Suburban tailgate hinge mounts

[chewiebarker]

Has anyone else ever experienced this problem?

The brackets/plates that secure the folding hinges (the flat ones just above the rear bumper) to the frame have snapped off altogether. The hinges are fine, but the tailgate is no longer secured to the frame under the bumper.

Is this a common problem and, if so, how is it remedied? Do people replace the mounts or just re-weld the existing mounts to the frame? Are there replacement mounts available? Mine seem pretty thin due to rust.

Thanks!

[vectorit]

I've never seen that myself, but my first thought to the cause would be abuse and not design fault. Those hinges are beefy...

[LockDoc]

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The Suburban I dismantled over at the salvage yard had the same problem. I think it is a rust belt thing....

LockDoc

[chewiebarker]

Chris,

I agree, they are very strong, and the hinges themselves are very still secured to the mounts/brackets. The mounts are what snapped off the body. See pics. I would re-weld, but there does not appear to be sufficient meat to the pieces.

Marc

Being in So-cal, perhaps you have never seen this stuff in the pics - it is called RUST.

[chewiebarker]

I checked the CHASSIS AND BODY PARTS CATALOG for Chevrolet 1946-72 1/2 THRU 1 TON TRUCKS SERICE 10-20-30 and it lists every part related to the tailgate and hinges EXCEPT the bracket that the lower hinge (item #9 below) attaches to...it even shows the cutaway and the screw - but no description/identification of the bracket.

I suppose I am just going to have to fabricate something or take the rear sill off a donor.