finally got the tailgate on.

[DetroitDan]

I really need to buy a welder! Had to pay a guy $$$ to finally get some work done on my bed, I bought it because the bedsides were perfect, but it had a couple big holes in the floor and the right corner where the tailgate trunnion mounts was completely rotted off. Hated driving around without a tailgate, it looked so bad! So now the tailgates on, which is a factory 1 ton tailgate, 87 I think. Has the 5 lights across it, which I love, and the aluminum panel and silverado trim. Unfortunately it had vinyl lettering above the lights so I'm in the process of grinding that all down to get it ready for paint. 20 year old vinly lettering has been a big problem with this truck, the doors I got had it too.

He also cut off the old rusty painted bumper and the ridiculous homemade reciever hitch. Somebody fabricated this outlandish hitch out of about 20 pieces, it extended all the way to the rear wheels and tied to the frame, but at the back it was only mounted to the bottom of the bumper. Looked really strong at first glance, but looking closer it didn't look strong at all. I need to feel safe towing my big camper, plus the ugly bumper had to go. So now I can get started on the next project, which is installing the sweet chrome wrap around Blazer style bumper and the regular reciever hitch that I scored for $70 for everything. Bumper has brackets and even the trays that go under the tailgate, and the chrome is mint. And the reciever hitch mounts on both sides of the spring shackle, which will add a lot of strength since my frame stubs are fabricated behind the spring hanger. It's nice and strong, but I wouldn't want the hitch attached only to the new stubs and not the other framerails too.

Can't believe how much taller it looks with the tailgate on, probably moreso with no bumper or hitch. I'll have to grab a pic to throw on here.

My friend the GM guru had me drive his truck that he just finished, well, finished except for paint. It was painted then sat for years before he got it, but he's a perfectionist so it will be perfect gloss black soon. He wanted to show me what a new truck is like. It's an 86 GMC crewcab dually 4wd frame off. You can see your reflection in the paint on the frame. All new rubber body mounts make a huge difference, shocks, springs, etc. Loaded Sierra Classic power interior. Fresh 454 with dual exhaust and rv mufflers, it's so quiet you'd think it was an electric truck. I was blown away with the ride of this old truck, easily comparable to a brand new truck, only far cooler. It's got 19.5 steel wheels on it too. I'll have to ask if I can get some pictures of his trucks. He's got a 74 2wd daily driver he's had for 27 years, a ten wheeler he built with a clever swap deal on the back, can change it from a ladder rack flatbed, to a fifth wheel, to a car carrier, to a flat bed with a hideaway wrecker boom that comes up out of the carrier bed. Also has a ramp truck/rollback with a huge steel bed, triple frame, scissor/ type lift so it goes up nearly vertical to dump, or works normally for towing cars.
Everything he owns is 454 automatic, black GMC. Only Chevy he has is his one-owner 72 Chevelle SS 454.

[DetroitDan]

Wow, was that a long rambling post or what?

[DetroitDan]

BTW, to get back to the original topic, the reason the bed was perfect in some areas and completely rotted away in others is because it was built brand new about 5 years ago. Every component of the bed was ordered new, assembled and painted. It was used for about 4 years as a work truck, plowed for the town, I remember seeing it all winter with the tailgate off and a yard of sand/salt mix in the bed.
When they ordered the bed components, some pieces were not available from GM and they had to use a few aftermarket parts. So, would you care to guess which pieces still look brand new, and which pieces have nearly dissolved from rot?

[1tonchevy]

Pics or it didnt happen :P

[DetroitDan]

Originally Posted by 1tonchevy

Pics or it didnt happen :P

Hahaha that's too funny, I gotta remember that one!

[1tonchevy]

very nice sir you have a tailgate band and the lights! i'm jelouse! is that the sae black and red one in the other pics?

[DetroitDan]

thanks, yes its the same truck. I replaced all four doors and the bed with better used ones. 4 inch blocks in the rear, but the 4 inch front springs are seriously weak. I've got a new set of 6 inch springs that will be going in soon. The rake is more than I can take. Although looking at the pics of the day I got it, it had a pretty pronounced rake to it too. Lots of new HD spring in the back, stock 3 leaf up front under a big block. Hope the 6 inch spring isnt too much, just want to level it out. Have to get the 4 inch springs out of there, the second leaf doesnt even come near the end of the main leaf, and the main leaf is bending.
Think I have a pic of it with the doors off, or maybe right after I put the lettered doors on with the west coast mirrors. Had to fill 7 holes in each door after switching mirrors. About 20 man hours trying to remove the vinyl and painted letters, tried stripper, then industrial stripper, wire wheel, flap disc, 80 grit on a DA, 36 Grit on a DA, 10 coats of high build primer, 4 coats of rustoleum, can still see a little evidence of them. Should have just had the doors sandblasted. Or bought different ones. Thought it was worth it, because they were like-new doors, but the labor of filling and grinding was too much. Paid $100 for all four doors and a new chrome bumper.

[1tonchevy]

Do you happen to still have the west coast mirrors? lol i know all about rake my truck has some major rake when i got it.

[DetroitDan]

Part of the deal when I bought the doors was I had to give him back the west coast mirrors. He said they were worth around $200, nice stainless steel ones. I like the Silverado style ones better anyway. I love west coasts for working, but not as stylish or sporty looking. If a crewcab can be considered sporty..

[BigRed76]

Just out of curiousity, when your tailgate is open do you have a lot of movement between the trunions and the tailgate? I'm having this problem and I'm not sure why.

[DetroitDan]

Originally Posted by BigRed76

Just out of curiousity, when your tailgate is open do you have a lot of movement between the trunions and the tailgate? I'm having this problem and I'm not sure why.

well, actually my tailgate handle is broken, so I cant open it without a screwdriver. I put it on and drove the truck home, haven't touched it yet. I do have another handle for it, so I should be able to fix that easy enough. I am missing the rubber stoppers at the top, and my bedsides are bowed in a tad, so my tailgate is too tight at the top. Need to force them out a bit somehow. Anyway, to answer your question, I dont know because I havent really had it open. I have brand new trunnions on it, and as tight as it is I'd say I probably don't have the same problem. Obviously the rubber stoppers isn't the problem in your case, because your problem is when it's open. So either your bedsides are pulled out, which probably wouldnt happen at the bottom if your bed floor is intact. I had some rot where the vertical attached to the floor.
As long as your floors all together and not flopping around, only thing I can think of to fix it would be to shim the trunnions out toward the tailgate, or shim the tailgate parts toward the trunnions. Maybe you could even bend them out a bit with a prybar, or if they're worn, get new ones. I had a left side (round) trunnion rot away on another truck, got real sloppy. Do you have a big gap when the tailgates shut?

[BigRed76]

There's not a big gap, its about normal, and even on both sides. It just seems like there is a lot of slop between the outside of the trunion and the inside of the piece on the tailgate. I guess new trunions would be the fix unless there is something that is supposed to go in there to take up the gap.

[motornut]

quite the rake for sure
try carb cleaner on the lettering goo
mine had bunch and after scraping off the plastic ,the goo was harder to remove