Tailgate misaligned?

darkfox1 · October 16, 2014

Hey yall,

So first off I'm pretty sure this isn't a warranty issue or anything but, I would still like some help here, cos I don't know what to do.

When I bought my truck the tailgate was squeaking. The salesman looked and concluded that it was just a hinge that needed some grease. the other day when I was closing my tailgate I noticed though that this is not the case. The tailgate is squealing because its GRINDING ON MY TRUCK BED!

See the pics. I could try to take it off and align it, but it's so close on the other side..

Is my truck out of spec or something??

The other side doesn't have a lot of room either.

00Silverado4x4 · October 16, 2014

I'd take it back and make the dealership make it right. Your salesman shouldn't be making any determination of "what's wrong", that's the service dept's job. Your bed and/or tailgate need to be adjusted as that is most certainly not a very good alignment of parts.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · October 16, 2014

Ya it's not the salesman's job to say what is or isn't wrong since his/her only job is to sell a vehicle. Take it to the service department and let them check it out. If possible ask for a GM certified tech instead of a normal tech.

darkfox1 · October 16, 2014

Well the truck was used. It's still under full factory warranty. They shoulda fixed this when it was traded in before the thing went to market in the first place.

you probably notice that black clip thing on the right is broken too. Someone took this tailgate off for some reason and didn't put it back on right, is my best guess.

It's a hassle to take to the dealers out here, LONG lines in the mornings, it has to be an all day thing with these folks. That's why I hesitate, but if it's not something I can just fix in my garage here.. that's what i'll have to do I reckon.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · October 16, 2014

The black plastic piece looks like just a end cap sleeve and can probably just slide off once you take that end of the tailgate out. Taking the tailgate off isn't hard. You just undo the cables and you see how that piece on the right isn't a circle, but has 2 straight ends. Just lift the tailgate up just enough so those straight piece line up with the slot bolted onto the bed side. The other end just slides off. Takes all of 5 seconds, but in your case you just need to left the passenger side out of the slot.

As for the alignment, does the tailgate slide to the driver side any or is there 0 movement side to side?

darkfox1 · October 16, 2014

I've tried to wiggle it side to side, it won't move at all. It opens and closes smoothly and the gentle fall or whatever they call it seems to be working, just makes a god awful sound. Especially when you close it.

I also worry about the long term effects it has, a good place to have rust in 20 years...

Can someone show me what this is SUPPOSED to look like on the passenger side? clearance, and the hinge joint?

Here's my driver side hinge.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · October 16, 2014

I see why. The part of the hinge that's bolted to the bed must be too far in, like the bent angle is too far out. The reason it won't move is because the outside half the of the tailgate hits both hinges like it's supposed to. The passenger side looks to have adjustment room, but the driver side doesn't. Or is that just the angle because mine doesn't hit the hinge. I would take a pic but I have a black truck so it's harder to see, it's also raining hard enough not to worry with it lol.

GMCustomerService · October 17, 2014

Hey darkfox1,

Sorry about the squealing noise you're experiencing with the tailgate on your Silverado. I understand you're hesitate to go to the dealer regarding this concern and may attempt to resolve this yourself. Although I'm unable to provide technical advice as it's not my expertise, I'm happy to contact your dealership if you change your mind and look into this further. Just send a private message if I can be of any assistance.

Sincerely,

Eddie A.

GM Customer Care

BigBadSierra · October 17, 2014

I think you need a whole new bed. Yours looks like it was welded together to much. Unless the sides are adjustable ...

Check out my gap.

RVJ · October 17, 2014

Probably wrecked, poorly repaired, attempted to hide it and salesman instructed to convince you there is nothing wrong with it. I'd get it taken care of ASAP, or you may regret it someday when paint starts coming off and rust apperas.

Jason952 · October 18, 2014

Agree it was wrecked at some point

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Retired Bob · October 18, 2014

Would a CarFax apply to this type of situation - 'if' the truck was wrecked and the dealer got it back and resold it. Would the state dept of motor vehicle have a 'title' to the previous owner 'if' the truck had been previously sold?

If the truck had actually been wrecked and the dealer said it was not, is there any way to check? Would sure hate to tell the OP he bought a wrecked truck if in fact it was not! That could ruin his day :-)

RVJ · October 18, 2014

I would not put anything past a dealer. I bought a new 14 Silverado that Carfax showed as a previously titled truck. A call to GM got me out of it and into another one.

BigBadSierra · October 18, 2014

I'm thinking they just assembled the bed wrong it's off its position when they welded it together and now the gate is to tight.

darkfox1 · October 18, 2014

I got a carfax before I made any commitment, no wrecks are shown, accidents, repairs.. nothin.

There's only 2 lines in the carfax that bother me and neither of them involve the bed.

still, SOMETHING had to happen between now and when the truck was built to make this out of alignment like this. SURELY GM wouldn't send a vehicle off the assembly line with this problem.