Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An automotive tailgate includes a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining an interior space. 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 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 the torsion bar is full floating, the operation of the tailgate hinges will not be impaired even if the torsion bar were to become fractured.

Abstract: A cap (10) is provided for the load box (16) of a vehicle, like a pickup truck (12), including a box-like structure sized and adapted to fit on the load box to form an enclosed area for the storage of personal items, camping equipment, tools, parts or the like. On the forwardmost corner of the cap there is included a door (40) in the form of three-sided box (53, 58, 60), i.e., a door that wraps both around the forward corner of the cap and into the roof. Hinges (50) are provided at the cutline with the roof so that the door opens upwardly. In the preferred embodiment, closable and latchable steps (28) are structurally integrated into the a side of a load box at its forwardmost end and the door of the cap is aligned with the steps forming a doorway for improved ingress and egress to the enclosed area under the cap.

Abstract: A method 500 and an assembly 200 for determining the presence of gaps located between a first portion 240 of a partially assembled apparatus 228 and a second portion 230. The existence and size of the gap may be discerned by use of a wireless gap sensor 309 which is engaged by the portion 230 as it abuts or comes into close proximity with the portion 240. Other methods 400 and 500 may be respectively used to respectively discern the existence and the size of a gap within an assembled vehicle and to measure the deflection of a portion of an apparatus, such as a vehicle.

Abstract: A cap (10) is provided for the load box (16) of a vehicle, like a pickup truck (12), including a box-like structure sized and adapted to fit on the load box to form an enclosed area for the storage of personal items, camping equipment, tools, parts or the like. On the forwardmost corner of the cap there is included a door (40) in the form of three-sided box (53, 58, 60), i.e., a door that wraps both around the forward corner of the cap and into the roof. Hinges (50) are provided at the cutline with the roof so that the door opens upwardly. In the preferred embodiment, closable and latchable steps (28) are structurally integrated into the a side of a load box at its forwardmost end and the door of the cap is aligned with the steps forming a doorway for improved ingress and egress to the enclosed area under the cap.