tailgate fix

[mike]

need help with a tailgate problem. I found a tailgate off a 1978 1/2 ton chevy. While removing it from the truck one of the nuts that is welded inside snapped off. The nut that snapped off is located where the bracket bolts on to insert the tailgate in the trunnion. Now the bolt that goes into this hole has nothing to thread on to. Need help to fix this problem!! Thanks Mike

 

[chengny]

Mike,

I think this has happened to me before - if I read your post correctly.

The weldnut that is fixed to the inside of the tailgate has broken off and is floating around between the inner and outer walls of the T/G. This leaves you with no way to fasten the trunion plate to the sidewall of the tailgate.

I used a step drill and made a nice neat access hole in the forward wall of the tailgate. Drilled as close to the sidewall as possible and at the level of the bolt. That allowed access to the inside of the T/G. I used a slightly longer bolt and, with a pair of needle nosed pliers through the new access hole, was able put a lock washer and nut on it. First I shook out the broken off weld nut.

Snugged it up and primed/painted the raw steel made by the step drill. That particular truck had an aluminum diamond plate shield on the inside of the tailgate. With that re-installed you would never know there was a hole. If you dont have a shield, maybe use a rubber plug to close the hole.

 

[MrMarty51]

Another fix would be to drill the hole, where the weldnut snapped off at, make it big enough to get a nut to fit in the hole of the same size bolt as what came out, weld the nut flush with the outside surface, and then paint it to keep it from rusting on the outside.
Use some anti seize on the bolts when reattaching the tail gate.
Of course this still leaves that old weldnut bouncing around in there, which I think would be un-noticeable, but if it must come out, the tail gate release mechanism can be removed and the tail gate shook around, until the weld nut is visible through the release access hole, then remove it.