[GPT27]

I am hopefully soon to acquire a replacement tailgate for my current (badly repaired by me) dented one.

My question is how difficult will it be to swap the tailgate and all associated electrics. If possible I want to keep the central locking working and also keep the actual lock the same so the main key will still open it.

Is it gonna be a case of block connectors and bolts or is it gonna be a nightmare?

Anyone done this before or got any info?

Cheers,

GT.

 

[RM '92 SPG]

Well, you'll have to cut and re-solder the wires on the top edge of the door between the 2 hinges. If they are soldered correctly and insulated, there's no reason why all the tail light and locking functions wouldn't work just as before. That hatch door is super heavy and awkward, make sure you have at least 2 people holding while you unbolt/re-attach. It'll be straight-foward enough, just bolts and soldering.

Good luck,

-Rob

 

[cdaly]

If you haven't yet got the new tailgate and will be unmounting it yourself, you'll be able to disconnect it properly. If the scrappy has just cut the cables, you'll have to rewire it properly.

Anyhow, cables run inside both sides of the window frame in the tailgate itself. These feed: the rear screen, the tail / fog lamps, the number plate lamps and the lock motor.

There are connectors in the boot, near the air outlets in the quarter panels. It's not clear from the Bentley manual where the connector for the rear foglamp is but it's likely that they're all accessible. It will be necessary to let down the back of the headliner and to remove the velour trim around the rear quarterlights and above the rear speakers to route the cables. You may also have to dismantle the connectors to get through the body openings and reassemble them after refitting.

As for keeping the existing lock, the only bit you need to retain is the barrel itself. In practice, that means dismounting the tailgate handle for access. Then you disconnect the retaining clip and pull out the barrel along with the (white?) plastic tag on the end. Everything else is the same.

Once you have the old tailgate off, you might as well strip it for the parts, there's plenty on there. If the rear screen demister is in good condition, it might be worth taking out and storing the actual window glass.

You'll need one or two assistants to hold the tailgate while you line up and bolt up the hinges...

Enjoy...

 

[ShadowWorks]

My tailgate has rust badly around the lock, alot of deep red rust, its beyond salvage am afriad.

So i have a replacement grey tailgate coming.

I am not worried about the wires, as i have to drop my head linning anyway to rewire some lights.

The strust look troublesome?

How do i remove them? from the car body or the tailgate?

will they fully open and give me a pain in the neck when i try to compress them?

Is there any problems with alingment?

My lock has been busted since i got my car, lucky this new tailgate has a fully working one on it, i just have to swap the barrel over, anything fiddly i should know about that?

The job I am not looking forward to is swapping the whale tail over!

 

[cdaly]

The gas struts are fully extended when the tailgate is up. You will not be able to compress them by hand at all. Dead easy to remove, just undo the clips at the pivot points and remove, not forgetting to cuss like hell when the tailgate falls on you...

It might be worthwhile taking the lock barrels to a locksmith to be 'keyed' to your existing keys. Shouldn't cost more than about 10 local currency units for that.

As for the whale tail, I think I'll invoke the SEP field on that one...



SEP = Somebody Else's Problem

 

[ShadowWorks]

The gas struts are fully extended when the tailgate is up. You will not be able to compress them by hand at all. Dead easy to remove, just undo the clips at the pivot points and remove, not forgetting to cuss like hell when the tailgate falls on you...

It might be worthwhile taking the lock barrels to a locksmith to be 'keyed' to your existing keys. Shouldn't cost more than about 10 local currency units for that.

As for the whale tail, I think I'll invoke the SEP field on that one...



SEP = Somebody Else's Problem

SEP , lol
I am glad the gas strust are fully extended, i can prop the tailgate up with a wooden pole or a small child i hope!
I did think the barrel will be a bother?

My ignition barrel broke once and i had to replace the whole barrel so it would work with my original key, i didnt fancy having 2 keys, one on the door locks and another for the ignition!

The problem was my Key was 14 years old and didnt work in the brand new £85 barrel, so the Saab garage cut a new key for free, really nice of them, and i drank about 3 cups of tea with 4 spoons of sugar! i didnt think i got the better of them on that deal:lol:

If that darn whel tail gives me trouble i will have to glue its brains out on the new tailgate, i wont let it kill me, no sir!