My rear panels were rotten...nice new-ish tailgate wouldn't stay closed. So I pulled it and built this TireGate clone!

I never put the top on anymore anyway, so this was the perfect solution!

Eventually the side panels will tie to the carrier through some bushings. Right now the ratchet strap is holding them into place.

Hitch pins pull, and it swings out too (although not as smoothly as I had hoped).

Aligning hitch pin holes was the biggest pain (which explains the not-perfect swinging). But this was my first project with new tubing bender and tubing notcher. And it turned out just like the image in my head; SUCCESS!