Big Bronco Question

[Ohio Bill]

I know this is EB land.....but I'm working on my sons 1991 Bronco and have run in to a snag on the tail gate window lift. The key will let the door glass down but will not raise it. So I take inside panel off and raise glass to get to switch but can not figure how the switch assy comes out the back. Has any body on here had to do this?

Thanks

 

[BRONCO26]

i think it has a horse shoe looking clip that slids in the lock assembly and holds the lock cyl. in the door i hope that helps

 

[Ohio Bill]

I saw the horse clip and pulled it out the assy. stayed in place. There is a smaller whoops clip looks llike it holds the key tumbler in place......but the lock bezel is under the fancy aluminum plate that runs all the ways across the tail gate.
I guess I have answered my own question and will have to take plate off to get assy out.

Thanks for the help.

 

[bmc69]

The key switch part is not the electrical switch..its simply a tumbler connected to a mechanical rocker rm..said rocker arm ends touch up and don monetary buttons on the REAL switch that is squirreled away insde the tailgate...

Further. Does your dash switch work? FYI, the ground legs of the up/down circuits go through the dash switch regardless of which switch yr using. So lack of response in either direction does not necessarily mean that the tailgate switch is bad..that tailgate switch only switches the hot side of the motor circuit. Check also the harness connectors..there are several but the one that gives the most problems due to corrosion is located under/behind the dr. side tail light assy.

 

[1sicbronconut]

Could very well be the flex joint where the wire loom gets flexed when you open/close the tailgate, I see that a lot on the older full size Bronco's. HTH

 

[bosshoff]

You need to really push on the outside of the tailgate while turning the key. Push in the upper left hand corner, REALLY hard. This set up sucks, and if you go to fullsizebronco.com and search, there is a very good write-up on this problem.

 

[Ohio Bill]

Dang! Thanks; fellows for all this info. Sure glad I don't have all this power junk on my 66....LOL

I'll give ll this a look see.

 

[bmc69]

You need to really push on the outside of the tailgate while turning the key. Push in the upper left hand corner, REALLY hard. This set up sucks, and if you go to fullsizebronco.com and search, there is a very good write-up on this problem.

Good point..what bosshof is referring to somewhat indirectly is the interlock switch that prevents tailgate 'up' travel when the tailgate latch is not fully closed. That switch (normally closed, push to open circuit) is located/mounted directly on the center latch handle assembly and may not be be closing (bad internal switch contacts) or may even be still held in the open position despite taligate being closed due to years fo slop build up in the latch linkage (hence his suggestion that you do some pushing on that corner of that tilagat..or a good closing slam or two ..even a good rap on the latch area sometimes gets it done. Another 'culprit' is the bending of the internal tailgate latch handle mechanism due to operator error..seen that a LOT. Some idiot will try to pull on the tailgate latch handle when wiindow glass is not fully down and the interlock arm has not released the latch to work as it is intended. A couple good tugs and chit is all bent up inside. In some cases that interlock rod that catches the bottom of the window glass will even rot off or simply fall off and be lying in the bottom of the tailgate interior.

Err...yeah..I've been running a fullsized Bronc as a daily driver for 16 years.;D Amazingly, the tailgate still works (after many a fight though) and the tailgate motor is literally the ONLY 'moving part' on the entire truck that had not been replaced in 320K miles..

 

[Steve83]

Click my signature link & look thru the Tailgate Tech album. Everything is explained in agonizing detail.

 

[Hal9000]

Could very well be the flex joint where the wire loom gets flexed when you open/close the tailgate, I see that a lot on the older full size Bronco's. HTH

This is very common. The wires will fatigue and break inside the loom and the insulation and you'll never know it. I had to deal with it on my rusty old '78. Luckily, it's an easy fix as well.

 

[COBlu77]

Click my signature link & look thru the Tailgate Tech album. Everything is explained in agonizing detail.

Do yourself a favor and look at Steve83's Tailgate Tech album. Good pictures and instructions on how take apart and troubleshoot the tailgate. His album on the BB tailgate and Steering column are some of the best tech help for BB I've found. It has saved me a ton of trouble and money on my 95 BB. Thanks Steve83!!

 

[Ohio Bill]

Thanks Steve83 your tail gate tech section is awesome.