Quality of after market tail gates

[zippeay]

Anyone have any experience using an LMC or any other company's tail gate? I've got some good after market parts as well as some horrible ones from LMC and I figured before I spend 400 bucks I should probably get some opinions.
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[oem4me]

Why go aftermarket? can't find a nice used one? I think I remember hearing the repops are not as heavy.

[forestb]

mar-k if you can not find an original one

[Indian113]

Originally Posted by forestb

mar-k if you can not find an original one

x2

[markeb01]

If I ever buy a new one it will be Mar-K. Everything I've read about them indicates they fit perfect and use the same gauge metal as OEM.

This may be comparing apples and oranges, but a few years back I bought a Taiwan tailgate for my wife's 1968 F250. At the time there was no other type on the market. It was a very poor substitute for an actual tailgate. I had to cut chunks out of the upper corners to allow it to latch, and after standing on it a few times going to the dumps, it bowed down about an inch in the middle. When closed, that's how big the gap was between the tailgate and the bed floor.

[chevyrestoguy]

I'd rather fix an original than try to make a repop one fit. I've never tried a Mar-K, but I'm not a fan of aftermarket sheet metal. Nothing is more frustrating than taking a brand new part out of the box and cutting it into pieces just to make it fit.

[tazattitude]

Bought mine from Top Banana. No problems. I did some bodywork to it to 'smooth' it out.

If you find a used on online and decide to buy it, you will be rolling the dice. No telling how much bodywork might be needed around all those letters and the areas on the seams. It's very hard to get the area around the letters perfect.

[zippeay]

Thanks everyone, the one I have isn't too bad, there's some pits under the seam at the top and a decent dent right at the bottom and a couple seam cracks. I can fix the dent and fill the pits but I've don't so much to my truck I almost feel like in skipping. I think I will probably just fix this one. I have stud puller so I can pull the dent. After spending almost 2k on paint supplies the other day I'm rethinking the things I "need"... I wasn't counting on paint being that expensive...
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[zippeay]

Originally Posted by tazattitude

Bought mine from Top Banana. No problems. I did some bodywork to it to 'smooth' it out.

If you find a used on online and decide to buy it, you will be rolling the dice. No telling how much bodywork might be needed around all those letters and the areas on the seams. It's very hard to get the area around the letters perfect.

Nice truck btw, the tailgate looks nice!
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[rbar]

I'd only go with MAR-K. I saw a goodmark one and it was very flimsy. You can't sit on it, that's for sure. It was also not crisp, all of the straight portions "rolled" into the adjoining area.

[hop sing]

Originally Posted by zippeay

Anyone have any experience using an LMC or any other company's tail gate? I've got some good after market parts as well as some horrible ones from LMC and I figured before I spend 400 bucks I should probably get some opinions.
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i got a real nice tail gate f/s on parts 200 plus shipping proably 120=130 to ship thx hop

[gimmy 64]

i have Mar-k tailgate with there center handle and hinge. very nice product. also at alittle over 200# i can sit on it no problem.

[TopFuel1966]

This is a Mar-K tailgate. Excellent quality and fit and is an exact copy of the OEM with the exception of the latching mechanism.