Hello all, new to this site. Have a new aftermarket <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">tailgate</a>, could use helpful hints before i start.
Thanks

 

I don't know what kind of aftermarket <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">tailgate</a> that you have, but I would compare it to the original first. Make sure that you have all the things like mounting holes for the window/glass regulator, holes for the latch line up, things like that. I would recomend that you replace the weather stripping and seals. Also, if it isn't already primed and painted, I would do that before you mount it to the truck. Hope this helps you out.

 

If you want to keep that pretty new T-gate looking pretty and new, before you put all the guts inside the new one, either have the inside of it Rhino-lined like I did or at least get some spray on undercoating and give the inside of the shell a good coat of the stuff. It will help seal out moisture that naturally accumulates inside the shell and causes them to rust out like they do. The worst spot is along the lower edge right where the outer and inner <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">sheet metal</a> come together and are rolled into the lower edge of the gate. There is a small crevice where moisture can settle right along the seam. Fill that lil sucker in with the undercoating. Make certain you keep it out of bolt holes for torsion bar brackets and the like though. Again we are talking about the INside of the T-gate shell here.

 

Look at this album and the t/g diagrams in this one.

 

Thanks for the help hope to start on this later this week

 

greystreak92, I recently purchased an '88 model Bronco that is just beginning to show signs of rust in the area you are talking about - along the bottom where the inside and outside metal meet. It's barely noticable, just a couple of bubbles in the paint. Is there anything I can do to repair this and prevent it from spreading? Thanks.

 

Alabass,

Get the paint off of it. Get as much of the rust off as possible, If its started to bubble the paint, it may already be through the outer skin and you may have to do some filling to repair it. There is a product called POR-15 that is considered to be a rust conditioner (basically chemically alters iron oxide into something that wont' continue to rust.) Several people I know have used it on their early Bronco's with good results. If you can't get all the rust out of that seam, you may want to look into this option before painting and/or the undercoating trick.

POR-15 is available online through the manufacturer although I don't know the exact address. A search may yeild results or someone here may also know it.

 

Alabass, this is brutal, take a small screwdriver, and poke it in the rust bubbles. If you go through, the best thing is to replace the <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">tailgate</a>. There is a lot of stress on that and there is no way to patch them, short of welding new metal in.
The main reason for the water in the <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">tailgate</a> and doors is the weatherstripping is shot and has never been replaced. It is a replaceable item, ie it is supposed to be replaced. For most of it I found <a href="http://www.qksrv.net/click-525300-5900434">J.C. Whitney</a> to have reasonable prices.
I replace all weatherstripping as soon as it shows any deterioration, or wear. It is there to prevent water from getting into places it shouldn't be.
Bruce (Big Red Bronco)

 

Big Red,
While I agree with you on the weatherstripping and seals, my brand new T-gate with all new seals AND the Rhino-lined interior surfaces still takes on some moisture especialy when driving in heavy rains. It actually comes up through the drain holes from the rear wheel spray. I only know this becasue after having replaced the T-gate and all that rubber "shtuff" I was still seeing moisture on the rear carpet prior to replacing the inspection cover. So, I had my brother drive while I rode around in the back of it.....sure enough, water UP through the drain holes. Now with the inspection cover in place, it doesn't get into the interior but it still invades the inside of the <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">tailgate</a> itself.

 

Sounds like you're missing the plastic shield that goes across the back of the body. It would stop the spray. I designed my rear <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">bumper</a> to catch the spray & anything else the <a href="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=37919709&siteid=39251846">tires </a>throw.

 

Steve,
I checked on that possibility. Referred to another Bronco and pictures here. The plastic shield IS there...color me befuddled. I'm not too worried about it as the moisture never gets up inside far enough to get the window motor or regulator wet... just the bottom three or four inches. and all that stuff down in there is Rhino-lined.