Reinforcing a tailgate-Good TIG practice

[hooda]

So, I scored a 2001 f250 SD on the sweet. Been busy fixing all the messed up stuff on it, including rebuilding the v10 in it. One of the worst things was the tailgate. Looked like someone left it up and pulled away with the gooseneck trailer still in the box. I separated the skin off the inner shell and straightened it, and before reassembly, decided to add a couple of fenceposts to stiffen it up here's some pics of before

I hadn't thought of posting it when I first started, but it was bowed out 3 inches or so.

[hooda]

Here's what I ended up with, it took me about 3 hours to weld these in. I know that the welds are overkill, bit I really need the practice if I ever expect to get good at TIG.

[hooda]

here's my welds, really different welding heavy steel to body panel steel





whaddya think??

[Krookz]

Not too shabby! How much heavier is the gate with all that extra steel in there?

[hooda]

Thanks. I think about 15-20 lb heavier, but it feels like double. I don't think that it will be too bad once it's put back on the truck. The difference in strength is unbelievable! Before I decided to go the repair route, I searched the local wrecking yards, and every one that I came across was either rusted, or bowed out just like this one was. Makes a guy think that for the cost of 2 $6.00 fenceposts and another buck to weld them in (on the assembly line) they could quadruple the strength of their tailgates.