K5 tailgate questions

[SDJunkMan]

I need to rebuild/repair the tailgate on my M1009, it is rusted out and the weatherstrips are shot. I am having trouble getting the glass out. I unbolted it from the regulator but could not get it out of the tailgate. It seems like the weatherstrips are in the way, but with the glass there I'm not able to get the weatherstrips off. Can someone tell me if there is a trick to get the glass out?

I have another tailgate that is in better shape except for the usual cracks on the top on either side of the glass channel. Any ideas for repairing these? Can I weld them up? Any way to add any reinforcement to keep them from cracking more? I'ts kind of hard to tell with the glass in place.

 

[bucket]

You don't need to remove both weather strips to get the glass out, just one of them. I've always removed the inner strip to get the glass out of the tailgate. It has some little barb clips that need popped loose and then the weatherstrip slides upward.

 

[RoryH19]

Did you remove the weather stripping inside and outside?
Also there are corner pieces that should be removed on each end.
If you then unbolt the 2 metal brackets from the regulator the glass should slide out.

 

[SDJunkMan]

I unbolted the regulator and got the end pieces off but was not able to get the weatherstrip off. I'll try it again, didn't want to force it since I was tight on time and needed to get it back together.

Do the manual tailgate and electric both use the same glass? Mine is pretty scratched up and there is a K5 at the PAP with a good glass, but it is an electric window tailgate.

 

[bucket]

Yeah, it's the same glass. If you have the glass with the factory shade printed onto it, that one is harder to find than the standard glass.