Tailgate Cables

[Spurshot]

I have a set of full length bed drawers for my guns and other storage. I pulled them out of the 99 and put them in my 08 and found that the tailgate interferes with the drawer openning. I'm wondering if there are longer cables available?

 

 

[Spurshot]

The 08 cables are about 16 1/2" and the 99 GMT800 has about 15 1/8" cables.

[03blackz71]

I don't think there is anything like that. Can you put a piece of plywood under it to raise it up?

[66nova]

I don't know about a longer cable, but I wouldn't think it would be too hard to make a spacer for the cable.

 

A short strap of metal with 2 holes in it. Bolt the cables to one hole and the other to the bed.

[Spurshot]

I don't know about a longer cable, but I wouldn't think it would be too hard to make a spacer for the cable.

 

A short strap of metal with 2 holes in it. Bolt the cables to one hole and the other to the bed.

 

Yeah, I was sitting here thinking the same thing. I'll stop by my friend's fab shop next week. He's got a stamping house with plenty of equip to whip out something in few minutes.

[dogzapper]

Several years ago, I bought a pair of metal straps that take the place of the weak cable setup. I bought them from a guy over on DieselPlace and his product was called VR Straps.

 

There is a firm on E-Bay that makes straps that are similar to VRs and they are what I have on my Duramax.

 

The straps are many times stronger than the cables and as long as you're changing, you might as well secure the better product

 

Possibly one of these could be ordered in the correct length.

 

Steve

[spikesputnik]

No 'Jack intended, but I have problem in that one of my cables is a bit shorter/longer than the other one, so the gates weight never rests equally on both unless its loaded somewhat.....

Not sure what I should do about it. I do often drive with it down but not loaded/weighted.

No machine shop services readily available to me though

Thoughts anyone?

[Spurshot]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

 

Les, I wouldn't worry about that. It could be the cables are the same and the tailgate has a slight twist.

[GasHog369]

No 'Jack intended, but I have problem in that one of my cables is a bit shorter/longer than the other one, so the gates weight never rests equally on both unless its loaded somewhat.....

Not sure what I should do about it. I do often drive with it down but not loaded/weighted.

No machine shop services readily available to me though

Thoughts anyone?

 

 

 

id go back to dealer and complain...

[Stevens03]

Your trucks an 09, I'd take it to the dealership and have it resolved.

[spikesputnik]

Your trucks an 09, I'd take it to the dealership and have it resolved.

 

Chuck-I thought about the "twist" etiology of one slack cable too, don't think I'll contemplate "untwisting" it though. I am thinking of taking off the cables and switching sides to see the effect I did find these last night, FWIW. Kinda like they did back in the day but just not in SS.

http://www.merchant-automotive.com/vrstain...gatestraps.aspx

 

Steven- Probably whenever I have a laundry list of things I'll get back to the dealer so I can justify the hastle. Unfortunately, I'm still looking at the various dealers and trying to find one that instills confidence...

[dansk]

I bet you don't need too much length additional to allow your drawer to work. I'd just machine out or dremel to elongate the hole at the end of the cable.

[Pilot12]

Chuck, on another subject,

I forget what you said about your tailgate sealer....it looks like it works a lot better than what I did. I siliconed mine on, but when I shut the tailgate, it wants to peel the rubber strip off. Looks like yours is installed to follow the contours of the bed ridges too. What did you use and how'd ya stick it? Which thread was this discussed on 4 or 5 weeks ago?

 

BTW, remember when the dogs rode in the back and the guns were stowed up front?

[Spurshot]

Chuck, on another subject,

I forget what you said about your tailgate sealer....it looks like it works a lot better than what I did. I siliconed mine on, but when I shut the tailgate, it wants to peel the rubber strip off. Looks like yours is installed to follow the contours of the bed ridges too. What did you use and how'd ya stick it? Which thread was this discussed on 4 or 5 weeks ago?

 

BTW, remember when the dogs rode in the back and the guns were stowed up front?

 

 

Kelly,

I used the Agro Tech Trail Seal or some such name. It came with a seal for the front of the bed as well. I didn't use the front seal. I just silicone caulked the front like the old trucks were. It also came with these big foam blocks to fill some big holes up under the bed rails. I didn't even know it had holes up under there. Anyway, the tailgate seal was a peel and stick strip. I just followed the directions. It's been on for a week. We'll see if it lasts a season or even thru the first rain.

 

Times have changed. My dog is a pooky dog. She gets to stay in the house if it's too hot or raining when I go to work. She has the whole back crewcab seat to herself most of the trips. She stays in motel rooms and gets pampered. Spoiled? Probably. But she hunts very well, no thanks to me. I bought her at 11 mos from a pro. Upland birds is all I hunt with her. She quarters well, flushes and retrieves to hand...and she's a chick magnet too.

[Pilot12]

It also came with these big foam blocks to fill some big holes up under the bed rails. I didn't even know it had holes up under there.

Thanks!

 

I "discovered" those holes yesterday. Yikes! I'd only been off pavement about 10 miles and couldn't believe how much dust was back there and at first thought it had all come in through that loose fitting tailgate. Old truck sure didn't have those. I bought some black Gorilla duct tape and went over them. Kind of matches the Linex, but still ugly. Had to do something; I'm heading for Nevada and the dustiest place I've ever seen. That would have been a nasty surprise.