I used a small U-Bolt and thin nuts a few years ago and it is still working good holding the driver's end. If anyone needs bottom brackets I have two new ones.

 

Greystreak to the rescue once more BTW guys what is the torsion bar? I got a 78 so i doubt i have one and my tailgate isn't really that heavy... It is a bit hard to push up but thats cause it is at the height where it is awkward pulling up and awkward pushing up...

 

Its in there. The torsion bar is the REASON it doesn't feel very heavy. When the gate is open, you will se a vertical rod that comes up into the passenger side of the jamb. follow it down to a 90º bend as the bar passes through the shell of the gate. The bar runs across the floor of the tailgate and has another 90º bend inside the shell. This end is held in place by a steel gusset that is tacked to the inside of the shell. As the gate is lowered the bar is twisted by the gate swinging down. As the bar twists, it resists the rotation and the torsion created causes the bar to want to act against the weight of the gate pushing down thus making it feel much lighter when you attempt to lift it. Try closing one WITHOUT the bar in place. The window regulator, motor, shell and glass all add up to one heavy assembly.

There is an exploded view of a tailgate in one of my galleries. The bar can easily be seen in that drawing.

 

That stupid torsion bar broke my tailgate window once ... I took that thing off, yes it's heavier now, but i don't mind it, i prefer not having to replace that window again.

 

thing is, the rest of the gate is mint, only rust anywhere is on this bracket. i do like the u-bolt idea though....

 

Had the same thing happen. Replaced the entire gate but Rhino-lined it inside and out before reassembling it. Alas that gate was on Greystreak when she was burned but I still have it and it STILL doesn't show any signs of deteriorating.

 

I think i saw mine today while i was installing a sub in the back.
In this picture you can just barely see the bar under the tailgate cable.

Thanks guys for putting up information, if i ever have problems with it (rusting as we speak) i will definitely have to come back to this thread.
There is an exploded view of a tailgate in one of my galleries. The bar can easily be seen in that drawing.

 

Yeah, i had some 3M asphaltic product used on my shell, but i still can see some rust at the bottom... i'll have to take care of that eventually.

 

Eventually i will have to dissect mine, i see some rust on the lower seam but it doesn't seem too bad. I just don't want to deal with all the work of taking the guts out...

 

Aside from reducing the noticable weight of the tailgate does the torsionbar serve any other purpose?

 

That is enough. Tailgate, glass, regulator and drive motor (for said glass) add up to a couple hundred pounds to lift when closing it not to mention the difficulty in opening it carefully without the assistance of the torsion bar (Hint: Don't send one of the kids out to get the groceries out of the Bronco). One or two misses while opening it without the torsion bar and you will end up with the same problem as when a torsion bar fails... you will shatter the glass.

 

Mine is currently broken. I don't have a problem opening or closing but I wanted to make sure that if I remove what's left of it I won't have other issues ie: tailgate won't open or close.

 

Nope, you can remove it. I had to cut mine out since I couldn't get it past the body. It's pretty darn heavy now but I'm the only one that will be operating it so I shouldn't have an issue. I've tried to think of a better system, a motor of some kind or some lift supports, but I don't quite have the imagination to picture it.

 

Everyone becomes a "better engineer" when the parts get old or the parts represent something they don't understand.

I am not calling anyone out here but I marvel at how quickly people are ready to dispense with something that was designed well in the first place. "Take it out because its gonna break someday and cost you money."... Yeah and so is the wiper motor, the bucket seat armrest, the top seal, the ignition solenoid and a host of other components! Fix it! Fix it right with a NEW part and it will work just like it has for the past 18 years or more (I say 18 because the newest Bronco is 18 years old right now).

The torsion bar is a spring. It is under some tension ALL its "life". Springs get old, they sag, they lose tension, and eventually they break. This is a fact. So I will continue to marvel at folks who share the rather odd notion that "If I just remove it, it will never break or cost me anything." Until you slip trying to close it while your 10 year old stands next to you and it bashes the child in the head. Or your wife/gf or even unsuspecting buddy injurs themself because you neglected to warn them when your arms were full and they were doing you a favor. But even if no one ever touches the gate but you, how many people wouldn't dream of not repairing a broken part under the hood with the proper part? How is this simple spring somehow so different? I am not asking for the answers. i know them already. i just marvel at the skewed priorities.

 

Well said! I completely agree.