Let's see your tailgate carpet replacement mods

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IdahoDoug

IdahoDoug

Joined
Aug 8, 2003
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I'm working toward turning one of our 80s into a dedicated traveling rig. Cooking on the carpeted tailgate day after day is bound to turn it into a mess of spilled food and burn marks. I'm looking for a material to use to make it a surface for my two burner stove and to eat off of, perhaps also a light workbench for a trailside repair, and yet remain a place to sit with a cup of coffee. Wondering what you folks have come up with over the years?

My thoughts so far are that hard plastic makes a great work surface, but a stove, tools and things will skate around on it and hot pans will melt or damage. Scrap of linoleum flooring? A grippy area and a tough plastic area? Carpet held on with magnets to pull it off easily to expose a tough surface? Dunno.
 
I think @cruiserdan has used stainless steel.

Some Japanese mods involve beautiful wood.
 
I have had a 1/4 inch thick 6061 aluminum plate on my lower gate for over 17 years.
 
Aluminium Board is the best. I had one on my 100 series with integrated storage, unfortunately the cracks and hinges attract all kinds of stuff.

20191012_122831.jpg
 
I keep a scrap of 1/4” -2’x3’ plate in the cargo area, slide onto the gate for whatever, muddy wader boots, anything food related, etc.

Since it’s loose I even have used it as a salmon cutting board, and to stand on in sock feet when changing clothes.

I keep telling myself when I get my Wagongear tailgate in, I’ll swap the AL for a piece of HDPE, as it is a massive heatsink / wet feet go cold real fast / HDPE is easier on knives.

:meh: - I like the durability & width spans the tailgate gap, but HDPE seems ideal if I hadn’t such a bunch of scrap AL plate & tube around, I just had it / radiused the corners edges.
 
For everyone cooking on the tailgate, don’t any of you sorta think that either CO or more likely - fuel vapor in the cabin are an issue?

I use a little stove that takes random twigs / wood pellet.
I forget the brand, they have a USB charger from the flame too, uses heat to blow air, makes a smokeless burn.

Even with it I generally do it down on the ground by the rear tire, if esp windy I’ve used that plate as a wind-block.

Maybe I’m chicken little, but between dual swingouts & the hatch overhead, I just keep cooking / fuel burning further back.

I’m prob being chicken little, but I’ve seen 8 deaths & 3 close calls -in a gas refinery 1st hand, so I am skittish on things.
I own that, I just wonder if this is unfounded or reasonable on my part.
 
LINUS said:
For everyone cooking on the tailgate, don’t any of you sorta think that either CO or more likely - fuel vapor in the cabin are an issue?

I use a little stove that takes random twigs / wood pellet.
I forget the brand, they have a USB charger from the flame too, uses heat to blow air, makes a smokeless burn.

Even with it I generally do it down on the ground by the rear tire, if esp windy I’ve used that plate as a wind-block.

Maybe I’m chicken little, but between dual swingouts & the hatch overhead, I just keep cooking / fuel burning further back.

I’m prob being chicken little, but I’ve seen 8 deaths & 3 close calls -in a gas refinery 1st hand, so I am skittish on things.
I own that, I just wonder if this is unfounded or reasonable on my part.
Click to expand...
Meh, I understand your concern but you are still cooking completely outside after all. You are surrounded almost entirely by open air, I would be utterly shocked if this led to anything seriously dangerous with a small camp stove.
 
LINUS said:
For everyone cooking on the tailgate, don’t any of you sorta think that either CO or more likely - fuel vapor in the cabin are an issue?

I use a little stove that takes random twigs / wood pellet.
I forget the brand, they have a USB charger from the flame too, uses heat to blow air, makes a smokeless burn.

Even with it I generally do it down on the ground by the rear tire, if esp windy I’ve used that plate as a wind-block.

Maybe I’m chicken little, but between dual swingouts & the hatch overhead, I just keep cooking / fuel burning further back.

I’m prob being chicken little, but I’ve seen 8 deaths & 3 close calls -in a gas refinery 1st hand, so I am skittish on things.
I own that, I just wonder if this is unfounded or reasonable on my part.
Click to expand...


I think you have a point to be careful. I usually pull the rear jerry can if it is filled and put it far away from camp for safety reasons when cooking. Other than the jerry can issue I don't worry. My truck smells like a campfire at this point anyhow.
 
Maybe I don't worry enough but I've never once had a concern (or an issue) cooking in open air space like the tailgate. Doesn't seem much different than something like under and awning or tent setup.

The one caveat would be when in serious bear country but that requires way more important precautions imo.
 
I have one of Adventure ready's proto-types they were kind enough to sell me when they were out of inventory... great solution and it's held up really well.

Rear Hatch.jpg
 
rolliges said:
I think @cruiserdan has used stainless steel.

Some Japanese mods involve beautiful wood.
Click to expand...
I have wanted to make mine into a giant cutting board for quite a while, haven't got around to it yet. I'd kind of rather have wood for that. At the moment I have mine covered with left over Rhino lining. It's a nice durable no-slip surface.
 
I just took the carpet off and use the metal surface for most things. I have a separate chuck box for cooking away from the truck at this point and it works well with an awning hanging off the back of the truck.
 
LINUS said:
For everyone cooking on the tailgate, don’t any of you sorta think that either CO or more likely - fuel vapor in the cabin are an issue?
Click to expand...

I used a butane gas cooker for awhile, then swapped to Propane but could not get the small canister refilled with ordering and waiting around two flipping weeks and I try to get out as often as possible! I went with a Coleman dual fuel and it is fine. I do stand it directly on the tailgate without issues other than it getting in the way of the drawers if I want to access them. I think with both the upper and lower tailgate open there is no issue of smell, well not yet anyway. I think I am super duper careful with the fuel filling though, always done away from the car. There are two fire extinguishers within inches of the cooker as well

I plan to copy one of Landcruiser.net clubs members with a metal table hinged off the tailgate, after putting two access panels in the tailgate, I just don't seem to get the time these days though..

regards

Dave
 
Solution: avoid camping to avoid needing to cook off your tailgate. Mash through any trail in a single day, valet the rig at a 5-star hotel and restaurant for a fancy dinner like a distinguished gentleman.
 
nukegoat said:
Solution: avoid camping to avoid needing to cook off your tailgate. Mash through any trail in a single day, valet the rig at a 5-star hotel and restaurant for a fancy dinner like a distinguished gentleman.
Click to expand...

How did my wife get a hold of your account? :moon:
 
Frankly, I like your solution best, @nukegoat -

Haha, and when you see the join date of some of us, and add our age then, that bed is becoming more realistic.
Alot of us were born about when 7 digit phone numbers were a new format ;)
 
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