New Silverado 1500 Crew, Tailgate Issues

[BillNC]

We just bought a new 2018 Silverado Crewcab Short Bed last week.  When I first looked at I noticed that the tailgate did not go down level with the main bed (not even close).  I brought this up with the salesman and then later with the sales manager.  We were assured that they would have this fixed before we picked the truck up.  With the tailgate lowered, the left cable was taught and the right cable had slack in it.  When my wife picked up the truck, the service department gave her a copy of the service bulletin that said that this was just normal build tolerances and they were not to try to fix it. 

 

There are 16 quarters under each end of the straight edge in these pictures (height of 1-1/16").  There is still a gap under the straight edge at the tailgate even when I put my full weight on the rear left corner of the tailgate.

 

The total load capacity for the truck is 1,699 lbs.  Allowing for a driver, one could haul 1,500 lbs in the bed.  If this was 3/4" plywood, or 2 x lumber 8' long, 750 lbs would be at the front of the bed, and 750 lbs would be on the very rear edge of the tailgate, with more than 375 lbs supported by the left cable.  HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE?

 

In reading the other threads on this issue, it appears that Chevy / GM has had this problem for many years.

[silveradosid]

my 2014 also has the left side tighter than the right i have a box liner so it might not give me the measurements you got but i will check and see. i have hauled a lot of crap and 4 wheeler in the back and it hasnt changed

[wforrest08]

 

https://gm.oemdtc.com/2525/tailgate-cable-slack-1998-2015-cadillac-chevrolet-gmc

[BillNC]

Silverado Sid and wforrest08:

Do you know which assembly plant made your truck?  From what I looked up online it would have been Flint, Fort Wayne, or Silao Mexico.  Mine was made in Mexico.

Bill

Edited August 7, 2018 by BillNC
Add info.

[wforrest08]

99% of 1/2 ton crews are assembled in Mexico (including mine) all double/singles are assembled in the US. 

A extremely small percentage of 1/2 ton standard bed crews are/were assembled in Flint.

[silveradosid]

mine came from mexico

[BillNC]

Thanks guys.

 

These pictures show that the hinges were attached to the bed 5 quarters (5/16") too high for the tailgate to be level with the bed at the hinge point.  It's exactly the same on the right side.  The top of the tailgate is perfectly flush with the top of the bed sides at both sides

 

But, if they had installed the hinges 5/16" lower, that would jack the rear edge of the tailgate (in a down position) up another 3/8" or so.

[aseibel]

Finally, someone who thinks like me! I posted this same question/issue when I picked up my truck a couple years ago. Most truck owners are totally ignorant to this design flaw.

 

 

I frequently haul lumber and noticed immediately that the tailgate is installed stupidly. My old 1998 truck had a perfectly level surface for hauling. I went back to the dealer and asked questions, looked at all the other trucks. They are all built this way. I agree that it is a safety issue, the cables should not be holding up half the weight of a load. I even looked into fabricating my own cables to rectify this, but that was no easy task. Anyway, I couldn't find a real resolution, but I did find these nice little extender clips that I have enjoyed using: http://www.ridertailgate.com/copy-of-gm1-tailgate-lowering-link-set/

These actually lower the tailgate a bit below level, but it makes for easier loading. If you have a long load, you can insert a 2x4 across at the outer edge of the tailgate to support it.

 

 

[aseibel]

I also looked into the cable strength issue. I forget the exact numbers, but basically those cables are stronger than any load you can put in the bed. You would buckle the tailgate before a cable broke. As soon as a couple hundred pounds of load are on the gate, it will flex so that both cables are taught.

 

Either way, I don't want to rely on the cable to hold up 1000 lbs while driving down the freeway either, the bed should be doing the majority of the work.

[BillNC]

Andy, is your truck a crew cab?  Built in Silao Mexico (it would be on window sticker)?

[aseibel]

24 minutes ago, BillNC said:

Andy, is your truck a crew cab?  Built in Silao Mexico (it would be on window sticker)?

Yes and Yes.

[newdude]

All the beds do this.  Short, Standard and Long.  They've done it on prior years as well.  Tailgate can hold quite a bit. 

 

If I had 4x8s to haul, I'd get a bigger bed or bring my trailer...

 

Quote

 

#PIT5570A: Tailgate And Cargo Loop Capacity - (Oct 16, 2017)

 

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern

A Customer may ask how much weight the tailgate or cargo loops can handle.

Recommendation/Instructions

The tailgate can handle 1000 lbs. evenly spaced across the entire tailgate.

 

The cargo loops, located at each corner near the floor of the bed, can handle 250lbs each. (This is not the Cargo Management System) 

 

Please note if using ramps (example: Loading ATV's, Lawn mowers, etc.) it may be necessary to remove the tailgate and place the ramps on the bed of the truck. Ramps do not evenly space the load across the entire tailgate and can overload the tailgate

 

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.

 

 

[wforrest08]

51 minutes ago, BillNC said:

(it would be on window sticker)

Also if the vin starts with 3 it’s a Mexico built truck if it starts with 1 it’s a US built truck.

[aseibel]

24 minutes ago, newdude said:

The tailgate can handle 1000 lbs. evenly spaced across the entire tailgate.

This is the problem. When hauling lumber or any thing that is long and flat, you lay it in the bed, but the angled tailgate makes half the weight go on the tip of the tailgate and the other half of the weight sits on the front edge of the bed. It is impossible to spread the load evenly because of this poor design. A properly designed flat tailgate would let 75% or more of the weight lay on the whole bed floor, and the rest would be evenly spaced across the entire tailgate.

 

I really don't understand why the engineers chose to make this the standard configuration, when a decade+ ago, all tailgates were flat/flush with the bed. I don't see one benefit from making the tailgate "angle up". It is a really stupid change.

[BillNC]

2 hours ago, aseibel said:

This is the problem. When hauling lumber or any thing that is long and flat, you lay it in the bed, but the angled tailgate makes half the weight go on the tip of the tailgate and the other half of the weight sits on the front edge of the bed. It is impossible to spread the load evenly because of this poor design. A properly designed flat tailgate would let 75% or more of the weight lay on the whole bed floor, and the rest would be evenly spaced across the entire tailgate.

 

I really don't understand why the engineers chose to make this the standard configuration, when a decade+ ago, all tailgates were flat/flush with the bed. I don't see one benefit from making the tailgate "angle up". It is a really stupid change.

From what I'm seeing, I do not think that this was an intentional change.  It looks like sloppy dimensional tolerance control for the bed build, the tailgate build, the locations of the cable anchor points as well as the cables themselves.