2008-13 Dee Zee Tailgate Assist

Bad Bowtie2 · October 27, 2012

Surely someone else on this site has added one of these tailagte assist "shocks" to thier NNBS GM trucks??

I had one on my 2004 Sierra & my 2009 Sierra (both with spray in bediners). I loved the way the performed so well, I ordered one for my new 2012 Sierra.

Needless to say, I very shocked to see my new kit BARELY offers any assistance when lowering!! I have already contacted Dee Zee's warranty dept. and they quickly rushed me out a new replacement kit.

It offers LESS assist than the one in my original kit gave me!!

I don't get it!! My 2012 Sierra has the same GM EZ-Lift tailgate option as my 2009 had. It also has the same GM rear back-up camera option as my 2009 did. And, as I stated above, my 2009 had a spray in bedliner, so that added some weight to the tailgate. On my 2012 Sierra I choose to go with a bed rug, I figured it weighs LESS or about the same as the spray in liner material would add??

Either way, I just figured someone else on here has installed this kit & I wanted to hear if you ran into this problem. I wanted some opinions before I called Dee Zee back again.

I even thought about adding this replacement shock to the other hinge side of my tailgate to gain extra lowering assistance- But i shouldn't have to.....

AntelopeLTZ · October 27, 2012

Here is a topic I posted a while ago. Still no problems with mine. Dee Zee should make it right.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=132224&hl=%2Btailgate+%2Bassist

03blackz71 · October 27, 2012

I have one and has the same problem. My first one on my old 07 was good and lowered nice and slow. But the one on my new 07 doesn't work until it is about 5" from the bottom. It slows it down but not the same.

Bad Bowtie2 · October 27, 2012

I'm guess there are TWO different PN#'s for this kit on the 2007.5-2013 GM trucks.

We are having the same problem.

Maybe the NNBS trucks with the OE EZ-Lift tailgate option have slightly more weight for this Dee Zee kit to assit down & require a different PN#? Mine was PN# DZ43101 if I remember correctly.

I found another thread on this site (see above reply) and there appears to be another kit offered that mounts the strut INSIDE the stock tailgate cable rather than OUTSIDE (on the top mounting loccation). It's PN# SG330901EZ.

I'll have to call Dee Zee back on Monday I guess. I've been speaking to a lady named "Dee" there- Imagine that!! LOL!!

Knowklew · October 27, 2012

I have the EZ down and it works awesome...

4X4 GMC · October 28, 2012

I have the EZ down and it works awesome...

Me too. 2012 GMC with Ez Down, Camera and Bed Rug, Did'nt know about the 2 part numbers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PWFPE8/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00 I got this one

Bad Bowtie2 · October 28, 2012

I have the EZ down and it works awesome...

Me too. 2012 GMC with Ez Down, Camera and Bed Rug, Did'nt know about the 2 part numbers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PWFPE8/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00 I got this one

That the EXACT kit I have installed. It drops down very fast, then slows down about the last 6"....

BlackZ71Silverado · October 28, 2012

I have one on both my trucks and right when you open the gate it goes down nice and slow. Just ordered another one for my neighbors 2013 Silverado from O'Reilly's #SG330901EZ

Bad Bowtie2 · October 29, 2012

Okay, just got off the phone with DeeZee's product warranty dept.

PN# SG330901EZ, is the earlier ORIGINAL design PN#. Back when a company called "stabilus" made the assist shock/struts for them.

Fast forward to present day, DeeZee now makes everything "in house". This is how their new design assit strut/shock functions!!! PN# DZ43101 is the new design PN#.

My only options are to leave it on my 2012 Sierra, or send my new kit it back to the company on Amazon.com (where I bought mine) for a full refund.

What to do.....? I thought about adding this 2nd "warranty replacement" kit to the right hingeside of my trucks tailgate. It has to offer an additional level of resistance- Surely!!

montyss · October 29, 2012

I think the cylinder is bigger on the old version ..

AntelopeLTZ · October 29, 2012

Thanks for doing the leg work on this. So DeeZee is saying, when the tailgate gets down to the almost open postition, the cylinder starts to activate? I guess I would just keep it and keep my eyes out for the older version when I went to parts stores.