J10 Tailgate Adjustment?

[railamer]

I have noticed that the center 4 inches of the tailgate on my J10 is rubbing against the bed floor in the center of the tailgate when opened. This is causing the paint to rub off in this area. Every thing seems to clear just fine on either side of the center area. I am assuming that I can adjust this by loosening the screws where the tailgate hinges attach to the bed sides, lifting them up a bit, and retightening in the new position, but is there a better way? Also, does anyone know the size of the Torx screws that they used to secure the hinges in 1987? Whatever size it is, it's one that I do not yet have, and am trying to avoid buying a major assortment of Torx sockets just to figure it out. Thanks in advance for any assistance or ideas.

Al

[Nutz-n-Bolts]

Hey Al, Welcome to the group. I'm not sure there is much adjustment, if any there. You might be able to eek it up 1/16 but that would be it. There are some square nuts captured in little boxes on the other side of the tin but they don't move much. Another word of advise is PB Blaster. Spray the area liberally every couple days for a week or so, then try. I've been redoing my bed and out of 4 screws I was only able to twist one out. The other three got drilled. Not sure on the torx size I can check when I get home. Good Luck!

[carnuck]

Is the bushing still on the pivots?

[twisted frame]

Is the bushing still on the pivots?

I agree or I'm thinking the same thing. I don't think there's any adjustment where the pivots mount to the bed sides with those torx screws. My truck never had a tailgate. I found one, and even had to locate pivots since mine were removed when someone installed a big slide-in camper unit. I don't think my tailgate even has the bushings because my gate rubbed right in the middle, just like what's stated above. Can the bushings be made out of brass or something like that? Thin plastic sheet, maybe? I would love to see a pic of these.

[carnuck]

I used a plastic juice bottle that was about the right size and cut a slot in it and made it the right height.

[railamer]

I used a plastic juice bottle that was about the right size and cut a slot in it and made it the right height.

Carnuck

Getting dark here now, will have to check on the bushings tomorrow. Any chance you could post a photo of what you did to your bushings? Sounds like you are on to something here........

Thanks

Al

[carnuck]

I don't have the J4000 anymore. Lost the pics when the computer dumped.

[twisted frame]

This isn't my thread to revive but I think my issue may be shared by anyone whose J truck tailgate is a bit bent and binding in the middle of the bed opening. So I found this 1978 tailgate from a J10. I'm trying to fit it to my 73 J4000. The tailgate I found isn't perfectly straight but even so, I noticed that the driver-side hinge/pivot seems to be at the same height or even lower than the the middle of the back of the pickup bed. My tailgate doesn't just rub, it just plain doesn't fit because when you insert the driver's lower corner of the gate onto the full, round hinge, the gate doesn't even com close to laying down across that edge of the bed which sticks out and I can't get the gate's lower passenger corner down onto the hinge with the 2 flats at all.

I'm aware of the latch differences between Gladiator and 70s/80s J truck tailgates but I thought the hinges/pivot points were the same for all years for the pickups. I had to locate and install the hinges/pivots because the originals were removed from my truck's bed years ago. Is it even possible that my hinges/pivot points are longer than what a 73 would have, making the tailgate sit/mount lower? I don't think this is the case but I also don't understand why I can't get my gate to fit over that "bump-out" at the end of the bed. I can live with my lousy, bent tailgate rubbing in the middle but I can't figure out why I'm not able to install it so it just barely fits over that lip/bump-out area in the middle of the rear end of the bed.

(Having trouble getting pics off my phone but if I get them, I'll post a few to help illustrate my problem. Thanks!)