Taillight question

[TotalyHucked]

Ohhhhhh idk if you mentioned the replacement bedside before. That's your problem. The inner mounting area for the tail light is too far out. I've seen that a couple times over the years with some repop bed sides. You'll need to try to message that mounting area deeper into the bedside, without mangling it to the point you can't get the screws in

 

[bucket]

It may just be the angle of the picture, but the taillight opening seems a little mis-shaped as well. Particularly the upper portion.

 

[DatKat933]

Ohhhhhh idk if you mentioned the replacement bedside before. That's your problem. The inner mounting area for the tail light is too far out. I've seen that a couple times over the years with some repop bed sides. You'll need to try to message that mounting area deeper into the bedside, without mangling it to the point you can't get the screws in

Perfect thank you! I likely didn't mention the new bed side due to my assumption that it wouldn't make a difference. But I have found the fit and finish of a reproduced bed side is definitely not perfect.

 

[Scottgenex]

I had the same problem, amongst a few other issues with my replacement bedsides. I spent some time with a die grinder opening up the inner sheet metal oval where it caused the "bucket" of the inner tailight housing to not sit all the way in. Dabbed some paint on the exposed metal, bing bang boom. Now it has the standard 70s GM assembly line gap.

 

[DatKat933]

I had the same problem, amongst a few other issues with my replacement bedsides. I spent some time with a die grinder opening up the inner sheet metal oval where it caused the "bucket" of the inner tailight housing to not sit all the way in. Dabbed some paint on the exposed metal, bing bang boom. Now it has the standard 70s GM assembly line gap.

How did you go about identifying exactly what was hitting? Did you leave the mounting screw holes in place and just widen these sections in the picture?

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[TotalyHucked]

How did you go about identifying exactly what was hitting? Did you leave the mounting screw holes in place and just widen these sections in the picture?

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I would probably put some dabs of either grease or maybe a grease pencil on your tail light backing plate. Install it best you can, then remove and see where it made marks. That's where you start trimming.

I'm glad you posted pictures showing the opening, that's pretty ugly and I'd bet those edges are holding up the housing. I'd try that route first before beating the mounting areas back like I suggested.