Tailgate hinge assist?

[Justinkurn]

Hey guys,

I’m finishing up my build and I was just thinking it would be cool to have a soft open tailgate on an early bronco. Has anyone ever seen a hinge assist installed on an early bronco? Is it even possible? Thought it might be a unique upgrade. Thanks in advance.

 

[Steve83]

Have you looked at how that system works on modern trucks? I don't think there's room in the eB t/g jamb for the necessary hardware & geometry.

 

[Ink1967]

Power lift gate

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eB...ategory=33655&pm=1&ds=0&t=1543206163000&ver=0

 

[Hazegray]

On my 2017 2500HD, the tailgate assists only on the down travel. It's nice, but heard the system is all plastic and prone to breakage

 

[SteveL]

There you go. It even comes with a remote. You can probably even wire in an alarm bell so nobody crushes a finger.

 

[Bronco4x4]

There is also an old school torsion spring install. My friend has one on his 95 f150. It sits horizontal near the bottom of the tailgate jamb and another end goes in the vertical jamb. It requires a hole drilled in each end. The spring loads up when the tailgate is lowered and assists when lifted to close. His pickup tailgate is so easy to close.

 

[Bronco4x4]

I read this on the phone yesterday. I just realized you are looking for soft assist going down with the tailgate. The option I mentioned is really an assist for going up. Good luck.

 

[Justinkurn]

Yeah I was looking for the soft assist going down. Wasn’t sure if they could be retrofitted to work somehow or not. I saw a really old diagram Of a company that did it somehow in the taillight housing. But I don’t think it was ever made. Would be cool to have!

 

[Crush]

the system on a new f150 is in the tail light housing. i have thought about doing this. there is basically an arm that extends off the tailgate hinge into the housing and has a shock attached to it and a spot inside the housing. it seems doable but have not measured anyhting yet

 

[DirtDonk]

Could probably rig up a torsion bar into the tailgate cavity too. If you were really clever that is! Like the old trunk lids on passenger cars. Crossing torsion bars from each side.
But as mentioned, there's not near as much space/depth in one of our tailgates as there is in a modern vehicle.

Be really interested in what someone comes up with even though I'm not interested (yet) in doing the mod. I kind of like how rough and tumble our trucks are.

Paul

 

[snipes243]

They are generally either done inside the tailgate or the aftermarket ones are between the tailgate and the pillar. I have looked at them off and on, my company producers these gas springs. The problem has been how to package the spring. Ideal I would think you want the spring between the tailgate and the C-post. But my smallest spring is 15mm diameter which is hair big to do that. So it would probably have to be on the outside the bed. I guess I need to play around with some now that my bronco is close to being back together.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Crush]

FOLLOW THIS LINK AND WATCH VIDEO AT THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PICS TO LOOK AT AND THE VID IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PICSM

https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-ta...MIhuDjufzC5QIVQv_jBx03BAp6EAQYASABEgLxFPD_BwE

LOOKING AT THE VID, IT SHOULDNT BE HARD TO INSTALL/MODIFY. THIS DOES JUST MAKE IT A SOFT OPEN THOUGH AND WILL NOT HELP WITH THE CLOSING

 

[Broncobowsher]

Another OEM version puts the tailgate hinge into a keyed through hinge connection. Inside the bed corner is an arm and a gas strut. It acts as both a counterbalance and smoothing action.