How to properly repair cage nuts?

[colbystephens]

Several of the cage nuts for my hard top aren't caged anymore - in the bed rails. What's the best way to permanently fix this?

Also, my tailgate handle is getting harder to use. I need to open things up and see what's going on in there, but I figure I might just tag this question on to my post too. Any ideas? It's like I have to pull up on the handle more on the driver's side than I used to, and typically have to push in on the gate harder than I'd like to, to get the gate to release and come down.

 

[Fordum]

Bearing in mind I don't own or have even worked on one like yours, I suspect the only way to fix a cage nut permanently is with a welder.........

But, depending oh what type cage nut it is, there are different types, you might be able to buy new cages.
With or without nuts.
But, that is not a permanent fix, its only going to last about a long as the original ones.

If they are like I think they are, there is another way. Lots of work, but very nice once done.
A strip of steel, that will fit under the be rail, about 1/4 inch thick will do the job. Lay it under the rail and clamp it in place.
Mark a couple of places between the holes, and drill through the rail and strip.

Take the strip out, and countersink the holes you just drilled in the bed rail.

Thread the holes you just drilled in the strip and use some countersink screws to mount the strip under the bed rail.

Then drill all the other holes now in the bed rail through the strip and then thread them.

Now you have threaded holes in the bed rail.
If one or more strip out later, just remove the strip and repair them or make a new strip.

The tailgate handle probably has not been greased like it should, and is wearing out.
Some grease will help, but its going to have to be replaced or built back up somehow.

All that advice is blind. No idea exactly what any of that looks like, but I have seen and done things like that, so if its not exactly correct, maybe it will inspire an idea.

 

[Deuling]

Have you checked out the tailgate thread? Lots of good info in there. And i like fordums strip idea, but i would secure it differently. Any less drilling you can make on the bedrails is less chance for water to get into and rust.

 

[Stomis]

Bearing in mind I don't own or have even worked on one like yours, I suspect the only way to fix a cage nut permanently is with a welder.........

But, depending oh what type cage nut it is, there are different types, you might be able to buy new cages.
With or without nuts.
But, that is not a permanent fix, its only going to last about a long as the original ones.

If they are like I think they are, there is another way. Lots of work, but very nice once done.
A strip of steel, that will fit under the be rail, about 1/4 inch thick will do the job. Lay it under the rail and clamp it in place.
Mark a couple of places between the holes, and drill through the rail and strip.

Take the strip out, and countersink the holes you just drilled in the bed rail.

Thread the holes you just drilled in the strip and use some countersink screws to mount the strip under the bed rail.

Then drill all the other holes now in the bed rail through the strip and then thread them.

Now you have threaded holes in the bed rail.
If one or more strip out later, just remove the strip and repair them or make a new strip.

The tailgate handle probably has not been greased like it should, and is wearing out.
Some grease will help, but its going to have to be replaced or built back up somehow.

All that advice is blind. No idea exactly what any of that looks like, but I have seen and done things like that, so if its not exactly correct, maybe it will inspire an idea.

Only problem with that is hard tops flex and you'll be muscling the thing around trying to find threads in an exact spot. Thats generally why they used cage nuts. So they could slide around a little and have some margin for misalignment.

You could always do what you said but instead of welding a nut to the plate or tapping it build a cage with a new nut in it.

 

[Deuling]

Or buy some new caged nuts. Like the kind guys are using for the headlight adjusters, but bigger.

 

[496truck]

As far as your tailgate handle, pull the cover off the gate and lubricate the crap out of all the moving parts. It should work wonders for you. I don't recall any adjustments in there.

 

[Deuling]

As far as your tailgate handle, pull the cover off the gate and lubricate the crap out of all the moving parts. It should work wonders for you. I don't recall any adjustments in there.

Im guessing something with the 2 metal rods that go out to the latches. Im almost positive you can adjust them a little.

 

[colbystephens]

In all of the cases except for one, the problem is the cages are no longer functional - the nuts themselves are fine. The one nut that isn't, isn't that bad and could be re-tapped. I was just trying to avoid welding the cages because I don't want to mess up the paint on the bed rails. But, now that I think about it, the bed rails are made up of several layers of metal, so that shouldn't really be a problem.

Can I just purchase new cages/nuts? I figured I'd have to make my own cages, which would be annoying. Never thought I could just buy them. Where would you go to get new cage nuts?

 

[Fordum]

Can I just purchase new cages/nuts? I figured I'd have to make my own cages, which would be annoying. Never thought I could just buy them. Where would you go to get new cage nuts?

Well, odds are they are not handmade one of a kind units............

What the heck do they look like? I have used cage nuts for years, but there are lots of different designs.

For instance, here are a few different ones from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16409921

If you get a chance, post some pics of the nuts and the bed rail I can fix things much easier when I know what I am working on.......

 

[colbystephens]

Well, odds are they are not handmade one of a kind units............

Ok, I'll pull the bedsides tomorrow and take pics. Thanks so much!

 

[Deuling]

They are square nuts inside some chinsey side metal that rounds out. I use channel locks on a couple of my stubborn ones to squeeze the metal back in. Works

 

[dyeager535]

These nuts need to move because of how you are supposed to tighten the top up.

I can't remember the exact procedure from GM, but there IS a procedure. If you don't follow the procedure, you end up forcing the top to flex (it's fiberglass after all) and you will split the seams if you put enough force on it. Very obvious where the bed meets the B-pillar if you snug the cab topper bolts up before getting the bed rail portion pulled down, and would be a similar problem if the bed side nuts were fixed and the topper bolts were trying to pull the whole assembly forward.

The one thought I have about using a solid strip of metal underneath, tapped, is that you COULD slot the top and the stainless trim pieces to get the travel necessary in the top. But only so much that the bolt head would still hide the slots, if you care about aesthetics.

If you were to use fixed nuts without slotting the top/traim piece, you will never get all the seals tight, at least IMO.

Short of welding new cages in place, if the cage is only "broken" on two opposing sides (so that the nut rotates), maybe you could weld a "T" to the side of the nut itself, so a portion of the T would contact the lip on the bed rail, or the inner bedside, preventing it from rotating. Obviously if the cage is completely gone that won't work, but if there is enough there to keep the nut from falling out, that idea might work.

Heck, if the cage was still strong enough, just welding small tabs on the nut would prevent the nut from rotating once it spun enough to hit the remaining cage portions. You could always tack a bit of reinforcement to the cage (minimal heat to the bed rail that way) where the tab contacted, if the remaining metal is in decent shape.

 

[496truck]

After thinking about this for a few minutes, sometimes the best solutions are the simplest.

A lot of times the cage kinda spreads apart allowing the nut to spin. Try squeezing the cage back together with a pair of pliers. Then lube the threads during reassembly and don't overtighten. This should prevent stuck threads and eliminate the nut spinning around and opening the cage again.

They only need to be snugged up to hold the top, collectively. I snug them up with a 1/4 drive ratchet or even the cordless driver on a low torque setting.

 

[Deuling]

After thinking about this for a few minutes, sometimes the best solutions are the simplest.

A lot of times the cage kinda spreads apart allowing the nut to spin. Try squeezing the cage back together with a pair of pliers. Then lube the threads during reassembly and don't overtighten. This should prevent stuck threads and eliminate the nut spinning around and opening the cage again.

.

They are square nuts inside some chinsey side metal that rounds out. I use channel locks on a couple of my stubborn ones to squeeze the metal back in. Works

I already said that!!!

 

[colbystephens]

I've tried the squeeze method, and it doesn't hold for long. When the metal is already fatigued in one direction, pinching it back the other direction only makes it worse. I will grease the cage nuts, though, as mine are pretty crusty.

 

[Fordum]

We need pictures of your crusty nuts.............

Wait a minute, that don't sound right........

 

[Deuling]

We need pictures of your crusty nuts.............

Wait a minute, that don't sound right........

 

[colbystephens]

We need pictures of your crusty nuts.............

Wait a minute, that don't sound right........

Well, they look better than the ones in your avatar...

 

[Fordum]

Well, they look better than the ones in your avatar...

True, very true.

But I got a new crop coming on now.









Don't look any better than the old ones though.

I am toying with the idea of changing my avatar again. That is one of the few things I don't like about the way the forum is setup.
When you change an avatar or sig line, it changes them in all past posts.

I understand why it does it, but it still bugs me.......

 

[496truck]

I already said that!!!

Ya know, Adam, I must have missed that. Sometimes I get an idea and scroll right to the end without reading and post it.