'87 Blazer Tailgate

[rj88sub]

I'm back...if mychevytruck has been re-vamped...but need

some desperate help!

 

The Tailgate on the '87 K-5 Blazer I've had now 7-years or so never had an operable

gate...the key never turned and I've only used it in winter anyway (don't ice-fish either, so never had problem other than toting groceries...) Now the glass channel has rusted out and its way too much money to buy parts....SO I bought a gate with new channels,

sweeps glass, etc...(lucky to find), but now need to change out.

 

1. The previous owner left both halves of the hinges attached and basically

un-did it from his frame underneath....(un-did, as he broke heads off and left

them in one half of each hinge set. (no biggy...)

2. I've beat myself silly trying to get hinge pins out (replacement gate)...no luck. Now thinking doing the same and leave the hinges on the gate I bought and just un-do my gate from the frame (I map gassed the hinges even!)

3. I broke one bolt on the replacement gate thinking I'd just use both sets of my old hinges and leave them on and attach them to replacement gate...no luck for starters, as one bolt broke on the hinge, back of replacement gate...thinking I could pull them

out the bottom slot....There's four on each hinge to the gate, and glass would have to be raised some to re-drill and tap if I go this route.

 

?I have a choice it seems on which bolt heads to break off and which ones I need to tap out again....the ones on the replcement gate or the ones under my gate under the frame....One choice means maybe laying on my back and drilling/tapping up...yuk!

The other is dissassembling entire hinge on the replacement gate and utilizing the hinges

I have on already....????What's the worser of two evils????? Thoughts????

or is removing pins still optionable??? It doesn't look iike the torsion rods put any pressure on the hinges or pins as they were cut when removed from donor truck.

(something I still may have to replace if I want any springy-lift once on I suppose!)

Any alignment issues, leaving old hinges on?...

Hope this isn't too much to grasp for a Monday! but please add some thot's to this!!!

[rj88sub]

Well, I Guess I haven't done this one before...and drilling bolts probably not an issue

The tailgate opens fine, now just to get it off which isn't going to be a big issue.

HOWEVER, putting an operable one on that looks as goods it does on an old tailpan

channel scares me!!....

 

Question:.....and there has to be some K-5 guys out there....does anyone know

if the 'tailpan' sold by LMC Truck..(part#38-7984) is complete with the hinge mounts

like I see the original? (the cross-plate tie between inner to outer within this pan?)

I'd hate to order one and not see it in there and pic in their catalog isn't detailed

enough to see that those two mounts...

(I would suspect an aftermarket

part to be similar, but its gets expen$ive otherwise to find otherwise...

Anyone?....