Pickup truck with lift assisted tailgate system

摘要

An automotive vehicle, such as a pickup truck, has a tailgate including a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining a space surrounded by the shell. The door is pivoted upon bearings mounted upon bearing retainers located at each end of the door. A full floating torsion bar is provided and includes a first end rotationally grounded within the interior space of the door shell and a second end engaged with and rotationally locked with one of the bearing inserts so that the torsion bar will be subjected to torsional loading as the door is pivoted. Because of the full floating feature, the hinge function of the tailgate will not be impaired in the event that the torsion bar becomes fractured.