As the title states, the pivot cup ON THE TAILGATE driver's side Has rusted off. This is the pivot on the tailgate itself, not the pivot cup mounted on the bed. Short of buying a new tailgate, how do you fix it, short of having someone weld on a new pivot cup? This is on a 2002 F150 Screw.

Thanks!

Jim

 

I would think buying a tailgate was easiest solution.

I imagine if you could find a steel pipe that is the right size you could cut a ring and weld it onto the tailgate. The fear there is, are you going to have enough solid metal left to attach the pipe to?

 

Have found some videos on Youtube with some ideas for repair. Dorman # 38146. Gonna take some fabricating, but it might work.

Jim

 

you sure that's the number? I'm not coming up with anything with that number in a google search

I don't need one. but I'm just curious what this piece looks like

 

OOPS! It's 38646.

 

ahh yup found it! thanks

 

OK, I fixed the tailgate hinge and it works great using the Dorman part #38646. I used the top hinge cup, in the picture below, to replace the rusted-off cup on the left (driver's) side of the tailgate. I used a grinder to tidy up the tailgate area that was rusted off, then clamped the replacement hinge cup in place and drilled and tapped a 7/16"-14 hole thru the old cup mount flange and the tailgate body. Since the right side of the tailgate was OK (slotted hinge and cup) I just dropped the gate in place. I did have to do some judicious grinding on the cup depth (1/8"?) to make it shallower, and also had to grind down the hinge pin that fits in the right side hinge slot. This adjustment was necessary because the new hinge cup makes the tailgate width a bit wider. So, a bit of puttering around with it, but it sure beats buying (and painting) a new tailgate. If anyone needs clarification on any of this, just ask.

 

I was going to machine a new hinge cup but these will be easy to weld into place adn grind down. Thanks for the tip.