Tailgate Finish Panel Repair
 

The finish panel on my tailgate rattles every time I close the tailgate since it looks like some of the fasteners along the bottom of the finish panel are broke.

Is this easy to fix? Can I find the hardware to fix/replace the fasteners at a local hardware store, or will I have to go through Ford? Or maybe just use some double-sided tape?

Thanks!

lmctruck.com has the clips.

Yea, them stupid clips.

I just sheet metal screw that sucker down. No fuss then.
HAHAHA.

I looked through the online catalog and couldn't find them. Is there a p/n I can search for?

Thanks!

I dunno what LMC is selling, but according to the Ford Truck Parts Catalog, there are SIX different clips that retain the aluminum finish panel to the tailgate.

Right/left upper outer is the same.

Right/left lower outer is the same, but different than the right/left upper outers.

The upper center is one type, the lower center is another type.

hey man they stop carrying them i just look online and not there looked in the newest book not there called thay said they didant sell anymore.I hate when they do that.
sorry

Well that sucks! :-X09 I guess I'll have to figure out a custom repair.

Thanks for looking though etldak!

I wonder why they would discontinue something like this, as it sounds like this is a common failure item on our trucks. If I had a choice, I'd much rather have the plain tailgate, but mine looks ugly once you take that trim off with all those holes in it, and I don't think it's worth paying someone to patch it and repaint.

Drop buy a body shop or an automotive paint store. They usually have the skinny on that stuff.

These clips are still available from Ford.

LMC was prolly buying them from a local Ford Dealer...but sales were slim and none...so when the last one was sold, they stopped carrying them.

1) E7TZ9942596A .. Finish Panel Clip-Upper Center.

MSRP: $11.00 // FTE sponsor Y2KFORDPARTS.COM price: $6.60.

Y2K = MILLENNIUM FORD in Seattle WA.
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2) E7TZ9942596B .. Finish Panel Clip-Upper Outer ~ Right/Left is the same.

MSRP each: $11.00 // Y2KFORDPARTS.COM price each: $6.60.

There is a different clip for the lower center, two additional (and different) clips for the right/left lower outer.

I'm using the Ford Truck Parts Catalog on microfiche. I cannot make out these lower part numbers, will find out Monday what they are...then will post the info.

That's a good idea Pete - I never thought about stopping by a body shop to see if they can get them. I'm sure if anyone can them still, it would be a body shop.

Hey Bill, thanks a ton for the information and part numbers! :-X22 I'm not sure if we're talking about the same clips though. There are three big plastic "straps" holding the finish panel on my truck. Each of these straps go from the top to the bottom of the finsh panel and each have two plastic tubes that slide inside the holes on the outside of the tailgate and get secured with screws on the inner side of the tailgate. Then there are four acorn nuts on each corner of the finish panel that secure it on the sides. Does that make sense? The part numbers you looked up make it sound like there are six separate clips. :confused:

Thanks again for the help guys!

Or you can do like my truck take the thing off and replace the whole piece with a chunk of aluminum diamond plate steel metal screwed on. Doesnt look too bad either, Just havent figured how to put the badges back on yet.

There are six total clips, four different part numbers: Two upper outers, two lower outers, one upper center, one lower center.

Moulding section in the 1990/2002 Ford Truck Parts Catalog shows tailgate finish panel mounted on the truck with a two letter code in a circle used to designate specific clips with an arrow pointing to where these clips are located.

Upper outer are VF's, center upper is a VE. Then, at the end of the moulding section, these two letter codes are translated to part numbers.

VF = E7TZ9942596B / VE = E7TZ9942596A

What do these clips look like? I dunno...as this is all the info that's in the parts catalog.

I cannot make out the codes for the lower clips because Ford shrunk the codes to half the size of the uppers, and I'm using the catalog on scratchy microfiche slides.

These two clips are stocked by dealers on your area.

E7TZ9942596A: Landmark Ford in Tigard has two, Vancouver (WA) Ford has two, Dick's MacKenzie Ford in Hillsboro has two, Kendall Ford in Eugene has three.

E7TZ9942596B: Landmark has one, Kendall has three, Vancouver Ford has one, Robberson Ford in Bend has three.

Suggest you visit one a these dealers to see what these clips look like, then...go from there.

Or, contact Ed Olson @ Millennium Ford in Seattle (Burien)-FTE sponsor Y2KFORDPARTS.COM and ask him to email or fax you a pic of the whole tamale.

Hey Bill,

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the info! I took your advice and went to Dick's MacKenzie Ford in Hillsboro since it's on my way home from work. I checked out the p/n they had in stock (E7TZ9942596A) and it's certainly just what I'm looking for!

The parts guy double-checked to make sure I'd need one of E7TZ9942596A for the center and two of E7TZ9942596B for the left and right. I would have bought them from him for his help, but they wanted $19.98 just for one!!!

Dick's MacKenzie has never given me good prices on parts, so I contacted Ed at Milenium Ford like you recommended and checked to see if he had a couple other parts in stock while I was putting in the order.

Thanks again!

How about a picture or two.

Look in my my albums you should be able to see it.