Build Thread - Burb Barn Door to Tail Gate Conversion

[yevgenievich]

Looks great. Unrelated, but is your suburban gmc or chevrolet? Just asking because tailgate appears to be from chevrolet. Just testing a theory with this random question.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Both this one and the '90 that the tailgate came from were Chevy. Is your question related to the raised part at the top of what's supposed to be the two-tone part? It did surprise me that the ridge doesn't appear to match with the body but I think it will look ok once I get the maroon section painted. Would a tailgate from a '91 have matched better? I'd be surprised if GM made any changes between '90 and '91.


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[yevgenievich]

I was looking at the holes for the badges. GMC recieved badges on both, left and right sides of the tailgate, while chevrolet only on passenger side. The tailgate it self is all the same.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Woul it not be easier to make one from scratch instead of seperating old if going that direction?

You were right on this one. I ended up redoing the support cable attachment. First design flexed too much and the sheet metal screws didn't allow enough clearance for the cable end to rotate. New design is similar to first with a sheet metal plate and square recessed nut welded on but I made it from scratch and everything is a little bigger and it's riveted on instead of screwed. Ignore my crappy looking weld - it will hold for this.

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[Daveo91Burb]

I also got my window on tonight. Window will roll down, but not up. I think it's the safety switch in pass side that prevents rolling up the window if TG is down:

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I can sometimes get it to go up if I push this switch. If I manually move the latch into the closed position it does look like its operating the switch as designed . If I can't get it to work tomorrow after some troubleshooting I might just eliminate the switch. Thoughts?


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[yevgenievich]

I almost bypassed the switch, but ultimately decided to keep it if it works. If it does not work, then can probably remove. Just have to not forget about it.

 

[bucket]

If it doesn't work (sounds like it's failing) then just bypass it with a jumper wire. It eliminates a weak point in the electrical and it's reversible if you want to go back for some reason. Maybe the switch will be reproduced someday.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Yep that's what I did. Switch works fine with my thumb but could not get it to close the circuit when the gate was closed. Problem solved.


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[Daveo91Burb]

So my one remaining issue to solve with the conversion project: can't get the window to close the last inch. It's not going in to the groove in the felt at the top. It wants to lean inwards when it's close to the top and the motor strains. Are the tracks inside adjustable at all?

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[bucket]

IIRC, they are adjustable. Also, the inner weatherstrip (or trim cover w/weatherstrip) acts as a support as the window goes up.

I'm surprised the glass doesn't guide itself into the upper channel though. Mine are both misaligned somewhat, but the glass still goes where it's supposed to.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Also, the inner weatherstrip (or trim cover w/weatherstrip) acts as a support as the window goes up.

Thanks - I think this might be the crux of my problem. So when I was doing my LMC order for this conversion project I ordered new inner and outer weatherstrip. On the inner, I ordered the one for the silverado vs non-silverado because both mine and the parts rig were of that persuasion. Problem is, I should have bought the non-silverado part because I did not intend to use the carpet panel trim piece on the tailgate -- I forgot that the panel had the inner weatherstrip built in. When I was installing the weatherstrip the other day I was frustrated because it was obvious I had the wrong part. Rather than spending time to get that trim panel down off the high shelf where it was stored, I ended up screwing on the incorrect inner weatherstrip. Dumb move. I'm thinking it might be causing the angle of the window to be wrong. Ran out of time tonight, but tomorrow I'm going to take off that weatherstrip and install the trim panel (which seems to have a perfectly good inner) and see if that solves my problem.

 

[yevgenievich]

I made similar mistake before, but even with that weather strip piece gone the window followed the path by it self. Maybe pull the metal cover off the tailgate and just watch the window travel to see why it binds

 

[bucket]

It's funny you mentioned the Silverado model coming with the inner trim panel. Apparently not all of them did, as my '88 never had one (no screw holes for it, still original gate). Both 86's have had the inner trim panel.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

It's funny you mentioned the Silverado model coming with the inner trim panel. Apparently not all of them did, as my '88 never had one (no screw holes for it, still original gate). Both 86's have had the inner trim panel.

Interesting. Come to think of it, my '89 k5 silverado didn't have carpet on the tailgate either, but maybe Blazers were different? In any case, I did go ahead and install it tonight. The inner weatherstrip is definitely higher now vs my jury-rigging of the wrong part, but unfortunately it at first made the problem worse! TG would only go up 3/4 of the way. I've since modified the "Glass Guide Channel Cap" (LMC description of the piece of rubber and steel on the top ends of the TG that guides the glass coming out). I cut off the part that hangs below since it was just too much rubber in combination with the new TG seal. Doing that allows me to get the TG closed just a little more which helps a bit. I think I have a just a little more fine tuning to do with the latch pins and I should be good to go.

Related question that may help this: there are two small access panels on the inside bottom of the TG, at the hinges. Are these there to allow adjustment of the TG up and down? One side is just a little low (less than a 1/4") and I'd like to raise it up.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

I answered my own question - yes those small access panels allow up and down as well as side to side adjustment.

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I think I'm pretty much there. Window finally going into groove at top. Still some motor strain at about 3/4 up. Interestingly, it works best when the interior weatherstrip is not installed at all. Any issues with just not using it?

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