wc-53 tailgate

[mcinfantry]

my lower tailgate is bent.

has anyone pulled one apart? what is the easiest way to straighten it? easy way to separate it? looking for ideas. it is ben in the middle which makes the side pull in a little and weatherstrip is NOT going to seal the gaps.

i was thinking pull the inner skin and try to straighten it, but im open to ideas.....

from http://www.powerwagonadvertiser.com/...&postcount=767

it looks like i should maybe cut the outer skin off??

[Bruce in BC]

I am building a new stronger version but

If I had an original and it needed work i would remove the skin. I have done it on doors and the procedure can suck up a few hours but on the tailgate I bet it would take little more than 1.5 hours if spot welded and even less if tack welded . the nice part is once you are inside you can clean up the rust and get all the mechanical dodadds working. Take a look on the carryall thread and you will see a top gate that has been cut open . The bottom should be much easier to pop apart .

[mcinfantry]

the picture of the top is what made me interested in trying the bottom!

[mcinfantry]

ok, i will now make my own, from scratch. mine has 1/4 to 1/2 bondo to blend the outer skin in. rot is extensive inside.

i will say it appears relatively easy to make.

[Bruce in BC]

At least you have your old one to work from

You might consider making the inner piece from 12 guage cold rolled . You can weld the stuff up and not be too concerned about over grinding or warping . You get to test fit it and make adjustments before adding the new skin .

[mcinfantry]

im thinking about either
1) making an extra one(s)
2) sending out the pieces to whomever wants to try and duplicate theirs

i could make it w/o a shrinker/stretcher, with a mig and bandsaw..... but i am going to wait till i get mine back, and do it 'right'

[Gordon(Scotland)]

You need the 'how to '

Here you go;

http://www.gwim2.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/carryal2.htm


... but before you do anything, check that the diagonal measurements of the rear aperture are the same to within about 1/2" or nothing will ever fit.

My basic procedure is;

Check the rear body aperture is square.

Check the liftgate fit, leave it in place.

Strip the tailgate (skin)

Fit the tailgate frame, check it matches the aperture, and liftgate, and that the top curve of the liftage and tailgate match - adjust if necessary, by beating the (now very flexible) tailgate frame out / in to have an even gap all round.

Re-skin the tailgate, stopping to check the fit on the truck two or three times during the process.

[mcinfantry]

So a 1/2ton is the same?

Minus the pioneer rack mounts?

[Gordon(Scotland)]

Nope

I think the half ton and 3/4 ton are pretty much identical from the belt line moulding upwards, so for example the liftgates should be the same, but the 3/4 ton body was dropped about 4" on the frame (check the vehicle details - I seem to remember that the 3/4 ton overall height is actually LOWER than the 1/2 ton) I think the lower edge of the 3/4 ton and half ton tailgates are different to accomodate this change.

Two of mine were WC 36 1/2 ton 4 x 2 trucks, where the tailgate should be the same as the WC 4 x 2 half ton, but the under sill and so on is slightly different.

The basic rework principle is the same, though. The pioneer rack mounts are a little misleading, as they cane be added to anything with a tailgate. The mounts are basically just to allow the flat surface of the bottom of the Pioneer rack to mount on the curved tailgate.