Ahh Success!
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
Ahh Success!
Well no more tailgate problems. A friend and I were able to take my rear window motor out and replace some of the internal parts from an old power window motor that had died. Now were back in business, got the window to shut ( for the first time since I've owned the truck) and got the tailgate down. All thanks to you guys, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
PS: I'm still going to replace the tailgate as soon as I save the 750 bucks for the fiberglass t/g ! NO RUST!!!
PS: I'm still going to replace the tailgate as soon as I save the 750 bucks for the fiberglass t/g ! NO RUST!!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
Ahh Success!
$750 
I dunno, man. That'd buy 3 JCWhitney skins. It'd take at least 20 years to rust thru 3 t/gs, and with a little preventitive maintenance, even longer. I found that a thick coat of undercoating ($8) and a good set of weatherbelts ($70) to wipe the glass & keep the water out will stop rust in its tracks.
I dunno, man. That'd buy 3 JCWhitney skins. It'd take at least 20 years to rust thru 3 t/gs, and with a little preventitive maintenance, even longer. I found that a thick coat of undercoating ($8) and a good set of weatherbelts ($70) to wipe the glass & keep the water out will stop rust in its tracks.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
Ahh Success!
The website that talks about the fiberglass tailgates are
http://www.autofab.com/tailgate.htm
http://www.autofab.com/bronco2.htm
it shows someone installing one and the finished product, very tight!!!
http://www.autofab.com/tailgate.htm
http://www.autofab.com/bronco2.htm
it shows someone installing one and the finished product, very tight!!!
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
Ahh Success!
$750 is stiff, but they will never ever rust and they weigh 20 lbs less that factory steel. I guess it's just personal preference, but I do agree with you. I would more than likely get the JC Whitney t/g too but I would make my drain holes a lil bigger and coat the bottom also add the weather belts.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
Likes: 12
From: Gateway to the West
Ahh Success!
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Dec-02 AT 02:11 AM (EST)]I've been to Autofab's site. My question has always been how you would compensate for the lighter tailgate with the internal torsion bar. I have a brand new steel gate and torsion bar and I have to pull the gate down to horizontal position or it wants to stay up. The torsion bar is designed to do this based on the known weight of the factory tailgate. How would one compensate for the 20lb. loss that would most likely make it difficult to keep the tailgate down when open? Not to mention the extreme pressure exerted on the fiberglass if the OEM torsion bar is to remain inside the gate. I know about this pressure because my old one broke loose from its mount when the gate rusted badly enough. It broke free and spun around inside the gate shattering the glass and punching an outward dimple in the outer skin of the gate. Would hate to think what might happen if the fiberglass got cracked near the torsion bar. Just thought I'd throw this question out there since we are on the subject of fiberglass tailgates.
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