Rear pillar construction

1. A rear pillar structure of a vehicle frame for supporting a dual mode tailgate comprising:

a pillar member having a first leg and a second leg;

said first leg extending generally vertically along a side wall of the vehicle frame which partially defines a load carrying bed;

said second leg extending along a cross member connecting a pair of frame rails of the vehicle frame; and,

a support member mounted inside said first leg for reinforcing said first leg at a location at which the dual mode tailgate connects to said pillar.

2. The rear pillar structure of claim 1 , wherein said second leg is a substantially U-shaped bracket welded to said first leg and nested about said cross member.

3. The rear pillar structure of claim 1 , wherein said pillar is secured to an adjacent one of said pair of frame rails.

4. The rear pillar structure of claim 1 , wherein said first leg is substantially U-shaped in cross section defining an open end positioned adjacent said side wall.

5. The rear pillar structure of claim 1 , wherein said support member is substantially U-shaped in cross section.

6. The rear pillar structure of claim 5 , wherein said support member includes a reinforcing portion adjacent a rear wall of said first leg and opposed portions extending from said reinforcing portion to a front wall of said first leg.

7. The rear pillar structure of claim 6 , wherein said support member is positioned between said rear wall and said front wall of said first leg.

8. A rear pillar structure for connection to a vehicle frame including a side wall structure, comprising:

an L-shaped pillar having a first leg and a second leg;

said first leg extending along a rear edge of the side wall structure, the side wall structure forming part of a load carrying bed;

said second leg extending along a portion of a cross member of the vehicle frame, the cross member extending between a pair of frame rails of the vehicle frame; and,

a support member mounted inside said first leg, said support member and said first leg include a plurality of aligned apertures for mounting a tailgate hinge to said pillar.

9. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said support member is mounted adjacent said second leg.

10. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said first leg is substantially U-shaped in cross section including an open end adjacent the side wall.

11. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said support member is substantially U-shaped in cross section.

12. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said support member includes a reinforcing portion adjacent a rear wall of said first leg and upper and lower portions extending from said rear wall of said first leg to a front wall of said first leg.

13. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said support member is positioned between said rear side and said front side of said first leg.

14. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said second leg is substantially U-shaped in cross section including an open end which receives said cross member.

15. The rear pillar structure of claim 8 , wherein said second leg is fixedly attached to said first leg.

16. A rear pillar structure for connection to a vehicle frame for supporting a tailgate of a load-carrying bed, comprising:

a pillar including a first leg, a second leg approximately normal relative to said first leg, and a support member disposed in said first leg;

said first leg extending along a rear edge of a side wall of the load carrying bed and fixedly attached to the side wall and one of a pair of frame rails of the vehicle frame;

said second leg extending along a cross member disposed between the pair of frame rails and fixedly attached to said first leg and the cross member; and,

said support member fixedly attached to and within said first leg for supporting a hinge of the tailgate.

17. The rear pillar structure of claim 16 , wherein said first leg is substantially U-shaped in cross section including an open end adjacent the side wall.

18. The rear pillar structure of claim 16 , wherein said support member includes a reinforcing portion adjacent a rear wall of said first leg and upper and lower portions extending from said rear wall of said first leg to a front wall of said first leg.

19. The rear pillar structure of claim 16 , wherein said second leg is substantially U-shaped in cross section including an open end in which said cross member is positioned.

20. A rear pillar assembly of a vehicle frame, comprising:

a box-shaped pillar member fixedly secured to an adjacent frame rail of the vehicle frame and a cross member extending from said adjacent frame rail to an opposed frame rail of the vehicle frame, said pillar member extending upward from said adjacent frame rail; and,

a support bracket received in said pillar member to reinforce a portion of said pillar member used to support a pivotally mounted tailgate.

21. The rear pillar assembly of claim 20 , including a cross member bracket reinforcing the connection between said pillar and said cross member.

22. The rear pillar assembly of claim 21 , wherein said pillar member forms a first leg extending along a side wall of the vehicle frame defining a bed and said cross member bracket forms a second leg extending along said cross member.

23. The rear pillar assembly of claim 22 wherein said support bracket includes a reinforcing portion adjacent a rear wall of said first leg and upper and lower portions extending from said rear wall of said first leg to a front wall of said first leg.

24. The rear pillar structure of claim 23 , wherein said support bracket is positioned between said rear wall and said front wall of said first leg.