Ok, so the tailgate on my 87 Jimmy started to split at the window seam and I wanted to repair it.
I decided I would remove the entire tailgate, drill out the end of the cracks and mig the entire crack back up, sand and paint it while it was off.
Removal: I took the back panel, window, and keylock out. Discocnect all the wires and removed the 8 bolts hold the tailgate on. Then I realize how the springs on the tailgate work and knew I would have to remove them. At the time is seemed easier to remove them from the inside of the tailgate rather then from under the bumper. My Jimmy has the 31 gallon tank, tank skidplate and the factory class III receiver hitch.
I tried to remove the two bolts that tailgate springs wrap around but could not get a wrench or socket on the backside of them. Which, led me to removing the bolts inside the tailgate that hold the springs on in there and lifting the tailgate off of them. So i finally got the tailgate off and did the repairs.
Now my question...
Reinstallation: With the tailgate off I can remove the bumper, which I could not do before(the tow hitch is blocking the back of the bumper). Now that the bumper is off I can remove the bolts that hold the gate springs. This will make it a ton easier to reinstall the tailgate.
But my fear is that once I get the tailgate back on I wont beable to get the bumper back on. IE I wont beable to get to the bolts of the bumper. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get all the parts back on. The hitch is needed and the bumper will keep me from getting tickets.
I decided I would remove the entire tailgate, drill out the end of the cracks and mig the entire crack back up, sand and paint it while it was off.
Removal: I took the back panel, window, and keylock out. Discocnect all the wires and removed the 8 bolts hold the tailgate on. Then I realize how the springs on the tailgate work and knew I would have to remove them. At the time is seemed easier to remove them from the inside of the tailgate rather then from under the bumper. My Jimmy has the 31 gallon tank, tank skidplate and the factory class III receiver hitch.
I tried to remove the two bolts that tailgate springs wrap around but could not get a wrench or socket on the backside of them. Which, led me to removing the bolts inside the tailgate that hold the springs on in there and lifting the tailgate off of them. So i finally got the tailgate off and did the repairs.
Now my question...
Reinstallation: With the tailgate off I can remove the bumper, which I could not do before(the tow hitch is blocking the back of the bumper). Now that the bumper is off I can remove the bolts that hold the gate springs. This will make it a ton easier to reinstall the tailgate.
But my fear is that once I get the tailgate back on I wont beable to get the bumper back on. IE I wont beable to get to the bolts of the bumper. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get all the parts back on. The hitch is needed and the bumper will keep me from getting tickets.
