New Guy With A Question

[neller840]

First off, hey everybody! I'm the original owner of a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500. It's been a bumpy road since I've had her. Two trees came down in an ice storm a few months after I purchased her, and crushed the cab/windshield. For some reason she was a few dollars short of being totalled by insurance, so they fixed her at the local dealership. I am actually pretty happy with the repair now. At first the lines on the rear door didn't line up right, and with an adjustment it looks as good as new now. I tow a trailer all over the United States and Canada with her. I used to use a Merc. Mountaineer V8, and the differences are just not even comparable. I can say I'm happy to support a great truck made in the USA, and am proud of the GMC for it's quality!

 

 

So now my latest problem... Well I left the tailgate down and took off the other day.. Well I pinched the trailer's jack handle into the top of my tailgate spoiler, or cap. Well I punched a hole into it.. So I figured I'd try to just replace it myself. I found one, but it was for a 2008 silverado.. I'm guessing they are the same. I have a 78' GMC Caballero, and any 78' El Camino parts of the same year minus the emblems work. So I'm hoping these two parts are one in the same.. Anyone know if they are, or even have one laying around? Thanks in advance!! Also noticed I can't make an album, out of room??

I'll post some pics of the damaged truck, and my Cab soon.. ~Chris

[Daryl LBZ]

Im 99% sure they are the same. As for the Albums they haven't been working for a while. No one knows why and no one seems to want to fix it.

[neller840]

Thanks man for the information!! I can't believe they are different, but for life of me I can't find these for sale anywhere.. They don't even list them as a part as far as I've found, but I know they sell them.. Some people call them "caps" some call them "spoilers", some even call them "plant shelves". Probably call the dealer Monday to check the name and price.. Here's my other GMC truck..

[sonjaab]

They are commonly called the "whaletale" gate cap.

The Chevy and GMC units are the same !

[TRCM]

Dealer lists it as a spoiler.....part # for a 2008 Silverado is 25844299 cost is $72

 

Be forewarned tho, the screws that hold it on use a rivet nut in the thin sheetmetal of the tailgate, and when I replaced mine, they spun, so it made getting it off fun.

 

I ended up peening the metal around the rivet nut, applied a small dab of JB weld, and when it had cured, I put the spoiler back on carefully with a hand driven screw driver...not power driver or you will spin the rivet nut.

[neller840]

Awesome!! Great information, thank you everybody!!