straightening a tailgate - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

67mater · 09-18-2008, 12:50 PM

anybody ever tried straightening a tailgate? I was even thingking that maybe the front skin and rear skin could be cut out, straightened and then welded back? mayeb even make a frame to keep everythign square. If I did that I would also repalce the top rolled part with new metal.

**passthebuck** · 09-18-2008, 06:16 PM

mine had one big dent on the edge of the GMC white part & I drilled out the spotwelds along the bottom/sides & cut the outer panel off in a flat part above the GMC. I hammered the dent flat & welded it all back together. It looks pretty good, but i should have hammered a bit more-its still has a bit of the dent... I painted the inside with zinc paint while I was there. It wasnt that hard really as many of the spotwelds were broken already...

**special-K** · 09-18-2008, 08:18 PM

I had a badly bowed tailgate on a truck once.Now,this is serious:I took it and layed it on two 2x4s at each end with it bowing up.Then,I drove my truck over it.

I just wanted it alot straighter.Definately not a show winning truck.

Jtrux · 09-18-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by special-K

I had a badly bowed tailgate on a truck once.Now,this is serious:I took it and layed it on two 2x4s at each end with it bowing up.Then,I drove my truck over it.

I just wanted it alot straighter.Definately not a show winning truck.

You went to A&M didn't you??

68gmsee · 09-19-2008, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jtrux

You went to A&M didn't you??

Hey, I resemble that!

Aggies improvise...

Seriously though, I tried special-K's trick on mine (slightly bowed) and it straightened it out some. Blocked the ends with the 2X4's and placed a 1X4 under it in the middle. I didn't drive the truck directly on it, I used a 2X6 as a ramp and eased up on it with one tire... A lot better than it was.

67mater · 09-19-2008, 11:27 AM

excellent idea!

mtdave2 · 09-19-2008, 11:58 AM

sounds like a good idea to me, i once straightened out my front bumper by ramming the truck into a telephone pole. little spray paint and it looked fine!

ChevLoRay · 09-19-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtdave2

sounds like a good idea to me, i once straightened out my front bumper by ramming the truck into a telephone pole. little spray paint and it looked fine!

The pole?? What about the bumper??

**michael bustamante** · 09-19-2008, 02:36 PM

Ive heard of people tack welding a bar acrsoss the inside of a bowed tailgate and clamping a winch or comealong to it and pulling it that way but I never tried that myself

**SactoJim** · 09-19-2008, 04:01 PM

I only ordered a new one because the inside of mine was so beat up. The new (repo) one fit so crappy that I decided to cut both in half and make one good one. Where they butt together at the top, I backed it with a 2x1/4" steel strap and the bottom is just spotted together (factory).

I think one of the reasons the aftermarket gates are so weak (besides lighter gauge metal) is because they aren't spot welded together along the relief (where the handle is located and brings the front panel togerther with the inside panel). I had to make some spacers for mine, but I made sure to spot them together......just makes it stronger.

R.L. · 09-20-2008, 02:17 AM

The after market tailgates are weaker than the factory units? I did not know this ,who did you buy your gate from?Mines not so beat up you could not use it but its so hard to open and shut you slam it pretty hard to make it latch.

**special-K** · 09-20-2008, 05:52 AM

The first repo tailgates were real weak.They`ve gotten better,but you still can`t beat OEM.Jim,that`s an excellent observation on the spots across the indent.Makes alot of sense.
I`ve bent steel by using a come-alone fastened at either end and used a block,either cinder block or large piece of wood,and drawn the metal around the block.I`m sure this could work in reverse.

msgross · 09-20-2008, 07:35 AM

It's not just weakness in design. I know that Dynacorn advertises that the new metal they use in their products is the same gauge as original, but has less additives allowing it to be more flexible and workable....http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com...s/brochure.pdf

I'm gonna try to jack up my tahoe and lower it onto the tailagate and straighten it...

09-18-2008, 12:50 PM	#1
67mater Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mundelein, IL Posts: 862	straightening a tailgate anybody ever tried straightening a tailgate? I was even thingking that maybe the front skin and rear skin could be cut out, straightened and then welded back? mayeb even make a frame to keep everythign square. If I did that I would also repalce the top rolled part with new metal. __________________ time is inversely proportional to money; that's why it takes me so long 1967 K10 1967 Camaro

09-18-2008, 06:16 PM	#2
passthebuck Sisyphus was my mentor! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario CANADA Posts: 984	Re: straightening a tailgate mine had one big dent on the edge of the GMC white part & I drilled out the spotwelds along the bottom/sides & cut the outer panel off in a flat part above the GMC. I hammered the dent flat & welded it all back together. It looks pretty good, but i should have hammered a bit more-its still has a bit of the dent... I painted the inside with zinc paint while I was there. It wasnt that hard really as many of the spotwelds were broken already... __________________ passthebuck #5642 -TWO 1967 GMC 910's. One with L6/3-on-the tree and the other with 355 w/435hp & a 700r4. -a 2013 Honda Civic as my "sensible" car

09-18-2008, 08:18 PM	#3
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,862	Re: straightening a tailgate I had a badly bowed tailgate on a truck once.Now,this is serious:I took it and layed it on two 2x4s at each end with it bowing up.Then,I drove my truck over it. I just wanted it alot straighter.Definately not a show winning truck. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

09-19-2008, 11:27 AM	#6
67mater Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mundelein, IL Posts: 862	Re: straightening a tailgate excellent idea! __________________ time is inversely proportional to money; that's why it takes me so long 1967 K10 1967 Camaro

09-19-2008, 11:58 AM	#7
mtdave2 newly minted old timer Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Hudson WI Posts: 3,508	Re: straightening a tailgate sounds like a good idea to me, i once straightened out my front bumper by ramming the truck into a telephone pole. little spray paint and it looked fine! __________________ ____________________________________________ 72 c20 longhorn 65k org miles and counting! 69 k10 Suburban

09-19-2008, 02:36 PM	#9
michael bustamante Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 7,843	Re: straightening a tailgate Ive heard of people tack welding a bar acrsoss the inside of a bowed tailgate and clamping a winch or comealong to it and pulling it that way but I never tried that myself __________________ 1967custom

09-19-2008, 04:01 PM	#10
SactoJim Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,970	Re: straightening a tailgate I only ordered a new one because the inside of mine was so beat up. The new (repo) one fit so crappy that I decided to cut both in half and make one good one. Where they butt together at the top, I backed it with a 2x1/4" steel strap and the bottom is just spotted together (factory). I think one of the reasons the aftermarket gates are so weak (besides lighter gauge metal) is because they aren't spot welded together along the relief (where the handle is located and brings the front panel togerther with the inside panel). I had to make some spacers for mine, but I made sure to spot them together......just makes it stronger. Attached Images __________________ 72 Cheyenne SWB Fleet Nut & bolt frame off in progress...99.9999% - supercharged 383 - 4 wheel discs - relocated fuel tank - My Build Thread

09-20-2008, 02:17 AM	#11
R.L. Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 687	Re: straightening a tailgate The after market tailgates are weaker than the factory units? I did not know this ,who did you buy your gate from?Mines not so beat up you could not use it but its so hard to open and shut you slam it pretty hard to make it latch. Last edited by R.L.; 09-20-2008 at 02:18 AM.

09-20-2008, 05:52 AM	#12
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,862	Re: straightening a tailgate The first repo tailgates were real weak.They`ve gotten better,but you still can`t beat OEM.Jim,that`s an excellent observation on the spots across the indent.Makes alot of sense. I`ve bent steel by using a come-alone fastened at either end and used a block,either cinder block or large piece of wood,and drawn the metal around the block.I`m sure this could work in reverse. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

09-20-2008, 07:35 AM	#13
msgross Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 12,201	Re: straightening a tailgate It's not just weakness in design. I know that Dynacorn advertises that the new metal they use in their products is the same gauge as original, but has less additives allowing it to be more flexible and workable....http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com...s/brochure.pdf I'm gonna try to jack up my tahoe and lower it onto the tailagate and straighten it... __________________ The Garage: 1968 K-10 SWB - "Project Money Pit" 1996 Z-71 - "huntin rig" 1969 C-10 LWB (SOLD) "Project flip that truck or else" 1993 Passport, F@rd 1-ton (SOLD)"Project Cousin Eddie" My Garage Build "The 1,000 footer"



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