new k5 some help?

[msblackbetty79]

well today i bought a 1989 k5 chevy. awesome truck very strong motor and trans! well i tried to roll the window down and come to find out looks like the key is missing! so i cant even use the tailgate! such a bummer. anyone run into this problem before? and should i call out a guy to pick the lock, or is there a way to replace the whole assembly?

one more question, should it be the same key that id use to unlock the truck doors?

will post pictures in a day or so!

[Zoomad75]

First off, Congrats on the K5! Next, is yours a power glass in the gate or crank? The key is the same one as used in the doors.

If it's the manual crank, if the lock is turned the crank will just rotate and the glass won't move. Turn the key the opposite way and then the crank will roll the window down and up.

If it's power, chances are the motor that drives the regulator is weak, the switch that works off the key is junk or the cable that is driven off the motor is bound up. You can crawl back there and pull the access panel on the gate to get to the motor/cable. Disconnect the cable from the motor and you should be able to chuck up the cable to any cordless drill and try to move the window.

Either version can have the problem from lack of lubrication on the regulator itself. That is the main reason that causes the other problems like killing motors or breaking cranks. Once you get the window down and the gate open, with the panel off inspect the rollers and guide tracks. If yours is dry and crusty, you might find the rollers aren't round anymore. You might still be able to get them from a dealer, but LMC should have them too. If they are good, lube the snot out of the tracks and reassemble.

[Maynard]

If by some chance you don't have the key, as you say, you can save money having one made by removing the lock and taking it to a locksmith's shop instead of having them come to you. Typically, there's someone at the shop behind the counter at the same time the truck(s) are on the road who can do the work. I saved $60 off the price of a house call by doing it this way.

[killerpanel]

If you Need to get onto the gate now, You can take the cover off the inside of the tailgate and access the motor. The motor is bolted into the corner of the tailgate. It has a cable attached to it. very similar to a speedo cable. unscrew it from the motor and use a cordless drill to operate the cable to get the window down. The key "should" be the same as the doors, But dealing with trucks this old, you never know who, did what....The 81-91 K5 blazers are my favorite years.

[msblackbetty79]

thank you all! very helpful advise. i took the cover off and figured it out that it was electric and the motor worked. just to get the tailgate down using the rod on the inside of the tailgate and found out the mounting bolts holding the tailgate on are completely rusted on the right side:/ the left side could use some help but the passager side is gone.
weekend project!

but next question i have for you all is how bad is changing out the steering column? mine is broken where the turn signal and the windshield wiper is.

thank you for the help boys! i love my new k5 runs great just have a few cosmetics and little stuff to fix on it!

[Zoomad75]

The column isn't hard to do. If you are getting a used column from a boneyard try to get the key for that column with it. Most of the time the key is long gone, but you never know. Otherwise, you'll get some practice in swapping the lock cylinders and upper steering column teardown and reassembly.

[silverbear]

If you have the need to swap out the lock cylinder in the steering column, I highly recommend to to purchase (or borrow) the lock plate compressor tool. This saves so much time and aggravation.