might check your switch. i had one where the solder had come undone. resoldered, works fine now.
Rear window article available from Gary S (1 Viewer)
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might check your switch. i had one where the solder had come undone. resoldered, works fine now.
Yes, please do. A definitive answer would be great.
I have everything working now, except the tailgate switch. Wrong wire connection
The rod and clip I show above hits the rod that opens the passenger side of the tailgate. But it does work. I think that whole contraption is just a limiter switch to make the gate stop? It is not designed very well. In fact that whole tailgate mechanism is not designed well at all. There has to be some modern, mechanical setup we could modifer to work. Say, like an electrical window setup that are common in hod rods.
Oh, here is SOR diagram of the tail gate. It appears that the rod and clip is orientent the way I have it setup?
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- #23
stuff
Bill- yes the link attaches the way you have it in the photo. I don't have this piece on my truck and on most others I've seen it is absent. It is sort of a mechanical stop- chintzy, yes- but whenever there is a bind and the switch stays activated the circuit breaker opens, electrically protecting the motor.
The window lift/lower system works OK most of the time but yes it does have gremlins. The only other fool proof system I've seen is a hand crank that slipped through a hole in the tailgate and the window got cranked up and down. It looked like crap vbecause cosmetically it wasn't nice but it did work. That was on a truck I stripped many years ago. As mentioned in my article I have also bypassed the key switch by installing a toggle switch mounted right on the tailgate shell. probably still working on my old 72 piggy that is down south somewhere now.
One other novel "improvement" I have seen is a tailgate handle from an older 40 (with lift up upper rear door as opposed to ambulance doors) mounted on the tailgate to replace the broken chrome original handle. It had some rather ingenious but simple engineering inside the shell and worked fine. Looked funky on a 55 tailgate I'll tell ya. Gary S
Bill- yes the link attaches the way you have it in the photo. I don't have this piece on my truck and on most others I've seen it is absent. It is sort of a mechanical stop- chintzy, yes- but whenever there is a bind and the switch stays activated the circuit breaker opens, electrically protecting the motor.
The window lift/lower system works OK most of the time but yes it does have gremlins. The only other fool proof system I've seen is a hand crank that slipped through a hole in the tailgate and the window got cranked up and down. It looked like crap vbecause cosmetically it wasn't nice but it did work. That was on a truck I stripped many years ago. As mentioned in my article I have also bypassed the key switch by installing a toggle switch mounted right on the tailgate shell. probably still working on my old 72 piggy that is down south somewhere now.
One other novel "improvement" I have seen is a tailgate handle from an older 40 (with lift up upper rear door as opposed to ambulance doors) mounted on the tailgate to replace the broken chrome original handle. It had some rather ingenious but simple engineering inside the shell and worked fine. Looked funky on a 55 tailgate I'll tell ya. Gary S
Thanks for the confirmation on that peice.
I still want to get the keyed tail gate switch to work.
I eliminated the safety switch as mentioned in the article. Tailgate works fine. One less item to deal with. The safety switch wiring can easily be accessed by taking out the rear panel on the driver's side, instead of the driver’s side rear tail light.
I still want to get the keyed tail gate switch to work.
I eliminated the safety switch as mentioned in the article. Tailgate works fine. One less item to deal with. The safety switch wiring can easily be accessed by taking out the rear panel on the driver's side, instead of the driver’s side rear tail light.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Here are some scans from my FSM (for 1978 model year):
PabloCruise
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I hope these are helpful:
PabloCruise
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Here is from the Body Electrical section:
PabloCruise
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Final Scans:
WOW!
Those articles are great!
Thanks a lot for the time you spent getting it together.
Those articles are great!
Thanks a lot for the time you spent getting it together.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
WOW!
Those articles are great!
Thanks a lot for the time you spent getting it together.
You are welcome, I was hoping the scans would help with your questions.
Maybe we should Sticky this for the 55 section...
Nice. That will certainly help folks a bit. I appreciate it as well.
STICKY! STICKY! STICKY!
Cheers, Carlos.
STICKY! STICKY! STICKY!
Cheers, Carlos.
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I'm having the same issues with my tailgate I get it to work and then it goes completely dead. Anyone live in Boise I'll pay them to fix it. I also cannot find a turn signal solenoid, at a local parts store I can't figure out which one it is under the dash. Mine has been so bastardized nothing seems to be what it is supposed to be.
My tailgate has been stuck in the upright position since the summer and I have been dreading dealing with it. I believe its the typical gear issue. I replaced the plastic gear on the tailgate of my original pig years ago and had forgotten what a PITA it is! Working on it right now.
Welcome to the Club!;p Having just gone through this process myself, I feel your pain.
My tailgate works fine using the dash switch, but not the tailgate switch. Haven't solved that problem yet.
I am at the stage where I need to get the weather stripping in the guides in the tailgate, that hold the glass, installed.
Let us know how you are doing with the fix.
Good Luck!
My tailgate works fine using the dash switch, but not the tailgate switch. Haven't solved that problem yet.
I am at the stage where I need to get the weather stripping in the guides in the tailgate, that hold the glass, installed.
Let us know how you are doing with the fix.
Good Luck!
Fixed! That wasn't too bad. The clips were a pain due to having the window stuck in the up position. That part was fun. Laying on my back with a headlamp, messing around inside the tailgate wasn't the worst or anything. Gear was cracked in half. The tailgate switch works but I have yet to fix the dash mounted switch.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Does the factory put window felts on the both the inside and outside of the tailgate glass?
Has anyone found replacement felts for the tailgate?
Has anyone found replacement felts for the tailgate?
X 2 on the sticky
have benefited from this article many times.............Gary; thanks
Lou
have benefited from this article many times.............Gary; thanks
Lou
Awesome thread.
It is amazing what the search function can find.
It is amazing what the search function can find.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Forgot I posted this!
I'll have to link to the threads that answer this question (when I get sufficient motivation).
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
I have a message into Tucker about making this a sticky...
