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For lack of the proper discription I will use "stubs". The stubs that the tailgate locks clasp too, are they welded to the bed or are they tapped? I am having my truck painted right now and I was thinking of having them Cad plated or Chromed. They are painted now and rust is bleeding thru.

They are welded on.

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RIP R.J.B.

yep welded.....been thinking about shaving mine off and putting a latch on the inside of the tailgate on eash side.

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

I like the inside latch idea. If you put a hard cover on the bed, you could actually make it secure that way too.

Another idea would be to just chrome the handles and latches, then sand the crap out of the stubs, hit them with a rust killer perhaps, and coat them with some bedliner. Paint over that if you like to match your topcoat or don't but then at least you'd have something for the latch to wear against that isn't simply painted metal. That should cut down on rattle, and slow the inevitable rust that will return once the latch wears through the paint over them.

yes they are spot welded but they are also screwed in .you must remove the tail lights ,use a very small grinding stone and grind off the spot welds then apply some oil to the back side on the threads and some heat and they will unscrew, mine were a bitch to remove but they are out and in the garbage

On a LUV I did quite some time back, I used some junkyard seat belt buckles to hold the tailgate closed. Simply srewed the the female part to the inside of the bed near the top and the male side was attached to the tailgate with a hinge so it would lay down when open. Nice and clean and you just pushed the buttons to open it. Closing was simply holding the male parts in line with the females parts (OK get your heads out of the gutter guys), and closing the tailgate to hear a nice 'click'. The outside was cleaned up and looked great.
Rick

Rick, got any pictures of that? I like the sound of it. I want to shamelessly rip off your idea.

me too

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

Me three.

MY favorite part about it was, the tailgate can legally hold a third passenger also.

ive been playing with the idea of finding a pair of those jump seat outta a subaru brat (surly someone knows what im talkin about) and bolt them in the back. if i remember right, those things even had OH SHIT handles on them.

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

I've been looking for some too. They're hard as hell to find and expensive when you do. Also, if you put them in, hush hush with the insurance company. Some won't cover people with those seats in the back.

Laterz...

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Kuranosuke
Grampa's Driving:

1990 Luv 4X4 "Family Cab"
with the big 4 banger on 31" Dueller A/Ts

1989 Dodge Raider with some junk...

"Urban Fighter F.P.C" coming soon to a road near you...
got BOOBIES?

As the only two pics left of my old truck don't show them, I can work up some drawings on just how I did them. As I was told last night I am a worthless piece of crap by my wife, I won't charge anything for it. Strange what wives will say when you give them a good hosing down with a garden hose while they are stretched out on a hammock in the back yard!!!! Oh well, I plan to do it again to my latest project, so it won't be a problem. Give me about two to three weeks (read my post in drive train upgrades to see why) and I will have some nice drawings with measurements and hints on doing them.


Not working on my LUV right now Rick

well my gate and latches was just rusted so bad i removed everthing and cut and painted a piece of plywood and addes sliding locks on it like on your bedroom doors lol.i have a patton on it so will cost you for the blueprints lol.