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M1009 rear tailgate and window

iasc399ia

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OK, before someone freaks I searched and searched and even went to a couple other websites with no luck. I even called tmc truck.

I am replacing my tailgate, I have the tailgate, but what parts do I need to completely rebuild the tailgate besides the window?

I don't have a computer and use my tablet for internet and can't read the lmc catalog which lmc recommend.

Any help is greatly appreciated. A piece of plexiglass is taped up now and need it fixed as soon as I can. Thanks again for any help.
 

iasc399ia

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OK, there has got to be something amiss here. I got on my tablet and zoomed in each piece I need with lmc on the phone again(page 30 and page 31)(1986 Chevy k5 blazer) and we got to $772 (without glass btw) and I just asked her to stop because I was in no way spending that amount of money for rebuilding this tailgate. There has got to be an easier and cheaper way. Doesn't make dang sense.
 

porkysplace

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OK, there has got to be something amiss here. I got on my tablet and zoomed in each piece I need with lmc on the phone again(page 30 and page 31)(1986 Chevy k5 blazer) and we got to $772 (without glass btw) and I just asked her to stop because I was in no way spending that amount of money for rebuilding this tailgate. There has got to be an easier and cheaper way. Doesn't make dang sense.
Junkyard K-5 blazer tailgate.
 

cucvrus

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M1009 tailgate can easily top $1K to complete with new parts. They are very pricey and you get what you pay for. That is why I always rebuild the shell and get only the parts needed. I had rebuilt many of these gates over the years and the cost is crazy high. You can either pay it or good luck finding one that is in good enough shape to just put on. I have a tough time with customers when they bring me a poor gate and I tell them what it cost to completely go over it.
 

cpf240

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I don't know if any of the parts are different between the '84 and '86 M1009 tailgates, but these trucks were all built to '84 specs with '84 parts, with very few exceptions, no matter what year they were actually assembled. You should base part purchases on the '84 model year, or the GM part number from the TMs.
 

iasc399ia

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Yeah LMC will cost a fortune to buy everything inside the tailgate. Do you have any of the inner parts still from the old tailgate?
I have "some" of the in her pieces. I will take it apart and see what's there. Just most of the pieces were rusty and I wanted to replace with new parts so I didn't have any problems down the road. But my god, I had no idea how pricey a complete manual tailgate was. I have to to 5 salvage yards and not a one had an 80s K5. I couldn't believe it. You live and you learn I guess. :For my future reference, if I find a complete tailgate for a cheap price: buy it and flip it. Good lord
 

Warthog

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I have been told that you can also use the guts from a Suburban tailgate. Many people will use the electric version.


***** Disregard *****

Was told bad information
 
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richingalveston

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Surburban parts do not work, I tried with an 87 suburban. The regulator is different and the glass is a different size. The outer switch and parts of the wiring harness are the only things that can be used out of the suburban. The electric motors are different also. The suburban electric motor mounts on the regulator where the blazer electric motor remote mounts and has a cable that drives the regulator.

The suburban cut off switch is different and the motor is in a different place so the wiring harness wires are not the correct length for the blazer.

There may be another year that does work but an 87 burb tailgate is different from the blazer
 

broknindarkagain

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I was looking into using the electric stuff out of a Suburban tailgate. The regulator from what I was able to find on the internet is different (an inch wider) so it will not fit. Maybe this is wrong and someone here can confirm? I don't like the idea of a manual window tail gate. It is a pain in the butt. Same with the windows on the doors. I will eventually be converting to all electric windows (and maybe do some kind of electric mirror conversion too). Has anyone here actually used all of the Suburban rear tailgate electric window stuff successfully?

Rusted parts are often still usable. Clean all the rust off and inspect the part. Often it is just surface rust and dirt that has collected over the last 30 years. Do you have access to a sand blaster? That will clean all the parts to bare metal for a good inspection of them and then you can paint them afterwards.
 

richingalveston

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I tried. no way to fit the suburban motor or regulator in the tailgate. I could not find a place to buy the parts for the blazer rear electric window ( electric motor, regulator and cable that connect the two). I checked and you can purchase the new electric regulator for the suburban from lmc. I bought one thinking it would fit the blazer and it does not.
The only thing I could re-use on the suburban was the handle that has the key switch in it and parts of the wiring harness.

I was able to source a used civy blazer tailgate that had the electric window. you can unbolt the guts and bolt it directly into the cucv. The mounting holes are there for the electric motor.
To my knowledge the only way to get the rear electric window is to find a salvage civy and rob the guts. To make it electric the only parts needed are the cut off switch, the motor the drive cable, the regulator and key switch. You can make the wiring harness. I could not find the regulator or motor for sale any where when I was looking.
 

iasc399ia

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We are going to take the two tailgates I have apart on Sunday and look at the lmc schematic and see what's all missing. My best option at this point. Just been waiting for a nice day to do it. I'll update then.
 

cucvrus

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I suggest that you hang onto any extra gate parts that you have. They are hard to come by and many are discontinued. I remember back in the day when I changed these gates out for the local guard unit and they would bring 20 gate's at a time with all the internal parts. I should have hung onto the old parts. I mean if the window was scratched they sent a new one for a replacement. That was the early to mid 90's. The gates were all GM and were in GM boxes painted CARC green and were put back in the boxes while the paint was still wet. Most of them had the part number sticker just painted right over. Very poorly painted to say the least. Probably why they are all bad now. They did not allow any paint time to change the gates just to apply the black and brown. It did not matter they were dented and bent in 2 weeks anyway.
 

iasc399ia

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Happy to report that we took apart both tailgates and it turned out we had all the parts to make 1 functional tailgate minus the old rotted weather stripping and the outside tailgate handle. If anyone has a complete outside manual tailgate handle send me a pm please. Tmc truck is out.
 

cucvrus

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Good Job. Yea and them manual cranks are getting harder to find. Try Brotherstrucks.com
They show them in the catalog at $34.99 part # HND7389
 
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