Before and after.
(The "after" is a new tailgate, not the original)


2010



2018

 

i must be the worlds biggest idiot

how does the tailgate stay up? I dont have a locking mechanism

 

You appear to be missing the part in the red box:

 

thanks!

so frustrating. the company I bought from (recommended here) had me text them photo and video of my bed.

they sent tailgate but no chains

then they sent chains

now they forgot that

*sigh*

 

Looking closer: The early trucks had a special ring instead of the stamped steel latch. I don't know what year they changed. It could look like this:




Is there any chance this link is big enough to fit around the hook on the tailgate?

 

thank you! Let me give it a try in the morning

much appreciated

 

Just a quick FYI. If you look at the hooks in these pics they are upside down. I was always taught to bring the hooks in up from the bottom and then flip them over. That way they are locked in place and can't bounce out on a rough road. If you just drop them in from the top like that they can (and will) bounce up out of the tabs.

 

Like this

Little newer but still a tail gate yes hooks are wrong LOL


Dave ----

 

company I ordered tailgate says my bed is wrong to the truck:


“Your bed has been changed on your truck. You have a late 1950-52 bed on your truck. It takes different ears on the top of the tailgate. It looks like you ordered the correct tailgate for the 1948 when you placed the order, not knowing the bed had been changed.

The easiest fix would probably be for you to take the ears out of that gate and for us to sell you the ears you need for the tailgate and you put them on. The gates are the same except for the ears at the top. I'll send you a picture later on what it looks like.”

 

time for being creative - work with what you have

 

Turn the eye bolt 90 degrees, loop the long chain link over the tailgate eye, then put the hook thru the hole in the eye.

 

like this?

 

Yep, like that. If you really wanted to get creative and closer to correct you could move the eye bolt up on the stake pocket to be even with the tail gate loop. The next thing to do, to take the slop out of the big link would be to add a cross brace so it's next to the gate loop, keeping the tailgate from flopping when latched. Here's what the stock chains should look like, you'll get the idea. (Personally, I'd have that weld glob on the underside of the loop so it's not so visible.)

 

My original 54 tailgate now a lighted wall hanger.

 

A wall hanger is much better than scrapping it.