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Tailgate Cables-Is there a tec article?

bknbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
4,378
Loc.
North Metro, MN
Im ready to do the tailgate cable conversion. I have done a search and read over a few posts. There was talk about "TOFIC" doing a tec article but i cant find it. Does it exist?

Looking at the posts and pictures i see that there are a few different ways to go about it. I understand that im looking for cables from a 90's era F150, and i believe there 19" long.

Im unclear as to the best and easyest way to mount them. The first pic shows the cable being mounted to a tailgate latch bolt. The second looks like its mounted to the factory tailgate post. Will the 90's F150 cables work perfect with the factory tailgate support posts? (this is what i would prefer)

And where the cable mounts to the body......i know the factory tailgate supports have a pivoting bracket the attaches to the body with two bolts, but i have a new glass tub with no holes there yet. Would i have to fad up some sort of spacer between the cable and tub and then just drill the hole and bolt in place? The pics i have seen are unclear.

Disclaimer:
"The pictures attached are not my own and i appologise to whom ever they are for using them without permission"
 

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bknbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
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Loc.
North Metro, MN
After a trip to the local parts places i find out that the 1983-1997 F150 cables (Dorman-Help #38507, or Napa #819-5329) are 21 1/8" long, and the 1993-2011 ranger cables (Dorman-Help #38532, or Napa #819-5738) are only 16 5/16" long. Both have similar ends.

What all this talk about 19" cables?

Ill have to wait to measure which ones i would need until i get back up to my parents where my bronco is stored. Any suggestion as to the length would be appriciated.
 

graniteguy

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Messages
281
Loc.
Kempner, TX
If you have to buy them, the cables are available from the bronco vendors. If noone responds, I'll get mine measured next time I'm by my bronco.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
We looked a lot for a stock cable before we gave up and had them made. As we were having them made anyway we used a better cable.
 
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bknbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
4,378
Loc.
North Metro, MN
I just took a look at yours chuck. Are the cables coated with clear? And are the ends, and hardware stainless? I dont have any mounting holes in my body since i have a new glass body. Is there anything i would have to do that normally wouldnt have to be done on a stock truck?

Reviews say extensive mods required and it also interfers with the lock catches? Whats the whole truth? If i can put a glass body on i think i should be able to handle some tailgate cables!%)
 

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chuck

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Aug 14, 2001
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Ingram, Texas
The cables are extra flex and has a nylon coating. The ends, one end is steel and the other is aluminum. They come with the needed parts to mount them to the stock latch bolt holes that hold your tailgate closed now.
P.S.
You have a good start on your EB. A lot more work to do a fiberglass body than steel.
I don't know, no one calls and talks about a problem. We install about 1 pair per week here with out any problems. If I payed full price for anything and it didn't work I would have someone on the phone and expect anyone that has a problem with my stuff to do the same. To install you remove one bolt from your latch and replace it with my new bolt, a sleeve and the new cable, there isn't much to modify.
 
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bknbronco

Bronco Guru
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Jan 17, 2011
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4,378
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North Metro, MN
Nice! i like the idea of the extra flex cables:cool:! So the other end mounts to one of the bolts that hold the latch bracket to the body, so i wouldnt need any extra holes besides them two? I assume this is the end that is alum?
P.S.
Thanks for your P.S. I believe were on the same page now. Should be a simple plug and play operation! Two cables at the local auto parts store is 30 bucks so i just wanted to know what makes yours worth twice that? Sounds like i may have to give you guys a ring soon. Thanks for you time Chuck. Ill add a link for ya!

http://www.bcbroncos.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1887

P.S.S.
So the cable actually pulls from the surface 90deg from the original mounting location? Seems a bit odd? Does that bend the cable lug a bit? I would have mounted mine to where the original rattle strap gets mounted. Sometimes we overthink things!
 
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chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
Well I would like to use the excuse that I was drunk but I don't drink so I guess brain fart will have to do. I did not mean to miss lead anyone anyway.
You are right, we remove the support mount and use the upper hole to mount my cable.
Cost, the parts store cables are cheap because they are made in large quantities over seas using the cheapest materials. Mine are made 200 at a time using hi-Q materials in CA. and no one that I found had the right length anyway. All the cables that we found that are close are just a little too long which makes the tailgate hange too far down which makes the tailgate hit the stock bumper bolts without a body lift. The first picture you posted shows this. I think the 3ed picture is of my cables.
 

graniteguy

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Messages
281
Loc.
Kempner, TX
I used BCs kit. Granted I don't have fiberglass, but it went in easy. I also used their updated pivot for the tailgate hinge. Both were good products.
 

jsnouffer

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
420
The third picture is mine and is the BCB cable kit. Quality product and easy to install. You can't go wrong, well worth the price.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

techlaf

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
691
I have BC's kit and it's good quality. I had to grind a good bit off of the cylinder/sleeve, but my taillight buckets have been replaced and the fit is probably different than stock.

I do have a problem at the upper taillight connection. The metal connection ring at the top of the cable does not swing back down into the space between the taillight bucket and the tailgate when you put the tailgate back up. So it kind of sticks out and hits the tailgate when you close it.

I tried finding just the right balance between tight to not rattle and loose enough to allow pivoting down into the proper resting place. Can't find that spot so I just pull the tailgate halfway up, lean against it, push the connection straight down and close the gate completely.

Still much quieter than the stock tailgate brackets.
 

chuck

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Aug 14, 2001
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Ingram, Texas
I am sorry you are having that problem. Could you send or post a picture of the problem area? Maybe we can figure out why.
 

Fireball05

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 7, 2012
Messages
1,822
Chuck et al,

What are these screws for in the attachment at that tailgate??

Sorry for the blurry pic.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373861533.169223.jpg
 

chuck

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Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
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Ingram, Texas
Sorry, here is the instructions
The screw is to keep the cable from comig off when closing the gate.
 

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bknbronco

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Jan 17, 2011
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North Metro, MN
WOW my thread lives on! I did get around to doing my cables and there nice and quiet and cheep......
I used the body brackets off the original rattle traps and added some brass bushings and a bolt and nylock. I have a glass tub so I mounted the bracket where it needed to be to hold the gate open level.
 

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Fireball05

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 7, 2012
Messages
1,822
I installed the tailgate cable kit from BCB today.

It is a nice kit, but like almost every other part I've bought for the EB, it required some massaging to get to work correctly.

Install directions were clear and concise, hardware included is everything you need to install. It's a bit of a trick to get the cable mount in behind the tailgate striker. You have to put the allen key through the tailgate striker to tighten the upper cable mount. It doesn't line up perfectly so I almost stripped the threads out of the taillight housing. See can see this in photo 3 below. Chuck, any reason your included hardware couldn't be a bolt? Then you could tighten with a wrench and not have to worry about this.

I had to put one of the brackets in the vise (the one in my hand in the 3rd photo) and bend it a little bit so that it didn't hit the taillight housing and scratch the paint. I could've used an extra washer behind the mounting hardware, but a little bend with the vise and it cleared fine.

The big problem was that when I went to close the tailgate it wouldn't shut! Turns out the cable ends hit the tailgate latch assembly. I had to take a decent amount of material off the cable end and shape it back to look pretty so that it would fit. (see photo #3. The one in my hand is shaved, the one mounted is as it came before any massaging). The tailgate latch assembly has a very little amount of adjustment in it, certainly not enough to move them out of the way. I would imagine most folks will have to do a little grinding.

With that all done, everything slid into place and works nicely.

P.S. Skerry, with a new set of tailgate support arm bumpers installed, my OEM tailgate supports didn't rattle. For me, this was mainly an aesthetic upgrade. Side benefit is that these should never rattle or make any noise :)
 

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Sac '68 sport

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
1,176
Loc.
Orangevale
I went to NAPA and they had a bunch of general fit ones on the shelf. They were the 19 inch for a Dodge. Then I went to ACE and bought a few different spacers and some grade 8 bolts. Had to do a little grinding on the spacers to get them just right but it works well. Check out pg 4 on my build thread. http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169069&highlight=Build+thread&page=4

So if you don't have any holes what would you use to hold the original with no molded in nut? Thinking it would be pretty tough to get your hand up in there to hold a nut in place.
 

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
The way you all are mounting the cables lower on the body and not having to install the bolt thru the tailgate body latch seems to be such a better idea. Going thru that latch can be a real PITA from what I have understood. BKNBRONCO and Sac 68-- what did you take your parts off of?? Those two installs make so much more sense if you ask me.
 
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