WARNING
Rear doors require 2 people to support and lift the door. Tailgates, while lighter,
should still have 2 people to control the tailgate and prevent damage. Use old
blankets, cloths or other padding to protect the painted and glass surfaces.
- Remove the spare tire lock and spare tire.
- Remove the spare tire carrier.
- Remove the rear opening trim.
- If equipped with rear seat belts, remove the rear retractor cover.
- On 4 door vehicles, remove the speaker.
- Remove the quarter panel trim.
- Remove either the rear pillar lower trim (2 door vehicles) or the rear pillar
trim (4 door vehicles).
- Remove the cotter pin and clevis pin from the door check rod. Discard the
cotter pin.
- Disconnect the rear washer fluid tube if the vehicle is equipped with a
rear wiper.
- Disconnect the rear door wiring harnesses.
- Outline the hinge position on the door with a felt-tip marker. Have at least
one other person support the door. Remove the bolts holding the hinge to the
door. Remove the door.
- Reinstall the door, observing the marks made earlier, and attach the hinge
bolts. Tighten the bolts to 36 ft. lbs. (49 Nm).
- If all went well, the door alignment should be very close to the original.
Check the seams all around for equal spacing. If adjustment is necessary,
loosen the hinge-to-body bolts and reposition the door. Tighten the bolts
and recheck.
- Further adjustments may be made at the latch and/or striker. The angle of
the door (in at the top/out at the bottom or similar dimension) must be adjusted
by loosening the hinge-to-door bolts and moving the door accordingly. This
should only be done as a last resort; changes in this dimension may cause
changes in seam width or body alignment.
- Connect the door check clevis pin and install a new cotter pin.
- Connect the electrical leads; connect the washer hose tube, if one was removed.
- Install the pillar trim and install the quarter panel trim pieces.
- Install the speaker and the seat belt retractor covers, if they were removed.
- Fit the rear opening trim without distorting it.
- Install the spare tire holder 17 ft. lbs. (23 Nm) and install the spare
tire with its lock.
- Using a grease gun with a fine tip, lubricate the rear door hinges by introducing
multi-purpose grease into the small hole in each hinge. Move the door back
and forth several times to circulate the grease.
- Remove the special bolts holding the safety wire on each side of the tailgate.
- Have a helper support the gate; remove the 4 bolts holding the hinge to
the truck bed.
- Remove the tailgate.
- After reinstalling the tailgate and securing the bolts, check the tailgate
for correct alignment in the "normally open'' and fully closed positions.
Adjust the tailgate by loosening the hinge bolts if necessary. Retighten the
bolts.
- Install the special bolts with the safety wires. Make certain the spacers
and washers are correctly installed. Tighten the bolts.
