How much weight can those things hold? I have a 2000 XLT

 

Since the coating on them has a nasty habit of trapping moisture , and you can't tell how bad they are corroded unless you remove it, after a few years I don't trust them to even hold the tailgate.
They may hold 500 lbs or 5 lbs. I've seen them break just by dropping the tailgate.

 

Hmm, mine seem to be able to hold like 450lbs fine...but I get nerves when more then two people sit on it.

 

just keep an eye on them if they are kinked replace them

those cables will hold alot, also being you are in Cali I doubt they rust any too fast

 

Mine just snapped a few months ago from dropping the tail gate luckily no damage... how ever they are not cheap to replace from ford and one side will cost more then the other b/c they are made at different factory's

 

You can get factory replacements at Autozone, Advance, and maybe NAPA. At Autozone here they run you $9.99. One was snapped when i bought the truck so I went ahead and replaced both of them.

 

autozone has the newer ones?? i have not seen ones for 99 up trucks

 

damn that blows the driver side cost me like 18 bucks then the passenger side was like 21 bucks lol

 

Mine snapped on me when dropping the gate in the rain and the gate slipped my hand. Found out they are not real cables....rather plastic/fiberglass-like 'cables'. My replacements were purchased from a local auto parts store for like $10 each. Metal. ...real cables/wire rope.

What do they hold? i honestly don't know.

 

Interesting...I've had 3 people on my tailgate and I never really think about how much it can hold. Maybe I should swap in some replacements that are a little stronger.

 

Mine had them. I would go just stop by and see if yours has them. Its a lot better than going to the dealership and paying almost double.