Everyone raves about the GMC Swiss knife tailgate and the Ridgeline double acting tailgate. In the 1960s Ford introduced the Magic Door tailgate on its Country Squire. There’s no reason it wouldn’t work on the next F Series trucks.

 

I think a dual action tailgate would be great. It makes it so much easier to reach inside the bed. I'm not sold on Ram's 60/40 split version, though I wonder if they did that to allow for support cables on each side to increase the load capacity. I wouldn't trust the Ridgeline's tailgate to hold much weight. It also isn't removable.

In any case, I'd like to see a dual tailgate like the Ridgeline's, combined with a swing down step like the AMP Bedstep. Proven designs that don't go so far as to be overcomplicated gimmicks.

 

My parents were sold on the Ridgeline dual action gate. For pushing 70 it makes loading and unloading way easier on them. It's also easier to deal with when the truck is 6in narrower!

 

Gimmicks. The "other ones", (those that shall not be named) are trying to convert Ford owners with a tailgate? PFFFFTT! Puuuleeeease! Don't buy into the hype. Ford is the No. 1 selling truck for a reason and it has nothing to do with a tailgate!

 

LOL, who was first with a tailgate step?

Nothing wrong with giving customers better options.

 

x2, when the tailgate step came out i thought it was the stupidest thing ever, now i refuse to own a truck without one

 

Im on the fence now, if my next vehicle will be a 2021 F150 or a 1967 Country Squire.

 

I mean a country squire with 3.5L ecoboost and the 10 sp with reasonable rear - refurbished body and chassis - disc brakes around - retromod interior. I'd roll that to work.


Meanwhile I'd love to have the 2 way tailgate. drop down or swing open. the swing open is good for some needs and the drop down is good for others. I don't need all the sub pieces of the GMC transformergate. and I don't want a tail gate with a split in the middle.

I do like chevy's bumper corner step pockets but with a swing open gate - you can not step on the recess in the middle of the bumper which would be better.

 

I'd do the Squire but my wife would kill me. She absolutely hates station wagons to the point of nightmares from her childhood.

 

That's a great video!

i really like the new ram 60/40 design....eliminates the tailgate length issue in tight quarters. I had 3 gen 1 Ridgelines, and always found the dual action gate to be pretty handy. I see the 60/40 split as version 2.0 of that design, offering better utility. I hope Ford does something similar with the '21 model, tho rumors say it won't happen.

AFT the GM party gate, it's of no value to me, tho others may find it useful. Still, it's nice to have options for what you want, as it's easier to say no, than to not have it at all, if you want it.

Either way, I do think Ford needs to offer more than just a built in step for '21 model. Maybe something no one has even thought of yet?