Yet Another Tailgate/rear Window Question...

[TPLS JNNY]

( B4 the ?....here's a lil background ...

It's 4 days b4 Christmas and I have a shattered rear window.

So I find a call around and get a good price from speedy auto glass here.(windsor,ont....canada)...Tape it up go to work...drop it off at 7:30 am in the first snow storm of the season...whining about have to spend $300+tax on a new window so close to christmas...well it seems when they were going to install the new glass my tailgate is alot more rusted then it appears to be on the outside...and a new window will not have such a long life expectency if i do not repair the rusty insides of the tailgate....so here i am in snow with a taped window and no garage on dec 23rd...merry christmas!.......My question is....

Do i replace the whole tailgate? or just get it repaired by a bodyshop? Has anyone purchased an aftermarket tailgate and how do they hold up? What are my choices... diamond plate? lower panel?is there a whole kit?...any sites ,comments or words of wisdom would be helpful .....cuz i am a dumb gurlie blonde and don't wanna be bamboozled by a body repair guy.....I want it fixed the right way not just an "in the meantime fix".....Thanks in advance for any helpful info.....

Jenny

 

[bluesman17]

Replace it all and bedline the inside to prevent future rust outs. (broncograveyard.com)

 

[Bradt]

Is the glass heated?

$300 seems awful high if it's not.

You did look at the inside yourself right? I'd be very skeptical of that. The tailgates are notorious for rusting, but it's usually from the bottom up, and before it would get so bad that you'd have to replace the entire gate you should see a good bit of bubbling and damage on the outside.

I found the non-heated glass here for $80 (after I spent $120 for mine ( ), did most of the work myself and got the rivets put back in it for free by a local shadetree. He said he could have done the whole thing (glass included) for what I spent on the glass.

Even if it is you can probably find the whole tailgate w/glass for less than $300 if you check salvage yards. Look around. Call a few glass/body shops and see what they'll do. You could get it installed by anyone who can drive the rivets so it's easy to shop around for prices. If you can get the glass cheap one place and installed cheap at another do that.

brad

 

[TPLS JNNY]

yes the glass is heated...and that is instillation and new weather stripping included...the glass is not my problem i am worried about the rusted bottom of gate......from the outside it only looked like small bubbling but when u look in the gate it is all rusted. I just wonder what route to take in fixing the gate...full replacement or reinforce it and just fix the rusted bottom (if possible)

 

[Bradt]

Replace it. For a new one you're looking at a good bit of money once you factor in glass, motor, and other innards. Most of it can probably come from your old assembly, but the labor still adds up. The shell alone will run you a couple hundred bucks if you go aftermarket, and several hundred for OEM ($725 at BroncoGraveyard).

I know it's cold up there, and you probably need to get it done quickly, but if you know any good scrapyards in the area I'd call there. I was in the same boat not long ago, and found a couple of whole tailgates with no rust w/heated glass for the same price it was going to cost for a new shell.

brad

 

[Seabronc]

All I can tell you is that the aftermarket tail gates are only a couple hundred dollars because the metal is much lighter. If you can swing it, I'd definately go the OEM gate and take Bradt's suggestion to seal the inside. The sealing job needs to be done properly as any void or place the sealer doesn't properly adhear will RUST :angry: . Personally I would use POR15 inside the gate since it will seal any surface rust that may be there, just my .02 cents. Also you need to make sure the drain holes don't get clogged because water WILL get in tyhe gate

Good luck,

>-

 

[bluesman17]

Are you sure the metal is lighter? My experience with OEM and aftermarket is just that aftermarkets dont have a huge mark up because they arent dealer parts.

 

[Shadow_D]

Aftermarket parts use the same stamps the OEM used but they fall out of OEM spec. I.E. they are worn out and you may have trouble getting the part to line up.

They may also use a thinner steel as well.

If you can swing the price then OEM is the way to go but if money is a problem (like you suggest) aftermarket will be just fine. Also take Bradt's & Seabronc's suggestion to seal the inside, you will thank yourself later.

Finding a good used gate in Canada may be harder because they all rust out.

If you go with the new gate then you might want to think about a new wire harness as they were also a big problem (as I am sure you have read).

If you can't afford the harness now don't worry about it, you can save up for it later.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas

 

[Seabronc]

OEM does not mean that they are dealer stock parts. It means that they are to OEM spec in metal grade, fit, etc. My body shop friend says that aftermarket sheetmetal is most always lighter gague. Just my .02, and all I know about it because I don't use aftermarket stuff unless it is the only option.

Good luck,

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