Tailgate and Lift gate Weather Stripping

[tvall]

Hi All,

I need some advice. I have been searching threads trying to find the best way to eliminate gaps in the tailgate and lift gate on my 74 Ranger. I've looked in Wild Horses, Bronco Graveyard, Toms, LMC and Dennis Carpenter but I'm not sure what I need as I don't know what is missing. In looking through catalogs I can't figure out if I'm missing things for my year or not! I noticed that I don't have the tailgate "anti theft post"... do I need this?

With the news channels saying this winter will be REALLY wet here in California I need to make sure I'm ready!

Below are some pictures of the weather stripping that the PO put in. It's hard to see in the pic but I can usually see daylight where the tailgate, lift gate, and hardtop all meet.

Thanks in advance!
Tim

 

[AZ73]

None of that is the correct stuff. You'll need to buy an entire kit. You don't "need" the post, but it can help keep people from opening your tailgate to get in (it's not locked). An alternative is to get a locking tailgate handle from Nick's Trix when he goes back into production

http://www.nickstrix.com/products.html

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/Early_Bronco_Weather_Stripping

http://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/category/66-77-bronco-seals

http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/seals.html

http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Weather-Stripping/products/65/

You're missing this too:

http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Tailgate-Metal-Strips-1969-77/productinfo/16049A/

They go along the sides of the rear quarters to hold the weatherstripping against the tailgate

 

[half cab]

Looks like the top of you rear bed quarters has spread causing a lot of tha gap in turn will cause the liftgate to have a gap also .

 

[tvall]

None of that is the correct stuff. You'll need to buy an entire kit. You don't "need" the post, but it can help keep people from opening your tailgate to get in (it's not locked). An alternative is to get a locking tailgate handle from Nick's Trix when he goes back into production

http://www.nickstrix.com/products.html

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/Early_Bronco_Weather_Stripping

http://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/category/66-77-bronco-seals

http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/seals.html

THANKS! I'll check those out.

 

[tvall]

Looks like the top of you rear bed quarters has spread causing a lot of tha gap in turn will cause the liftgate to have a gap also .

Crap. How would I go about fixing that...?

 

[AZ73]

Crap. How would I go about fixing that...?

Hard to tell from the closeups but they do look like they've spread. Check for rust along the rear wheel wells to see if it's been weakened there (causing the spread). If it looks ok, you might try a come along hooked to the latches at the top of the quarters, and with the lift gate open, tighten CAREFULLY and SLOWLY. You only need them to move maybe 1/4 inch on both sides and you don't want it to get out of square and you want the quarters to move, not bend the latches. I can't tell from your pictures but it also looks like the bracket that goes into the rear quarters from the top at the very back are missing too. I can see the hole they go into in your third picture. You shouldn't be able to see that hole. Those help keep the rears from spreading. You might have to loosen all the bolts that hold the top to the quarters too to let the quarters move enough.

 

[half cab]

Ratchet strap or come-a-long works well.

Does your top have the corner stakes still on it that goes down in the rear corners of the bed?

Reason I ask I ran mine without them for a year or two n I believe that's what cause mine to spread.

 

[tvall]

Hard to tell from the closeups but they do look like they've spread. Check for rust along the rear wheel wells to see if it's been weakened there (causing the spread). If it looks ok, you might try a come along hooked to the latches at the top of the quarters, and with the lift gate open, tighten CAREFULLY and SLOWLY. You only need them to move maybe 1/4 inch on both sides and you don't want it to get out of square and you want the quarters to move, not bend the latches. I can't tell from your pictures but it also looks like the bracket that goes into the rear quarters from the top at the very back are missing too. I can see the hole they go into in your third picture. You shouldn't be able to see that hole. Those help keep the rears from spreading. You might have to loosen all the bolts that hold the top to the quarters too to let the quarters move enough.

THANKS! Looks like I have a to do list for the weekend!

 

[tvall]

Ratchet strap or come-a-long works well.

Does your top have the corner stakes still on it that goes down in the rear corners of the bed?

Reason I ask I ran mine without them for a year or two n I believe that's what cause mine to spread.

They do. I know the PO ran it with the top off for a very long time due to the pitting in the metal on the inside of the truck. Also, with the tire carrier on it can't help!

 

[West Tn Dawg]

Factory tire carriers will definitely spread the bed quarter. Also will pull the back corner away from the quarter seperating the body sealer.