Mjewell
New Member
Has anyone done a change from swing to lift gate?
Tailgate conversion
- Thread starter Mjewell
- Start date
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KJ604
Full Access Member
I've never seen it. And somehow I don't think it would be easy. But you would definitely be unique!
If you pull that off we'll fix you up with the V8 guys. I'll give you credit for being ambitious. 
CactusJacked
Full Access Member
Liftgates are a single unit, ours has a separate glass and gate. You can't hang the lower gate from the glass, nor does anybody make a one-piece liftgate for the Liberty. There is a company (Jeep Wrangler Aluminum Drop Down Tailgate Conversion Kit), that makes a swing open to drop down tailgate conversion for the Wrangler. You'd have to get pretty creative with the body hinge mount since that area is inset a bit. I bet it could be done by someone determined enough, but would it be worth it. You would have to lose the spare tire mount and need to go with either a swing mount, or carry the spare in the back. Do it...I dare ya!
Never been done.
Would require a HUGE amount of fabrication.
And then someone has to ask,................WHY????
Would require a HUGE amount of fabrication.
And then someone has to ask,................WHY????
People crack jokes about the Liberty swing gate all the time; I don't understand why because everyone else is doing it wrong.
Lift gates suck because the gas struts always fail at some point, and an 80+ lb liftgate comes crashing down on your head (ask my Acadia how that goes...).
Swing gates that hinge on the passengers side are inconvenient and dangerous. The Liberty gate hinges at the drivers side, this opens up the cargo area to be accessible from the sidewalk or side of the street (in the US and other "drive on the right" countries). Much easier to load cargo straight from the curb this way, as opposed to going around the gate, out into traffic, then into the vehicle.
I'd leave it alone.
Lift gates suck because the gas struts always fail at some point, and an 80+ lb liftgate comes crashing down on your head (ask my Acadia how that goes...).
Swing gates that hinge on the passengers side are inconvenient and dangerous. The Liberty gate hinges at the drivers side, this opens up the cargo area to be accessible from the sidewalk or side of the street (in the US and other "drive on the right" countries). Much easier to load cargo straight from the curb this way, as opposed to going around the gate, out into traffic, then into the vehicle.
I'd leave it alone.
CactusJacked
Full Access Member
Swing gates suck big time if you're in the habit of hauling a stack of long boards that hang out the back. But that's what pickup trucks are for, ours was designed for hauling groceries and soccer equipment.
Mjewell
New Member
I guess I misspoke I was looking for a flip down tailgate, leaving the window as is, just as others mentioned for hauling crap
Drop down would be just as much work really, face it we have a heavy gate, its not some cheap little metal gate like a CJ/TJ/JK etc.
You'd have to build and then reinforce mounting areas underneath, rig up hinges , etc. Lots of work.
But whatever trips your trigger, go for it
I think having a trailer to haul things sitting here is much easier if you're going to haul something .
You'd have to build and then reinforce mounting areas underneath, rig up hinges , etc. Lots of work.
But whatever trips your trigger, go for it
I think having a trailer to haul things sitting here is much easier if you're going to haul something .
KJ604
Full Access Member
I just bought a utility trailer for the same reason now I want to go haul stuff around just because I can.
I may do this: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/mini-harbor-freight-type-trailer-ultimate-build-up-thread-1180456/
(Set aside about a month if you want to read the whole thread.)
(Set aside about a month if you want to read the whole thread.)
I may do this: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/mini-harbor-freight-type-trailer-ultimate-build-up-thread-1180456/
(Set aside about a month if you want to read the whole thread.)
I started to build one like that one a few years back. By the time you beef up the frame, ( they are pretty flimsy and crappy ) then get a decent axle under it, you can get someone( if you don't know how to weld ) to build a frame and go from there . Although I built my 5 X 8 back 15 years ago , I had under 500 in it with floors, side boards 3500 lb axle etc. Its hauled many a ton of wood, stone, sand, etc
Daryl ( one of my friends out in Indiana has it now ) the one I started to build
I have one of HF's 4x8 folding 1100# trailers... for the past 11 years. That sucker has paid for itself a dozen times over. I've used and abused that thing to no end, and it keeps rolling. I've done nothing to the frame to reinforce it either. Best $200 I ever spent.
Light loads they do OK, but man are they ever built cheap
I use this to haul cut / split wood out of the woods and then to who over needs a load, can haul more wood than a regular 8 foot bed pickup with it.
Yes its on 265-70-16s , 7 inch wide wheel with 4 inches of backspacing :gr_grin:
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I didn't mean to derail the tailgate thread, but the idea of the HF trailer is that you can have a cheap trailer now and as good a trailer as you want down the road through incremental upgrades. Flip toward the end of the thread and you'll see some trailers that started out looking like Tom's and have become much more.
A 5x8 utility trailer is the way to go to haul anything that doesn't actually fit in the KJ. Although I did haul a few pieces of 8' long MDF board the other day... it just has to slide between the front seats a bit. lol.
Tom, I love that trailer you have there. The towing height and proportions of it are perfect with your 04 in front.
Tom, I love that trailer you have there. The towing height and proportions of it are perfect with your 04 in front.
My 4X4 foot build,
bought frame for 25 bucks ( at a yard sale) rotten busted up bed on it , sanded the frame and painted it , installed 12 inch tires and wheels upgrading from 8 inch . I left the front open so I could haul longer lumber etc, with boards up on the tongue and tail gate down I had about 8 foot , wanted it so I could haul 8 foot boards. Had a filler piece to go in when hauling other things .
bought frame for 25 bucks ( at a yard sale) rotten busted up bed on it , sanded the frame and painted it , installed 12 inch tires and wheels upgrading from 8 inch . I left the front open so I could haul longer lumber etc, with boards up on the tongue and tail gate down I had about 8 foot , wanted it so I could haul 8 foot boards. Had a filler piece to go in when hauling other things .
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I would kill something to have trailer fabrication skills. Tom, is the hardest part just having the ability/knowledge to weld the frames? I can run a wire-feed MIG welder pretty good, I think for me, it would be the knowledge of what has to be done to it, or what parts need to be installed to complete said trailer. Rebuilds would clearly be easier than from scratch.
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