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Tailgate Cables Too Short

Randal365

By Randal365
in Troubleshooting & Recalls

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Randal365 Enthusiast

Randal365

Posted
Posted

Something I just noticed today, during a trip to the lumber yard, with my new 2015 GMC Sierra Z-71.

The tailgate isn't flat/straight with the bottom of the truck bed, when it is down. What the heck!! Plus the cables don't match up as one is really slack and I mean really slack (and yes I see there is a problem with the that goes back a long time, as I see in the topic search I did)

Anyway, when I put a straight edge in the box and measure the difference, the leading edge of the tailgate is an 1 1/4" too high. So, with a load of lumber in the back, it's not even resting on the truck bed at the back, it's resting on the edge of the tailgate and with one cable being longer than the other, the short cable is carrying the weight.

Is everyone else's truck like this? I stopped around at the dealer with the lumber in the back, but I guess they are making too much money because they aren't open on Saturday.

Randal365 Enthusiast

Randal365

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the reply It's good to know.

 

I am definitely taking it in, to get it checked out

 

Another Quality Control issue. It kind of bothers me, when they can't get the small stuff right. It makes you wonder about the real important stuff.

Spurshot Senior Enthusiast

Spurshot

Posted
Posted

Even my 2008 had cables that held the tailgate up. I took the cables off and slotted the ends a fraction of an inch longer, this dropped the tailgate just enough that my full length bed drawers would clear. I had to do the same for the 14.

DSC_2756Medium_zps1c74105c.jpg

 

 

 

The slack on one cable will be taken up when you put a load on the gate. Have someone sit on it. They tighten up. A cable can't be made perfectly the same length. There will be very small differences. These differences will be magnified when installed.

SteveBBB Senior Enthusiast

SteveBBB

Posted
Posted

Mine is flat, that's the first time I've ever heard of GM dealership closed on Saturday.

Randal365 Enthusiast

Randal365

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ya, I was surprised also, in regards to the dealership being closed. The service department maybe, but usually there is a few salesmen running around. Not yesterday though. Not sure what was up.

 

In regards to the slack cable on one side. Even with a good stack of 2 x 4's resting on the tail gate and with me standing on the corner, there was still slack in the cable. Granted, I only weight 165 lbs but even so it would take a lot more weight to tension up the cable. Before it is tight there is the possibility that either the, tailgate or truck box will bend out of shape at the support bolts, or the tailgate will get torqued out of shape, so that the tailgate won't latch properly.

 

I guess, when I get new cables and if they can't get them to match up. I will do as Spurshot says and grind out the eyelets a little.

Randal365 Enthusiast

Randal365

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Update! Managed to get my truck into dealership today, to see what's up with the tailgate.

Anyway, I talked to the parts manager and went out to my truck right away. He says thats the way they are supposed to be, and then we went checking out other new trucks on the lot. And to my surprise they were all the same as mine. The tailgates are all higher on the leading edge, than the bottom of the truck box. It's so subtle, you don't notice it, until you lay something from the truck box over the tailgate.

He says GM is doing this to keep the strain off the tailgate assist lift spring. He says the cables are to handle any load that extends past the tailgate. I disagreed with him but he says thats the way it is. I never got into it very much, but he did say there was an issue with assist springs breaking. So I don't know, maybe at one time the tailgates did drop lower, but were raised up to help the spring.

Also, on all the trucks we looked at, the right side cable had slack in them, and again he says thats the way they are.

So not much progress today. I'm thinking if I am going to haul long lumber or whatever. I will be putting down short 2 x 4's across the bottom of the truck box, so the tailgate isn't taking all the weight. I did bend a tailgate, years back on a 1977 Chevy, so badly I had to get a new one. I don't want to do that again.

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