Tailgate Tutorial | How to Secure the Tailgate of Your Pickup Truck When Hauling Two Dirt Bikes

The 6.5-foot bed of a standard pickup truck isn't quite big enough to close the tailgate when you have two dirt bikes in the bed, but here is my method for securing the tailgate in the upright position using a single tie-down. Also find out what you NEED TO DO BEFORE USING THIS METHOD - and that is to secure the hinge point of the tailgate with a standard HOSE CLAMP! I cannot stress this enough, as I actually know multiple people who have had their tailgates come dislodged completely while driving down a bumpy road. For real.
I also answer more questions about this strategy, including why it's on the passenger side, why it's important to put the cleat of the tie-down toward the front and not the back, and why it's a good idea to have your tailgate propped up at all, instead of leaving it down.
First, start with the bikes loaded straight in. Some people will tell you that you can cramp the front wheels either together toward the center, or into the corners of the bed, but I really hate doing this. I can't tell you how many times I've seen bikes come loose in these positions, or require extra tie-downs to secure. It's a real pain to have to pull off the road and hop in the bed to re-spin your web of tie-downs. In my experience, the bikes are most secure when they are straight in, parallel to the vehicle.
Then you manually close the tailgate latch by pressing down the little hook. Then loop the tie-down hook inside. With the other end of the tie-down (ratcheting side!) hooked on the foot peg of the dirt bike, you can then snug the tailgate down and secure it against the rear tires of the bikes. The spring in the footpeg of the dirt bike will help tension the tie-down and help keep it secure.
The best part is when you're ready to unload. No need to remove the tie-down; simply pop the tailgate using the handle and it will fling itself off! Impress your friends with this slick move. (Hopefully your friends are as easily impressed as mine...)
It's always better to have your tailgate up, even if it's not in the fully latched position. This can prevent items from sliding out of the back, and will prevent the tailgate from slamming up and down while you're driving. It can also prevent rocks and debris from getting kicked up from underneath and damaging your tailgate, or worse yet, your backup camera. Using this method of securing the tailgate, you can actually still USE your backup camera, which is a big plus. (And it also doesn't scream at you when you put the truck in reverse, the way it does when the tailgate is down.)
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[@1Transporter]

Nice idea, I'm going to mount anchor points, one on each side to my tailgate itself and run the straps TO the bed tie-down instead of the bikes footpegs.

[@e23k13l1]

Not a bad method. But just FYI if you turn each handle bar all the way so that the tires kiss in the middle, then pull each back tire to the corner of the bed - you can actually fully close the tail gate with two 450fs in a 6.5ft f150 bed. Worked on my 2014 and 2019 f150

[@smilinacha]

👍💡‼️

[@seanecus33]

I’m kind of confused about the hose clamps. What is the point of them, are they needed? I’m doing this for my frontier and should be able to work. So far this seems like the best way to fit my 125 in my truck while being comfortable with it

[@CrossRutted]

The hose clamp keeps the tailgate from popping out of the hinge. Not sure about a Nissan, but on a Ford truck, if you were going to remove the tailgate, you would put it at that exact angle and lift it out - there's a gap in the female end of the hinge that allows it to lift free on the passenger side. A simple hose clamp will prevent it from coming out. The clamp doesn't need to be tight - in fact you want it loose so the hinge can still move freely. But without the clamp, it is possible to hit a bump in the road and dislodge the tailgate from the hinge. It has happened to friends of mine!

[@Galshan523]

very good presentation - thanks you!

[@helloitsdawn]

🔥 tips. Thanks. More like these along with reviews on rides.

[@CrossRutted]

You’re welcome. That’s the plan! Thanks!

[@mxrevival]

Slick, Jean 🤘

[@CrossRutted]

Haha thanks! It took a long time to come up with that. Maaaaany years of loading and hauling bikes.

[@mxrevival]

@@CrossRutted 🤣 I've got another trick for that that I'll show you next time I see you.

[@김완규-c6t]

good idear. I try this. thanx

[@chrisc8073]

nice solution.well thought out. bummer I have a 5.5' bed. ;)

[@Accretion-Ranch]

Use a tailgate extender?

[@gorilla9519]

Tricks on you, I don't have a camera or care about my paint........but in the future I might do thanks

[@rtk7836]

What size hose clamp did you use for the tailgate?

[@CrossRutted]

About dat big. 👌

[@tombushman8029]

That’s why I have an 8’ bed

[@CrossRutted]

Yep, that solves a lot of problems!

[@sbinhamooda]

Thank you so much 🤍

[@CrossRutted]

You’re welcome 😊

[@DroppingMTB]

👍🏻

[@FROADER]

That shirt! 🙂

[@CrossRutted]

#psychonews

[@HuskyHauler26]

The clamp would also slow down the tailgate thieves.

[@DADSGETNDOWN]

Turn the front wheels sideways.

[@CrossRutted]

It's never as stable as the front wheel perpendicular to the cab. Plus, it's a chore to wedge them in that way and you can't see out the rearview as easy. This is much easier, cleaner, and no readjusting before you unload. 👍

[@DADSGETNDOWN]

@@CrossRutted You are completely opposite. The front wheels straight in, do slip side to side, even with seal savers/fork braces. Putting one bike on each side of the bed, turning the front wheels into each other, toward the center of the truck bed, makes it so they don't move, they are braced by the side so no tip overs, or outs, if they did they would fall into the center toward each other, and they are in there so well you don't need to crank them down, ruining the fork seals, and lastly, they are on the sides of the truck which opens up your rear view mirror. You want it even more stable ? Tie a tie down under the rear fender and pull that tight, bumps/ruts etc will not make the bike bounce which loosens the tie downs.

[@Tonygue3978]

@DADSGETNDOWN that's too much work. It is easier to drive to home depot, spend 10 minutes looking for a hose clamp, drive back, install hose clamp, then add another tie down to hold tailgate.

[@DADSGETNDOWN]

@@Tonygue3978 Haha, I guess so.

[@AJAY2m175]

Iswar se duaa karunga is channell K sabhi subscriber ko Corona. Se bachaye yhi duaa 🙏🙏karunga,,, Mae ak kisan youtuber hu touch my pic🙏🙏🙏😭😭💞💞

[@josh_ari]

Wait, how do I secure myself a woman like this?

[@CrossRutted]

lol