if you PM Victory Red, he will tell you for sure. I'm not pimping his work, but he also makes a set of tailgate straps (out of Stainless Steel), similar to what used to be put on GM tailgates. By law his straps will not increase the load capacity of the tailgate but I'm sure you will be able to use your own judgement as to what will hold more weight, funky steel wire or solid Stainless Steel bar stock.

Hope that helps.

Welcome to the Diesel Place!

I hung 1200# off my tailgate with the Made in China straps and I think I bent something because for a while afterwards it was a little harder to close the tailgate. It did hold the weight though.

Incase you are wondering it was my uncle and a 950# gun safe which we were unloading.

ive had 1180# on mine. that was the total weight of me and my atv( atv event) and it held up fine. it shuts a little hard now but not a problem.
on my old 1500 i loaded my atv same wieght and it snaped one strap. that really screwed up the tail gate. just be carful and use your head. i honestly wouldnt recomand anything over 1k.

Yamahagrizzly - I had to take my tailgate off the other day to get a bike in (less angle on the short ramp we had) And when I put it back on it shut a whole lot easier. Maybe it'll work for your truck too.

dad's shuts hard too. we forced an atv (i think that was what it was) in the back to shut, and I think the 2 of us sprung the tailgate. What a POS when will they learn to put some steel in the things. The 1989 tailgate was better built than this POS. Go figure I guess. Oh and it had the steel hinges and not the cables.

Try www.gmupfitter.com and see if you can find it in the upfitter's manuals or post the question.

When I load something real heavy I take the tailgate off and just use the bed.

I have routinely loaded a Sportsman 600 which weighs around 725 lbs using a ramp on the tailgate. You add my 225 and your at almost 1K. Shuts just like it did when it was new..Jim

I had less than 1000 on mine and stretched the straps, and the tailgate has a bow in it. Both hinges had to be replaced (sockets, not the pins). Great truck but no metal in the tailgate.

Been loading ATVs into trucks (my own or friends) for years now. The Fords I have owned, I never thought twice about riding they 1000+ lbs beasts up there. Never once had any problems. The GM trucks I wont do it. I have way too many friends that either snap the cable or bent where it mounts to the sheet metal as there is NO refinforcing there. Another common practice for us is to travel with your ATVs on the tailgate while its down. Again something I would not do with the GM trucks. I have had too many riding buddies snapping cables like that. Some of those folks have bowed tailgates also from this type of stuff.

Personally, if you are loading an 800lb bike my advioce is to take the gate off. Your bike will put even more pressure than our quads as you will only be having the weight on one ramp intead of two (or a wide one for quads).

800 lb roll of hay did my t gate in, bowed gate, bent the uprights where the straps bolt in, JUNK. I won't even let my 140 lb. son ride on gate now. My 82 has dents in the t gate where a front loader pushed down too hard when loading 2 round bales, no problems, dents go across inside of gate, gate was down.