Unwelcome "auto open" tailgate feature now welcomes the outside onto your truck bed while driving

"Tapas" (tapas) 10/22/2018 at 13:01 • Filed to: None

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That’s what you get for making tailgates inspired by Inspector Gadget.

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vicali > Tapas 10/22/2018 at 13:05

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TailGate-G ate? Is that what we call it now?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tapas 10/22/2018 at 13:10

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Stupid feature does stupid thing

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Tapas 10/22/2018 at 13:11

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things that shouldn’t be complicated, but have been mead so. Truck Tailgates.

seriously what is the first thing to get wrecked on every truck? the tailgate. GMC’s 3 piece gate is going to be a nightmare too.

Discerning > Tapas 10/22/2018 at 13:16

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I skipped on the auto tailgate and the blind spot monitoring and other crash prevention items on my 18 f150 on purpose. I’ll make due with mirrors and manually opening things.

My eyes haven't told my foot to apply  the brakes while going around a corner and seeing a shadow - unlike the Q50 I traded in. That car lifted my foot off the accelerator or applied the brakes without cause about 30 times over the course of a year. It never once assisted me in avoiding a collision, but it sure liked to decide what to do with the pedals of someone cut me off in traffic. 

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/22/2018 at 13:17

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This is also why Chevy’s bumper step is better than Ford’s foldable staircase. No moving parts and out of the way of the loads that will inevitably sit on top of the tailgate.

Also I REALLY don’t understand the 3-pc GMC tailgate . Mostly WHY we “needed” such a thing.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Discerning 10/22/2018 at 13:25

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I’m of the mind that automatic braking just makes everyone worse at driving.

Timid driver? Will either terrify them even more (bad) or make them reliant on it (Very bad).

Aggressive driver? Whatever your opinion of them, like most drivers they’re a lot less trouble if they’re at least smooth and predictable. A robot second-guessing them is not a good thing. The day is coming—if it hasn’t already come—when someone goes for a hole-shot and the brakes freak out. And the guy they jumped in front of, unless they’ve got a dashcam, will get the blame.

Somewhere in the middle? You’ll probably see a blend of both.

Discerning > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 13:28

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I have had the brakes applied on me while accelerating for a gap. The computer thought I was coming up on the car in front of me in my lane too quickly. The gap was still more than ample enough so no risk there , but it was annoying.

shop-teacher > vicali 10/22/2018 at 13:33

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Take your star dagnabit!

BigBlock440 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 13:47

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Also I REALLY don’t understand the 3-pc GMC tailgate. Mostly WHY we “needed” such a thing.

Because trucks are taller than they need to be, and old people with bad j oints have more money than younger, able-bodied people.

facw > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 13:47

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I think the real question is why truck beds need to be high enough that we need a step? 

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BigBlock440 10/22/2018 at 13:51

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Nevertheless. The full tailgate opening is easier to get things in and out of, and between the higher position and the gas strut supported tailgates on almost everything now, tailgates have never been easier to open or close.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > facw 10/22/2018 at 14:00

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I think part of it is the fact that they’re ALL high now, as opposed to the old way where 2wd trucks were lower than 4wd trucks. Which in itself probably came about because 4wd is so much more common now.

Also, the overall height difference between a 1500 4x4 Silverado in 1998 and 2018 is just 1.3"—meaning the perceived size increase is probably a combination of styling and higher bed sides. I have no problems with higher bed sides.

BigBlock440 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 14:02

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Nevertheless. The full tailgate ope ning is easier to get things in and out of

Not if you can’t reach it, whether the tailgate’s in the way or it’s towards the front. The new tailgate will fold a portion of it out of they way to give you another half a foot plus of reach into the bed. It also comes with a step that you can use to climb up into the bed that’s a few inches lower than the bumper step.  For old people (even for not old people) that makes things much easier.  Of course for younger, able-bodied people who aren’t buying the bulk of new vehicles, it may be more hassle than just swinging your leg up, but that’s irrelevant.  

Note, I am not saying this is necessary or I would want it, just why GMC decided we “need” it.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BigBlock440 10/22/2018 at 14:02

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Also there’s just a 1.3" height increase between a 1998 and 2018 Silverado 1500 4x4. The rest of the impression of “bloat” is probably explained between styling and taller bed sides. One of those doesn’t matter, the other is a good thing. So...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BigBlock440 10/22/2018 at 14:05

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OK, the argument of having part of the tailgate swing out of the way so you can reach further into the bed makes sense. I was thinking of it more in the tailgate up position rather than the tailgate down position. That’s probably one of the biggest pains in the ass about the layout of pickups, even with my minuscule contraption. Still tho

BigBlock440 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 14:11

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Total height doesn’t matter, bed height does, I can’t easily find measurements to compare though. I’m also of the opinion that new trucks are not appreciably bigger than old trucks, the majority of it comes down to wheel/tire size and styling. But some truck beds are high enough that would make it difficult if you were loading/unloading it all day, every day, even my stock-height ‘97 Ram, or a ‘95 F250 I used to use at work. The only trucks that had good bed heights that I’ve used were the early 90's F150s and the compact/midsizes we used, but we didn’t have any tailgate on them, which made it even easier yet .

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BigBlock440 10/22/2018 at 14:15

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Total height doesn’t matter, bed height does, I can’t easily find measurements to compare though.

This is the exact issue I’m having too :)

A little more conjecture though because why not, I think another thing is the fact that a much greater percentage of trucks today are 4wd, and that is probably one of the reasons 2wd trucks aren’t lower anymore. (I could be wrong on that, but it sure seems like they’re all being made the same height now.) Since so many work trucks were 2wd that’s a pretty big height increase.

BigBlock440 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 14:30

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I could almost buy that, and without seeing them side by side I’d never be able to tell the difference.

BigBlock440 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 14:35

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I think the tailgate up “features” are more “hey, what else can we say this is for?” or what else could be designed in as dual-purpose or for not much extra effort.  I agree that the up-position features would only be used in the most specific of circumstances.

Tapas > Discerning 10/22/2018 at 14:56

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Holy shit, driving a Q50 must be like driving Christine / a possessed car lol

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/22/2018 at 15:07

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The only possible use is to fold down the middle for hauling a gooseneck trailer. So you don’t have to buy an aftermarket gate, or take off your gate entirely 

Discerning > Tapas 10/22/2018 at 15:34

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Mi ne didn’t even have the completely electric steering that isn’t directly connected to the wheels 99% of the time.

It just had the awful crash prevention radar control.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > facw 10/22/2018 at 16:19

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Partially design

Partially In order to get larger payload capacity, larger springs are needed. Otherwise to keep the same length, the spring constant would have to get stiffer leading to a bouncy jarring ride. So blame folks that want a truck that rides smooth., hence the old outdated saying “rides  like a truck”