tailgate cables on late model Pickups

gmason · Mar 12, 2004

Charlie, yes I had noticed the cables, but of course, they were covered with black plastic. Maybe the truck makers don't want to use CLEAR plastic because you'd be able to see how these cables are rusting away.

Oh yes, BTW, my truck is a GMC 2500hd... Professionally Made!!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

gary

AndyM · Mar 12, 2004

( Isn't there a thing in the manual saying you're not supposed to put much weight on the tailgate? )

The owner's manual of my '95 F150 says the limit is 500lbs.


Maybe they need to put a warning label right on the tailgate, just like on the coffee cups. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

KubotaSteve · Mar 12, 2004

My brother had an older Dodge Dakota and his spare tire cable broke. He didn't even notice it (wasn't going very fast). When he pulled in at the Sheetz store a lady told him he lost his tire. He went back to get it and someone had all ready stopped and picked it up!!!!!

AndyM · Mar 12, 2004

I used to have an old Ford Courier pickup truck from the mid-70's, and the tailgate cables were actually chains mounted on the outside of the truck bed. They didn't look as nice, but they sure worked. The cable that held the spare tire under the truck was also a chain. Didn't ever have that one break either.

BXMMCC · Mar 12, 2004

My old Toyota - chains. My current Toyota - '96 - metal straps. I don't know what they put on the new ones. Kevlar wouldn't work - the flexing would do it in.

theonlybull · Mar 16, 2004

my 79 f-100 has the metal folding supports, and i've never broken one, and she's seen lots of loads over 500 lbs...

CTyler · Mar 16, 2004

Had to replace them on my 99 Silverado last summer. About the time I noticed they were crusty one of them broke. Maybe they would be fine if galvanized(?) or something.

BigAl · Mar 19, 2004

GM just posted a recall on certain truck year tail gate cables . Call you local dealer to have them replaced free of charge .
Big Al

markie61 · Mar 19, 2004

Yeah. Pretty amazing. 3.66 million GMC and Chevrolet pickups. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif That's a lot of cables to replace.

Mark

F_22 · Mar 29, 2004

( The other stupid thing is the cable winch that Chevy used for the spare tire on my pickup (1989). I had the cable break and the tire come flying loose driving down the road. )

The exact same thing happened to me with my '97 Expedition. Threw the back end sideways about 30 degrees before I could counter-steer.

I called the local Ford dealer fully expecting to have to special order a new cable. After all, this is a safety item and this failure must have been a rare fluke, right? Guess what? They had several in stock! What does that tell you about the failure rate? Very poor engineering and/or stupid cost-cutting.