k5 Tailgate swap - Manual to Elect ?

[reddog64]

My 78 tailgate has the typical cracks (plus a few more) and is pretty gummed up...

I ended up picking up a clean, uncracked electric tailgate of an 87...

Anyone done this?
Is it pretty much a plug and play?

Cut a hole for the switch...
Run wires...
Attatch tailgate...
Supply power...

Think my fuse panel will have a spot to hook this to, or will i need to run a new lead?

 

[dyeager535]

Do the inner switches even need a key to operate? I can't remember.

Don't see why you couldn't just power it with a fused battery lead, since the tailgate key switch is always hot, stock.

 

[reddog64]

yeah.. i dont remember but i knwo you can just stick the key in teh back and it goes down with the truck off.. so i'm guessing no?

Kinda what i thoguht.. just sticka 30 amp fuse in there and see what happens...

 

[dyeager535]

Thinking more about it, I don't believe the interior is switched ignition either, but I'm not 100% on that.

Certainly wouldn't make sense to be switched ignition there, but constant hot with the key switch.

 

[Dweller99]

I did this swap but chose to wire everything myself. I ran a hot fused lead from the junction box on the firewall to a switch and out to the tailgate. the switch fired 2 relays for up and down. The tailgate I got had no key for the back switch so I never worried about it, but I would like to get it rekeyed and wire it up some day. Since I have power ran out to the back already for the relays it should be a quick patch to power the key as well.

 

[3/4 Ton Blazer]

Do the inner switches even need a key to operate? I can't remember.

Don't see why you couldn't just power it with a fused battery lead, since the tailgate key switch is always hot, stock.

Mine isn't. I have an 89 K5, and the key needs to be on to use the dash switch. The tailgate key works either way though. I know this because I just hooked up the two aux. outputs on my remote doorlock system to roll up and down the rear window with the key fob remote.