Tweet
Just so others don't waste their money on new switches... This is specific to 1988 GW's. I know 76's are different as far as wiring, but repairing the switches should be the same principle.
One day I put the tailgate window down and it wouldn't go back up, either from the tailgate or the dash mounted switch. Of course it started raining just about then. I stuck a coat hanger down inside, fished out the connector, disconnected it and used a battery jumper directly to the motor to roll it back up. (This will not work for all GW's! I know my 76 is wired completely different, applying power to that one will short something out).
I could roll the window down with the tailgate switch, so the wiring had to still be good. A break in the wiring would have prevented movement in either direction. (The same two wires provide pos and neg to the motor, regardless of the direction the motor turns). So I was pretty sure it was the tailgate switch.
Start by removing the keyed switch from the outside of the tailgate. There are two #25 (I think) torx head screws that hold the face plate on, and three standard phillips under that. Just pull the cylinder straight. You will notice the square tailpiece fits into the square hole in the switch. Turing your key simply turns the tailpiece which then turns the switch.
Next, roll the window down, open the tailgate and remove the tailgate access panel. Roll the window out far enough to get to the two studs on either end of the glass. My glass was held on by two "push washers" on a stud that went through holes on either end of the metal slide the glass is mounted to. Just pry them off (or... stand there for awhile trying to figure out what size wrench fits those nuts, like I did before I figured out they weren't nuts).
Use the battery jumper to move the gears (by turning the motor) to a place there you can get to all 5 screws that hold that assemble to the tailgate. DO NOT remove the motor from that assembly - the gears are spring loaded and you could very easily lose a finger. There are threaded spacers under the gear assembly. There is no need to remove the spacers, just unscrew the screws until they are all free and move the whole assembly down to clear the tailgate switch.
There are two small bolts that hold the tailgate switch. Remove the bolts and pull the switch out to the left. You will see a metal bracket that holds a plastic switch. There is a white connector attached to the plastic switch. There is a spring clip holding the white connector at both ends. Gently pry the clip away from the connector and pull the connector lose. At this point you can take that tailgate wsitch to a clean workbench with good lighting.
You will see a black plastic switch held in that metal bracket. There are six "posts" on the bottom of the switch. On top of the switch is a white "toggle" Use a black marker to mark the direction this switch goes into the bracket. I put a mark ion the switch and a mark on the bracket.
I used a needle nose pliar to move the arms of the metal bracket back just far enough to pull the black plastic switch out of the bracket.
The switch is actually two pieces held together by a clip on either end. Remove these clips and separate the two halves. Now you will see the white toggle has two spring loaded pins in it. On the switchplate there are six pins and two brass "rocker" connectors. Pushing the toggle forces the pins to move the "rocker" to one side or the other, connecting with the pins there.
The tops of all my pins were very dirty, as well as the bottoms of the brass rocker connectors. I also found that two of the pins had actually come free from the board and would move back and forth.
I glued the pins in place and cleaned the pins and brass rockers with very fine sand paper. This does not take much - just enough to allow a good connection!
Lightly lubricate the pins where they move on the rockers.
Then reassemble everything in reverse order, and wa-la! Just like new.
The cheapest I could find these switches was $75.00 at BJ's (I think). Another place had them for $150.00.
Hope this helps those of you saving up for a new tailgate switch.
Steve
One day I put the tailgate window down and it wouldn't go back up, either from the tailgate or the dash mounted switch. Of course it started raining just about then. I stuck a coat hanger down inside, fished out the connector, disconnected it and used a battery jumper directly to the motor to roll it back up. (This will not work for all GW's! I know my 76 is wired completely different, applying power to that one will short something out).
I could roll the window down with the tailgate switch, so the wiring had to still be good. A break in the wiring would have prevented movement in either direction. (The same two wires provide pos and neg to the motor, regardless of the direction the motor turns). So I was pretty sure it was the tailgate switch.
Start by removing the keyed switch from the outside of the tailgate. There are two #25 (I think) torx head screws that hold the face plate on, and three standard phillips under that. Just pull the cylinder straight. You will notice the square tailpiece fits into the square hole in the switch. Turing your key simply turns the tailpiece which then turns the switch.
Next, roll the window down, open the tailgate and remove the tailgate access panel. Roll the window out far enough to get to the two studs on either end of the glass. My glass was held on by two "push washers" on a stud that went through holes on either end of the metal slide the glass is mounted to. Just pry them off (or... stand there for awhile trying to figure out what size wrench fits those nuts, like I did before I figured out they weren't nuts).
Use the battery jumper to move the gears (by turning the motor) to a place there you can get to all 5 screws that hold that assemble to the tailgate. DO NOT remove the motor from that assembly - the gears are spring loaded and you could very easily lose a finger. There are threaded spacers under the gear assembly. There is no need to remove the spacers, just unscrew the screws until they are all free and move the whole assembly down to clear the tailgate switch.
There are two small bolts that hold the tailgate switch. Remove the bolts and pull the switch out to the left. You will see a metal bracket that holds a plastic switch. There is a white connector attached to the plastic switch. There is a spring clip holding the white connector at both ends. Gently pry the clip away from the connector and pull the connector lose. At this point you can take that tailgate wsitch to a clean workbench with good lighting.
You will see a black plastic switch held in that metal bracket. There are six "posts" on the bottom of the switch. On top of the switch is a white "toggle" Use a black marker to mark the direction this switch goes into the bracket. I put a mark ion the switch and a mark on the bracket.
I used a needle nose pliar to move the arms of the metal bracket back just far enough to pull the black plastic switch out of the bracket.
The switch is actually two pieces held together by a clip on either end. Remove these clips and separate the two halves. Now you will see the white toggle has two spring loaded pins in it. On the switchplate there are six pins and two brass "rocker" connectors. Pushing the toggle forces the pins to move the "rocker" to one side or the other, connecting with the pins there.
The tops of all my pins were very dirty, as well as the bottoms of the brass rocker connectors. I also found that two of the pins had actually come free from the board and would move back and forth.
I glued the pins in place and cleaned the pins and brass rockers with very fine sand paper. This does not take much - just enough to allow a good connection!
Lightly lubricate the pins where they move on the rockers.
Then reassemble everything in reverse order, and wa-la! Just like new.
The cheapest I could find these switches was $75.00 at BJ's (I think). Another place had them for $150.00.
Hope this helps those of you saving up for a new tailgate switch.
Steve
Comment