I'm going to order a tailgate from the Bronco graveyard. My question is how difficult is it to swap the guts of my present tailgate into the new shell?
I have pretty large hands. The damaged tailgate I can take a cutting wheel to and have easy access to removing the inards, but installing the latches, window reg, etc might be to tight. If you know it can be done by a non/pro with air tools and a little common sense could you tell me what would be the most difficult part to do, or should I leave it to a body shop? Would I need any special tools, you know the ones you use once and never need again?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Greg

 

I just repaired my tailgate this weekend on my '89. I took some time but it wasn't to bad of a job. There is actually a fair amount of room inside the t/g. I removed the regulator, guides, just about everything but the latching mechanism. And I have removed that previously to replace the latching mechanism. The most difficult part of it was keeping my two boys from knocking the saw hourses that the glass was resting on! I knew I was going to have to buy new glass before I was done, but I was wrong.

As far as special tools I didn't use any at all.

By the way I have been well pleased with the parts that I have purchased from the Graveyard. If you get the gate let me know what you think of it, as I am considering getting one as well.

 

Something to consider doing if you haven't yet: Replace the torsion bar that runs through the bottom of the gate while you have it apart. The originals are shorter beyond the last 90 degree bend INSIDE the gate and if it fails, snaps, pops its brackets, it will spin around inside the gate and shatter the glass. (Who me? The voice of experience? Nahhhh!) I think they are about $20-25 from Ford may be cheaper from JBG and well worth the peace of mind. You will need someone with small hands to start the bolts that hold the bracket in the passenger side jamb. Thank God my wife supports my Bronco habit.

One other thing to consider doing since you are spending all that money on a new gate; coat the inner surfaces with spray on bedliner/undercoating OR, like I had done, have the local Rhino Linings shop coat inside for you. The typical rust in the tailegate starts just above the drain holes where the inner metal frame and outer sheet metal skin are folded together. There is a crevice that water can gather in that is lower that the drain holes. Fill in the crevice with undercoating or Rhino lining and you will remove the possibility for cancer to set in where it typically does in these trucks.

 

Thanks Greystreak and Schlump. I was going to spray the inside with POR15, at least the bottom. I'm 6'5" with big hands and a nerve problem that maks my hand cramp nd my wife, God love her, is 5'11" but her hands are alot smaller than mine. Could you tell me where I might cut the old t/g to open it up so I could get a good view of how everything mounted and located. I don't want to saw anything I will need. I was thinkng about around the the outer edge on the inside, where the access panel is. One last question,is there anything mountded or bolted to the outside skin of the t/g. What I mean is between the interior skin (where release handle is) and exterior skin (what's the outside ) I know all the inner workings are between the 2 skins, but is anything mounted to the outer skin except for the brace for the s/t carrier. Do you think I should take another painpill?, since I made this clear as mud.

 

The tire carrier latch brace should be the only item actually bolted to the outer skin. If you start removing things wiring first, the rest should come out with little to no trouble without cutting anything. After all, it all went in there that way. The brackets across the bottom for the torsion bar are bolted towards the skin side of the gate at the lower edge of the gate. Concentrate on getting the wiring out of the way first then the latches and linkages for said latches. The window seals need to go once the window is out. Depending upon the model year, and whether or not the rear glass has ever been replaced, you may have to drill out the four aluminum rivets that hold the glass to the regulator. Obviously some care needs to be taken here. Make sure you mark each component as to what it is and where it came from (i.e. window track from the driver's side marked as left-hand track etc). The largest single component is the window motor and regulator and it comes out as one piece.

I have found that in removing the glass, its helpful to open the gate, roll the glass about halfway up, (where you can get at the rivets or bolts that hold the glass) and once the rivets/bolts are removed, you can gently pull the glass through its regular channel and out of the gate.

BTW, to raise the glass with the gate open (in case you don't know), once the gate is open, manually close the driver's side latch, both catches, completely then the keyswitch or dash switch will operate the window.

 

Flyboy, there are also two internal braces within the tailgate that the regulator bolts to. They are part of the tailgate itself. I like Greystreak would use caution when cutting the tailgate. I could see cutting through wiring or one of the latch arms. There is enough room to get at everything, just take your time. You can also use a small mirror, like off of a welding shield to help see around within the gate. If I were to cut the gate apart I would open the access panel and verify were everything is before cutting. You could maybe then drill a few corner holes to mark the extent of your cuts. Really though I don't think you will need to do this.