What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Help me straighten out these minor tailgate questions?

AuH2O

AuH2O

1/2 ton status
Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Posts
185
Reaction score
1
Location
FL
Alright, I'm almost embarrased to ask these questions among threads regarding axle swaps or pure build threads, but hey, sometimes it's the little details you get stuck on. ;)

I've transfered all loose parts from my old electric '88 K5 tailgate to a new, rust-free shell, and when all's said and done, there are three minor things I'm left not knowing the answer to. (If I can say so myself, not bad for a first-timer!) It's true that a fully working tailgate isn't really dependant on the answers to either questions #1 or #3, but it feels better knowing I've done a complete job, so if I could get some help with any of the following, I'd be grateful:

I found this square little rubber washer laying loose at the bottom (see attachment #1). Didn't know what it was, and since GM's official parts diagram didn't even list it as an item, I put it aside. Then I happened to see it listed in LMC Truck's catalog as a "Window Glass Bumper Stop". They also say 2 are required, so apparently I'm missing one. My question is, where do they go? Obviously somewhere at the bottom... There is one square little metal piece with a hole in it almost mid-bottom, near the lower cut-out for the lockout rod - does it go there, fastened with a screw or something? That still leaves the question of the location for #2, though.

Second question; take a look at the lockout rod spring in attachment #2. Is it supposed to have that shape or has it been bent somehow? One end goes around the lockout rod and the other in the designated hole above it in the tailgate metal, right? (Mine was laying loose on the bottom...) I don't get how that "straight" end will ever hook onto anything, but looking at both GM's and LMC's parts diagrams, it does seem to have that shape...

Last question, attachment #3. A plastic clip that hung loose on my old regulator cable. If this is an OEM part, it's not listed anywhere. It looks to have been glued somewhere to help hold the cable in position; the question is where?

Weblinks for those without a membership:

#1. http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7433/09082007237mw4.jpg
#2. http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7483/09092007242rp1.jpg
#3. http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1735/09092007243fa4.jpg

09082007237.jpg

09092007242.jpg

09092007243.jpg
 
#2- Yea I believe that spring should have that shape. IIRC the "straight" part of the spring hooks to SOMETHING and the other end simply goes thru a hols in the whole window up down bracket. IIRC the spring goes horizontal across the center bracket of the tailgate.

That spring may be the one that pulls the rods that release/latch the tailgate.

This crap is kinda hard to talk about unless you have one in pieces in front of you.
 
Ok, as for the bumper stop, the tailgate really only has place for one (at least both my old and new one has), so LMC were wrong in noting that 2 are needed. Secondly, it became evident when I got the one from LMC that my old one was missing the plug you use to secure it in its designated position. That took care of that little issue.

As for the spring, I bent the end of my old one into a hook that would fasten securely in the designated hole. I put my new OEM spring away until someone can explain how it should really be placed! That whole setup only keeps you from opening the tailgate from the inside when the window is up anyways, and since I don't have kids crawling around in the back (who does?) I'm not really worried about that happening anyway. But it does work the way it should now, with my custom-bent spring. :D

That last question about the plastic clip is such a minor issue, but if anyone still wants to chip in on it... I never fastened it anywhere since there's no need for it, I just let it hang on the cable so I'd know where it is, should it be an OEM part.
 
Looks to me like that spring goes the other way... you have it upside down in that picture you took... look at the manual pic you posted and it shows the curved end hooks around that rod. The straight end isn't exactly straight and that's for a reason. you have to hold the spring straight up and down.. and stick it in that little hole up to the the little bend in it.. .then it lays down and hooks on the rod. Get it?
 
Yeah, that's how I did it, except I had to bend it much more for it to stay in the hole. With the window down and the force that exerts on the spring, there's no way it's gonna stay put in its original shape. I don't know how they intended for it to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom