My J-4500

[Crankyolman]

About the chains , you could also go for galvanized chain.
Or if you want to keep the original chains , putting a piece of bicycle inner tube over it for protection the tailgate and bedside ends.

I will probably come up with some type of chain cover but I am really thinking I would prefer stainless steel.

I also have a question about the measurements of the tailgate!

Could you tell what the length and height is of the tailgate you have on the truck?

I'm asking because the one in my 73 j4000 with the handle in the middle measures 151 centimetres from left to right and 52 centimetres high.
And the one with the locking tab on the gate i found for sale online measures 145 X 54 , and it would be helpful to know if this tailgate would fit a 70 j4000 with the round taillights!?
Thanks

I can get exact measurements tomorrow if you like but from memory when I converted the post '72 tailgate to a pre '73 I had to cut off right about 2 inches which is right around 6 centimeters. I don't recall any difference in height.

[Crankyolman]

Today on my way to work my low beams stopped working. For the past few days high beams had been acting up and requiring me to press the switch several times before they would work.



When I got to work I looked at the switch and found this



and when I tried to disconnect it the switch fell apart





So I clipped the wires and wired it so it only has low beams and ordered a new switch and pigtail.


In spite of that little issue today was quite productive.


I got the right chain back on



I'm quite happy with that.


and I took the tire into the shop that does that and asked if I could use their tire machine to change it. Their response was to ask me if I had ever used their machine and a lot of words of caution. I looked at the machine and since it was like one I used 30+ years ago I figured I could handle it.



It isn't the easiest machine to use but it worked and this afternoon I finally got to do something I've been wanting to do since I bought the truck...


Install the right front hubcap



Maybe tomorrow I will start tackling the other tailgate chain or maybe start working on reinstalling the door cards. The door cards being off drives my wife crazy. I hope some day to actually get her to ride in it and reinstalling the door cards is a step in that direction

[MysticRob]

Great pic, looks like that old thing has seen some years and miles.

[Heep-J4000]

I will probably come up with some type of chain cover but I am really thinking I would prefer stainless steel.







I can get exact measurements tomorrow if you like but from memory when I converted the post '72 tailgate to a pre '73 I had to cut off right about 2 inches which is right around 6 centimeters. I don't recall any difference in height.

If you can measure the height for me that would be very helpful!
Thanks much

And also thanks for the pictures of the work you do on the truck!

[Crankyolman]

If you can measure the height for me that would be very helpful!
Thanks much

And also thanks for the pictures of the work you do on the truck!

OK I measured both my tailgates today and they are both 21.6 inches tall x 57.6 inches wide. According to the interweb that translates to 54.86cm X 146.3cm.


It seems odd that you might be getting different numbers given that one of mine is a cut down '73 and the other is a '68 and both measure exactly the same but maybe there were some variations at the factory. I think there is a little bit of play in the nutplates for the hinges but not all that much. Personally if someone had one that looked right and was close I'd buy it but that's just me and I wouldn't be above slotting the hinge bolt holes or even adding metal if it were needed..

[Heep-J4000]

Thanks much , this does help me a lot!

I know one for sale and when I looked at the pictures from the seller it looked like a early tailgate with the locking tabs.
And that is what I'm looking for (future project)

I asked him about the measurements , but they were different than my 73 j4000 tailgate.
So that was the reason I posted a thread with the question about the tailgate differences and if someone does know if there was a difference.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=189514

But you did post about your chains and that made me asking you about the measurements.

So I guess that the truck beds with round taillights have a narrow tailgate.
And that is what I needed to know!

[Crankyolman]

Thanks much , this does help me a lot!

I know one for sale and when I looked at the pictures from the seller it looked like a early tailgate with the locking tabs.
And that is what I'm looking for (future project)

I asked him about the measurements , but they were different than my 73 j4000 tailgate.
So that was the reason I posted a thread with the question about the tailgate differences and if someone does know if there was a difference.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=189514

But you did post about your chains and that made me asking you about the measurements.

So I guess that the truck beds with round taillights have a narrow tailgate.
And that is what I needed to know!

I haven't been around much so hadn't seen your post or I would have answered it there. If you look back through my posts back on 4-18-19 (page 7 of this thread} you can see how much I had to cut off to convert a, AMC era tailgate to a Kaiser era.


I think I will go ahead and post the answer in your thread so if people search they will find it there.

[Heep-J4000]

I haven't been around much so hadn't seen your post or I would have answered it there. If you look back through my posts back on 4-18-19 (page 7 of this thread} you can see how much I had to cut off to convert a, AMC era tailgate to a Kaiser era.


I think I will go ahead and post the answer in your thread so if people search they will find it there.

Yes I did see that , but wasn't completely sure that you narrowed the tailgate.

And yes if you still reply on the thread I posted then it could help others in the future.

I shall not side track your thread with lots of questions for now!

Thanks

[Crankyolman]

I shall not side track your thread with lots of questions for now!

Thanks

I don't mind answering any questions you may have and really this thread tends to be the most likely place for me to see something.

[Crankyolman]

Haven't really been doing anything worth posting about lately but today something happened that I just need to talk about.


Today on my way home from work I noticed my passenger side mirror is now broken



I'm certain it wasn't broken yesterday and fairly certain it wasn't broken when I backed into my parking spot at work today but somehow it's broken now. I'm pretty upset because I got them back in April of 2018 and had to drive to Olympia to get them but they were in really nice shape. Now I need to see if I still have the old ones that don't look very good or try to find a matching one or see if I can figure out how to just replace the glass.

[rang-a-stang]

Take it to a glass shop! They may be able to fix it!

[DarkMonohue]

Those look like the standard tripod mirror heads that were used on everything for thirty years. New heads are probably on the peg at any local auto parts store.

[Heep-J4000]

I hope there is no other damage on your truck!

Like rang-a-stang mentioned ,a good glass shop could make a new one for you if you make a template from the original glass.

[Crankyolman]

Those look like the standard tripod mirror heads that were used on everything for thirty years. New heads are probably on the peg at any local auto parts store.

They are but the problem is they haven't been used on anything for more than 20 years and I will look but I doubt any parts stores around me have any, maybe if I can find an old place but all those seem to have been replaced by new ones.

Take it to a glass shop! They may be able to fix it!

I hope there is no other damage on your truck!


Like rang-a-stang mentioned ,a good glass shop could make a new one for you if you make a template from the original glass.

I don't see any other damage, not even to the back of the head, so the truck is OK just a busted mirror.


I'm thinking I might see if I can fix it myself. I used to make stained glass windows so I have a good glass cutter and glass grinder and possibly even a suitable piece of mirror or two around. I don't think it would be too difficult to fix. I'll have to see if I can find my glass stuff.

[Heep-J4000]

Don't know what the dimensions are ,but there are some not expensive ones on eBay,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-Of-Ford-West-Coast-Mirror-Replacement-Glass/174633270435?_trkparms=aid%3D1110012%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOIPOST%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20171010182220%26meid%3Dc76cd2e92233451ab5a26d37c5303ab7%26pid%3D100892%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D174585603507%26itm%3D174633270435%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DSellersOtherItemsV2%26brand%3DFord&_trksid=p2332490.c100892.m5207