75 blazer w hardtop....Question about blazer vs pu truck tailgate/tabs.

[leverhead]

Hi. Have 'window' tailgate, however wondering about the rectangular holes in the tailgate posts. I understand earlier Pu gates had a tab with hole (and corresponding post holes) for the chain, but there is no chain on the later squares as they use a hinge and latch....yet they still have tabs(w no hole) on the pu gates.

I know blazers without tops came with a pickup tailgate. But why the tabs/post holes if they use a hinge and side latch?

Anyone with wisdom on the purpose of the 'tabs' on these truck tailgate? I dont see a need for them. Why needed for 'alignment' when the latch is used for that purpose.

I can see drilling a hole in the tabs with a corresponding hole in the side of the post for a tailgate lock of some kind, but other than that I dont know.

Thinking of closing them up while in the bodywork stage.


Pics for reference...left pic is 75 blazer post, top right is a square pu tailgate/tab and bottom right is a 73 pu/tailgate open.

Thanks.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Those taps are very important. The front of the bed sides get support because they are bolted to the front panel of the bed. The rear of the bed sides have no support. When the pickup bed gate is closed, those tabs give side support to the bed sides.

Without the support feature of the tabs, the gate could open while driving when the bed sides flex. Shifting load in the bed could also flex the bed sides. The pickup truck gate latch does not keep the sides from flexing. The Blazer latch does.

If you ever decide to remove the cap and install a pickup gate, you would need those slots.

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

Hi. Have 'window' tailgate, however wondering about the rectangular holes in the tailgate posts. I understand earlier Pu gates had a tab with hole (and corresponding post holes) for the chain, but there is no chain on the later squares as they use a hinge and latch....yet they still have tabs(w no hole) on the pu gates.

I know blazers without tops came with a pickup tailgate. But why the tabs/post holes if they use a hinge and side latch?

Anyone with wisdom on the purpose of the 'tabs' on these truck tailgate? I dont see a need for them. Why needed for 'alignment' when the latch is used for that purpose.

I can see drilling a hole in the tabs with a corresponding hole in the side of the post for a tailgate lock of some kind, but other than that I dont know.

Thinking of closing them up while in the bodywork stage.


Pics for reference...left pic is 75 blazer post, top right is a square pu tailgate/tab and bottom right is a 73 pu/tailgate open.

Thanks.

I have 2 blazers (75 and 84), both with pickup truck style tailgates. They both work great. GM seemed to think ahead and put everything you need to mount one to a blazer.
I'll go take pictures in a bit of how everything lines up. If you like.

 

[leverhead]

Turbo,
The Side flex is a good point...I can see the lateral movement issue....the tabs lining up (or close to) with the inside edge of the square hole would keep the bed sides from flexing out. Like you said, not as issue with the window gate because of the type of latch it uses.

AyWo,
Thanks for the offer on the pics....that would be a big help...

Asking because I may go with the pu gate in the future (open or with soft top) to save weight.

I wish to restore the right hand post to factory as someone had used an M1009 post (slightly different shape) to replace. I made a dimpled (for rubber bumper) replacement piece to graft in to match the left side. (Pic attached) Hence the query about the tab/hole.

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

Turbo,
The Side flex is a good point...I can see the lateral movement issue....the tabs lining up (or close to) with the inside edge of the square hole would keep the bed sides from flexing out. Like you said, not as issue with the window gate because of the type of latch it uses.

AyWo,
Thanks for the offer on the pics....that would be a big help...

Asking because I may go with the pu gate in the future (open or with soft top) to save weight.

I wish to restore the right hand post to factory as someone had used an M1009 post (slightly different shape) to replace. I made a dimpled (for rubber bumper) replacement piece to graft in to match the left side. (Pic attached) Hence the query about the tab/hole.

I got so busy today, I forgot to take pics. Will do tomorrow morning.

From what I can see in your picture there, a pickup gate will fit fine.
And your blazer is a 75, mine is as well, so I know for a fact all the attachment for the hardware is there.
Truck gates fit well on there, you'll like it.

 

[leverhead]

Thanks....

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

@leverhead
Heres one of my blazers that has truck gates. The other one I took the gate off to use on my truck, so this is it.
Sorry man the pics are so terrible, it's too close to the fence to open up the gate all the way.
Theres how it works, you'll only need all the hardware from a pickup, no modifications needed.

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[RecklessWOT]

I can attest for the bedside flex making the tailgate open. I used to have a VERY rusty '87 longbed, and of course the tailgate handle was broken. I carried a large flathead screwdriver with me to stick inbetween the bedside and gate to leverage the bed away from the gate, and it would drop down just as fast as if I had actually used the handle. Luckily I was smart enough to never drive with a heavy unsecured load back there, I can imagine a good whack side to side would drop that gate in a heartbeat

 

[bucket]

The K5 was designed specifically for use with a pickup tailgate. The removable top was an option in the earlier years. If the top was not ordered, the truck was built with a pickup tailgate since there was no need for a rear window.

 

[leverhead]

Thanks for the posts.

@Aywo,
Thanks for the pics. I noticed there are no tabs on the top of the gate that match with the holes in the posts. Did you remove them?

I noticed (in web pics) that these tabs are welded on....so they are not adjustable. Are they supposed to line up with the inside edge of the square post holes to prevent bedside 'flex'?

 

[TotalyHucked]

So in our research (I work for AMD), we have yet to find an actual reason for the "wedge plate" and "wedge hole". We simply refer to it as the early tailgate design. It very well could be to help prevent bed flex and the tailgate popping open as a result of the early tailgate latch design.

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Mid-year '76 they changed the tailgate/latch/bedside design and did away with the wedge plate and hole.

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[bucket]

So in our research (I work for AMD), we have yet to find an actual reason for the "wedge plate" and "wedge hole". We simply refer to it as the early tailgate design. It very well could be to help prevent bed flex and the tailgate popping open as a result of the early tailgate latch design.

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Mid-year '76 they changed the tailgate/latch/bedside design and did away with the wedge plate and hole.

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They did away with the peg/hole deal because they incorporated the same idea into the latch and striker. The original design with the peg was a terrible one, IMHO. Who the heck would want two rather large protrusions sticking straight up on what is supposed to be a good work surface? They have probably caused bodily harm a few times too.

Early style latch and striker:

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As you can see, if the tailgate to bed gap were to open up, the latch would come undone. The peg keeps the tailgate lined up to the bedside. *Note* the one pictured here has the peg removed. This hardware is installed on a '77 bed.

Later style latch setup:

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Here you can see, the latch has it's own alignment peg on it. It slides into the striker on the bedside when the tailgate is closed.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Oh yeah, duh lol. I forgot the later latch incorporated that all in the one assembly