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NCC Forum Home Page -> NCC - Projects and Updates -> 'Borrowed' another great idea from JD
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SShink


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'Borrowed' another great idea from JD
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When JD stopped over last weekend, I had to check out his sweet new truck, and when he was showing me a few additions he had made, one of the coolest additions was something I've never seen, but maybe others know about this $30 add on that I think is so cool and makes owning a truck that much better.

John had installed a tail gate gas strut that dampens the opening of it so that you don't have to lower it slowly with arm strength or let it bang down all at once when you only have one hand free to open it.  It's made by DeeZee, and from Amizon it was $30 shipped to the door.

It took about 10 min. to install, not including 2 trips between the garages to get hand tools (I should have read the simple instructions closer... LOL).  It even came with a little bottle of blue locktite.

Here's the before pics:

And after:

This is one of those 'why didn't I think of that...' things, and maybe I've been under a rock and they've been around for years, but man this makes life easier, which I'm all about as I get 'older'.

Thanks John D.!

 



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Stan S.-Twin Cities 'South Metro'

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2001 Mustang GT Convertible 

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Lost in the 60s


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Now those ARE cool !!! I think I'll get some for my truck, along with new struts for the topper door. The originals are marginal in warm weather and in cold....well, I'm tired of the door coming down on my head...angry

One thing I encourage you to do during the summer months is to remove the gate, clean out the scaled rust from the hinge cups and lube them with marine grease. We are seeing a number of them on trucks our age with the cups completely rusted out and collapsing, with one gate falling off what was left of the cup.

Before the addition of the struts, it takes 30 seconds to remove the gate. I'll be doing mine again this summer, as I haven't for a few years now...rolleyes



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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Lost in the 60s wrote:

One thing I encourage you to do during the summer months is to remove the gate, clean out the scaled rust from the hinge cups and lube them with marine grease. We are seeing a number of them on trucks our age with the cups completely rusted out and collapsing, with one gate falling off what was left of the cup.

Before the addition of the struts, it takes 30 seconds to remove the gate. I'll be doing mine again this summer, as I haven't for a few years now...rolleyes

Yeah, I noticed the rust in the cups, so sprayed some lube in there, but it was getting cold, so removing the tail gate will have to wait until this Spring.



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Stan S.-Twin Cities 'South Metro'

1972 Malibu Convertible 2nd time around 

2001 Mustang GT Convertible 

Forum influenced terms: 'Link Paste', 'Stanitized', & 'Revolving garage door...' 

 
Lost in the 60s


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I saw where you had sprayed some lube on the pivot point. Always a good preventive measure.
I wait until the seasons "salt bath" is over. The cups on the bedsides rust from the INSIDE out. The salt gets in and just keeps eating away. I smear a generous amount of the grease inside with my finger.

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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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I thought you where going to install a man step. That is cool, need to look into it.

Have you seen the new Ford F150 remote control tailgate?

www.youtube.com/watch



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Kevin

Northwestern Ohio
Derek69SS


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2014+ Chevy and GMC have the "EZ lift and lower" tailgate

www.youtube.com/watch

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
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How much lazier can Americans get ?? Power doors on mini vans, lift gates on SUV's and now power tail gates on trucks ??

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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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You only need 1 strut unit for the tailgate. It really is one of those smack your head "why didn't I think of that" things. (Adding a strut will add about 5 seconds to the tailgate removal - they're on with the standard ball & socket snap)



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John D. - St. Louis Park, MN.

1965 El Camino - LT-1, 4L60e, 4wh discs, SC&C susp.
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Lost in the 60s


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John D wrote:

You only need 1 strut unit for the tailgate. It really is one of those smack you head "why didn't I think of that" things. (Adding a strut will add about 5 seconds to the tailgate removal - they're on with the standard ball & socket snap)

 OK, I didn't catch that the "after" pics were of the same side...clonk



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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

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I'm thinking of "Imagineering" a unit for Blackie. The tailgate is wayyy topheavy, and when it gets "over-center" it's a bear to lower with one hand.
I'll have to come up with something for the upper mount. Elky's don't use the latch-pin arrangement on the body like pickups, and I'm unsure of the clearance in the jamb.

Here's a link to the DeeZee webpage for the assist struts - http://www.deezee.com/products/32813/Truck_Bed_Accessories/Tailgate_Assist/Truck_Tailgate_Assist.html

(As mentioned, you can surf around on Amazon and get it for a few bucks less than retail, and sometimes with free shipping.)



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John D. - St. Louis Park, MN.

1965 El Camino - LT-1, 4L60e, 4wh discs, SC&C susp.
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I'm sold, I just ordered one from Amazon $29 free shipping. I also ordered a step that installs in the hitch.

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Kevin

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John D wrote:

I'm thinking of "Imagineering" a unit for Blackie. The tailgate is wayyy topheavy, and when it gets "over-center" it's a bear to lower with one hand.
I'll have to come up with something for the upper mount. Elky's don't use the latch-pin arrangement on the body like pickups, and I'm unsure of the clearance in the jamb.

 If there's not enough room in the jamb for a strut, you could do a cable running on a pulley near the top, and connect it to a strut hidden inside the quarter panel... only 4 screws to remove the access panels to get inside.



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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
SShink


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I took a short video to show the dampening action when the tail gate is opened.  That's what sold me on it when I saw John's.



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Stan S.-Twin Cities 'South Metro'

1972 Malibu Convertible 2nd time around 

2001 Mustang GT Convertible 

Forum influenced terms: 'Link Paste', 'Stanitized', & 'Revolving garage door...' 

 
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