'01 Dakota tailgate hinge problem
#12
01-25-2012 | 11:23 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8
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From: ohio
Tailgate replacement
I just baught a set of early 90s chevy tailgate hinges and they were a near bolt on perfect fit.. i cut the factory studs off .. ground them flat.. shot them with some paint and drilled and bolted the new chevy cups in and the gate pins bolted in the factory tailgate holes... total 30min piece of cake!!
#13
01-26-2012 | 08:39 AM
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I just baught a set of early 90s chevy tailgate hinges and they were a near bolt on perfect fit.. i cut the factory studs off .. ground them flat.. shot them with some paint and drilled and bolted the new chevy cups in and the gate pins bolted in the factory tailgate holes... total 30min piece of cake!!
Very interested in this. Out of desperation I replaced my entire bed with one in much better condition (less rust) than mine, but I'd love to see how this was done.
#15
05-22-2014 | 03:47 PM
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1
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Pic of Easy/Cheap/Permanent Tailgate Hinge Fix
Just drill out the rusted / broken stub and install a bolt through the resulting hole (pic attached). For my 2001 QC, the female portion on the tailgate itself is a 1" ID, so just go to your local hardware store and pick up:
1) A stainless steel FLANGE bolt with a 1" diameter flange. (the shortest or next to shortest bolt they have with the 1" flange should work for you so you don't have to cut the bolt to length before installing).
2) The matching flange nut.
3) Three 1" washers (to space it out far enough for the tailgate to properly secure over top the flange...see pic).
Total cost $5.
Only slightly difficult part is cleaning out the "rear" of the hole (behind the body panel), because the factory stub that rusted away actually sticks out on the other side too, so getting the flange nut to seat squarely against the panel on back requires cleaning that off. I used an air chisel (there is plenty of room to get your tools in behind the panel). You could just leave the stub and tighten the nut up against it, but it may not be quite as secure.
Note: Pic is drivers side hinge bolt. If fixing the passengers side hinge, you would need to cut/grind flats into the installed bolt flange so you could get your tailgate on/off. The passengers side is the side with the hole cut into the female piece of the tailgate itself so tailgate can be removed).
1) A stainless steel FLANGE bolt with a 1" diameter flange. (the shortest or next to shortest bolt they have with the 1" flange should work for you so you don't have to cut the bolt to length before installing).
2) The matching flange nut.
3) Three 1" washers (to space it out far enough for the tailgate to properly secure over top the flange...see pic).
Total cost $5.
Only slightly difficult part is cleaning out the "rear" of the hole (behind the body panel), because the factory stub that rusted away actually sticks out on the other side too, so getting the flange nut to seat squarely against the panel on back requires cleaning that off. I used an air chisel (there is plenty of room to get your tools in behind the panel). You could just leave the stub and tighten the nut up against it, but it may not be quite as secure.
Note: Pic is drivers side hinge bolt. If fixing the passengers side hinge, you would need to cut/grind flats into the installed bolt flange so you could get your tailgate on/off. The passengers side is the side with the hole cut into the female piece of the tailgate itself so tailgate can be removed).
