Tailgate Replacement Question (M1009)

[RickTheEngineer]

Just wanted to get some thoughts and opinions on where to get a new tailgate for my M1009 K5 Blazer (1985). There are some stress fractures and holes on the gate (is the only part of the truck with any rust at all) and I am in the market to replace it. Only problem is that I noticed on LMC truck, summit, and basically any retailer that sells them new are selling gates that look like there is a handle on the outside? As many of you all are familiar with, the CUCV blazers have the manual window cranks in the rear. Any thoughts or links to where one could buy a new rear tailgate for it? Thanks y'all

 

[cucvrus]

Fix the one you have. The imports are garbage. I fix them by welding a piece of 12 gauge along the top and a piece on the bottom. These OEM gates are well made but have suffered from 30 years of use and abuse. I found that with the extra steel added and done properly you can increase the strengths and durability of the original gate 3 fold. Believe me the imports are not worth the effort. Look at my Terminus M1009 thread I rebuilt that gate and it was very bad. If I were to want I could do more body work and fill and sand the gate and make it look good. I have done several and they hold up. Do as you wish. But you can easily get $1000. into rebuilding a gate on the M1009. I hope that helps you if not maybe someone else. I also have a few tricks for the side window tracks that are very cost effective and improve the OEM design slightly. Have a great day.

 

[stationjj]

CUCVRUS,

Thanks for your post. My tailgate is good, but want to make note of the post if needed? Can you possible send some pictures. I do great if I can see some pic to visualize it.

Thanks You,

 

[biped]

LMC truck sold me the skin for new tailgate and my body shop was to install old guts in new gate. Went to pick it up and crank is in a bind and can't open the gate. I don't think they put it back together right but is there possibly an issue with the new sheet metal gate not accepting the original parts?

Biped

 

[cucvrus]

That is a tough question to answer site unseen. The M1009 tailgate is a very complex /crude design and has many failure points in play. It could be a bad driver assembly or a regulator and possibly the clutch is bad or the pawl is not engaging properly. Very hard to answer the statement the tailgate don't work. Perhaps the window down remote is not working properly. Get my point? It could be anything easy or complex. I never heard of a tail gate skin.

 

[biped]

Sorry. By tailgate skin I meant the LMC tailgate without the guts. If it worked with the rusted out gate, it should work with the new one. Provided the installer put it back together right. Anyway, I posted on the body/paint SteelSoldiers forum as well. I'm looking for a "how to do it" reinstall guide and it may be for me, not them as they are extremely slow when it comes to covering up their own mistakes.

 

[cucvrus]

I am not aware of a how to install guide other then the manuals. Can you clarify what the issue is and that would give me a place to start? Does the lock unlock and lock on the handle? Does the window move at all?
Pictures are also helpful to help you out. It is fairly simple and crude by todays standards. Lots of moving metal parts that need oil and have lots of pinch places and binding sharp points to make it work even harder. But I will assist if I have further information.

 

[biped]

Thank you. The truck is 80 miles from my location. The body shop has replaced the hood, left front fender, tailgate and welded new metal/repaired numerous rust holes. Rust is gone. Tailgate is closed and window is 2/3's up and won't move. I've got the manuals. I'll start there but I suspect I will probably have to crawl in back and take off the inside plate and disassemble from inside until such time as I can get window down and open the gate.

 

[cucvrus]

Crawl back there and get the cover off. You can trick the handle into opening the gate and then make working on it mush easier. I am not sure what is preventing it from going down. But possibly the bottom glass sash is that rusty and pitted that it is catching on the side window channels. But I am sure it is something fairly simple. As I said this is a simple antiquated design and the best field is clean ,lubed moving parts. Not much to the design. Good Luck. I hope that helps you out. I have not had good results with the knock off gates. I fix everyone I can and have fixed some real bad ones already. I still have 2 OEM in the box to fall back on if all else fails.

 

[milradioman]

Fix the one you have. The imports are garbage. I fix them by welding a piece of 12 gauge along the top and a piece on the bottom. These OEM gates are well made but have suffered from 30 years of use and abuse. I found that with the extra steel added and done properly you can increase the strengths and durability of the original gate 3 fold. Believe me the imports are not worth the effort. Look at my Terminus M1009 thread I rebuilt that gate and it was very bad. If I were to want I could do more body work and fill and sand the gate and make it look good. I have done several and they hold up. Do as you wish. But you can easily get $1000. into rebuilding a gate on the M1009. I hope that helps you if not maybe someone else. I also have a few tricks for the side window tracks that are very cost effective and improve the OEM design slightly. Have a great day.

Did you weld the top piece of 12 gauge metal on the outside or inside of the tailgate? I have thought about adding metal to the two cracked areas to strengthen it, but have not attempted it yet.

 

[cucvrus]

I added it to the outside up top. Check out my Terminus M1009 Thread. The piece runs across the entire top of the gate. I stitch welded it in the jam and on the face. I sanded, primed and painted it. it added an amazing amount of strength. I have done the same to the bottom rust out area and plied it inside and out glued and riveted it on the Terminus M1009 project. Others I just glued the bottom panel on and then caulked ,primed ad painted the gate. A few I worked body filler out top and bottom to make the job look good. I must say the gate must be pretty bad for me to throw it away. The after market replacements are NOT worthy. Trust me. I had to eat one on one of my projects. In the upper corner inside they put a heavier gusset reinforcement in the inside corners. You can get in there and weld them also. You would be surprised what you can fix if you spend the time and do it right. Maybe not perfect but darn near as good as it gets and better in some situations.

 

[kkcshipp]

My beef is the poor design of the handle crank to move the rear window up and down. I almost wish they'd just put in a darn window handle crank - of which I may do. I must admit I took my rear cover off to grease (white lithium) the gears and remove trash and rust but it still helps to pull up on the window and push down (slightly only) when cranking that bad boy up/down.

 

[cucvrus]

I need to send you my miracle rubber track that I used to replace the side track felts on a few units. It works great. Let me know and check out my thread. It shows how to rebuild the gate, side tracks and get the bottom sash cleaned and polished.

 

[milradioman]

Thanks, it looks like it would be way easier to add to the outside. I had a friend weld my tailgate lower rust area, he cut, added a piece of auto metal and stitch welded it in place, used plastic body filler to smooth it out and primered (until I get to painting it) He did a great job. I don't have all the parts I need to perform the stitch welding yet, just need the gas regulator and bottle to add to my mig welder. With some practice I will be ready to tackle the other tailgates I have.

 

[cucvrus]

Well I am fortunate to have access to the latest and greatest welders and materials. I have the 12 Gauge galvaneal sheared to exact length and width and then just trim it to fit the jam areas on the end and weld it up. It makes for massive improvements in strength and prevents the twisting and cracking from hard use has been time tested in a few of my hard use M1009's that I own myself. I had given thought to rebuilding gates and selling them and getting used ones as cores to rebuild. That was a short thought. No one wants to pay for anything anymore. Hack it and paint it is how most guys operate when it comes to vehicles. The fine detail work is a time consuming thank less job. Good Luck. I think you are on the right track. I always liked taking a sows ear and converting it into a silk purse. I even used Stainless steel to make the repairs. But that was short lived. Hard to get paint to adhere.

 

[biped]

Well, I was (actuarially speaking) to live another 20 years. After the tailgate rebuild, now it's only 10 years :0). I am nearly an expert but it was hard won. Seals for glass, inner and outer per TM just snap in. Not true. Large pain in butt. They do perform an important service. If they'd all been installed and maintained through the last 30 years, that rust at bottom of gate would be much less. That said, the gate is harder to roll up and down with those new seals. I bought the seals, new side runners for the glass and a new handle crank. The rest was original and installed on the new LMC skin.

Nicer truck without all that rust. Pictures coming soon.

 

[NovacaineFix]

CUCVRUS, I may be hitting you up for some tips and tricks on the tailgate repair/rebuild.

I quickly rebuilt mine 2 years ago and it has finally broken again, though it did take 2 years of very extensive opening/closing as it was being used as my daily driver work truck. For as many times as I opened and closed that window and opened the tailgate over that 2 years, I am surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Anyway, Mine is doing the typical metal splitting at each top corner of the window track, the regulator is spent along with the hand crack and pawl assembly and much more. I figured this time, I would do it right since I have more time to devote to doing it right, if that makes any sense.
I will try to take as many pics as I can for those wanting or needing to do the same.

I thought about buying that LMC skin and then thought, mine's really not that bad, it would be better just reinforcing it and welding the crap out of it.

BTW CUCVRUS, you keep popping up in my Facebook feed, just wanted to ket you know.