I just picked up a swing out spare tire carrier from the salvage yard and figured that as long as I'm cuttin' and pastin' back there, I might as well convert my swing out tail gate to fold down. Haven't seen anything on WF about the conversion, so I thought I'd ask. Is it worth the effort?

I would like to do this conversion. I think it would be nice to have.

you could probably get tailgate hinges for a cj and modify those to work. i think they are like 40 bucks from quadratec.

I think that it looks so cool! I saw a conversion kit for it. but I can't remember if it was for a yj or not.

Found it, but a little more expensive than $40.
Custom 4x4 tube off road fabrication ... down tailgate

my cj7 had the fold down tailgate on the original body tub, but it drove me nuts. i am used to the swing away tailgate that my tj has. when i did the yj tub swap i was happy to have a swing away. imo, it's not worth it. it was a pita to close, and you had to undo the soft top to get it open. however, if you do go ahead and do the swap take lots of pics throughout the process and do a "how to" write up. we love pics and write ups here.

this sounds really interesting... i have always wanted to do one because it would be nice to have a place to layout tools for trail repairs instead of on the ground... i have heard of people converting to the cj tailgate but as far as im concerned i would just want to get mine to hinge down instead of sideways...

that kit is rediculously out of the park for price... im thinking some hinges and bolts from homedepot and some ingenuity and we're good.

if i do this in the near future i will surely post up a build thread on it!

There's a tailgate bar for CJs - spans the gap just like on TJs - so you can open gate and not touch top.
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My CJ doesn't even have a tailgate. Hasn't really bothered me.

Ouch!

Here is a write up on a home grown conversion.

CJ to TJ/YJ Wrangler tailgate install...un Engineering

Donn

why does it need that other latch? does the stock latch not work after this?

its got the cj door on it, if you re used the old yj door, you probably could use the original latch, but u might need something on the side that the swing out hinges were on, or it might sit with one corner out farther then the other

maybe i just did something wrong then. i have the supertop for a cj7 and i still had to open it to open the tailgate. idk, i personally, like the swing away better, it is easier to get stuff in and out w/o the tailgate beinging in the way.

just got a friend of mine over near Fort Campbell to pick me up a CJ tailgate he found at a c4c junkyard that just opened up, should have it towards the end of Nov. and maybe have it converted before christmas... ill take some picks!

I seem to remember a company called SWAG off road or something along those lines having a conversion for TJ's and JK's to make a CJ style tailgate, but I dont know for sure if there is a YJ kit or not.

edit
here ya go
Custom 4x4 tube off road fabrication ... down tailgate the link title says TJ but on the products page they do list YJ kit

I have a CJ tailgate on my TJ right now. Its not hard. You can use a cj tailgate and the stock hinges and bolt them to the TJ/YJ tub. Fits nicely and it does make a nice spot to work on stuff or sit down at while havin lunch, etc. But if I had the choice, Id go back to a TJ tailgate in a heart beat. You have no idea how annoying it is to open that thing up with a hard top. It takes 2 people! Im in the process of trying to fab up a decent latch mechanism for it so it will open like a truck tailgate. I have yet to find anyone who has even tryed to put a latch on a cj tailget that was put onto a TJ so Im trying to really plan this out before I go cutting. If you could manage to get a latch on the tailgate then Id say it would be worth it, otherwise, stick with your stock tailgate and you'll me much happier down the road.

well i have a hardtop that will be on all winter (when i plan on doing this conversion) so i will figure something out and when (not if) i do ill put it up in a build thread with some pics for you guys first thought it something like the cj/yj hardtop latch on the rear door/window but i will check it out when i get the tailgate in...

I put a CJ tailgate on my TJ ... i love it

Here's some pics where you can kinda see it.





Makes a good seat too

This is pretty cool I might have to try this when I get all my other problems fixed

you can use your stock hinges you just mount them on the bottem of the tail gate but be sure to weld aplate behind the new hinges for extra support

I figured that would be a good way to do so but I need to rebuild the motor on the 88 and finish the exhaust on the 94 the list just never stops lol part of making a Jeep yours though thanks for the extra advice man