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Tailgate question...

It was actually mild enough this weekend that I was able to do some work on the M37 while I was running my Southbend lathe... So since I didn't want to chase down my bad ground I started straightening sheet metal... and noticed on the tail gate where the chains attach from the bed sides to the tail gate it looks like they field modified with a hammer and hammered the edge over so the chain wouldn't catch on it or rub it...
So should I hammer it back or clean up the field mod...

I got a few of the dents out this weekend... I made the mistake of bringing a light body hammer to the party... So the 2-1/2 pound mini sledge made and appearance and got some work done... I only have a running board to straighten and the dents in the doors to pull out... Want to make sure everything is close to right before being pulled off to clean up and repair...

How about a pic of that Field Modification, I can't seem to imagine the area?

I'll do that tonight when I get in...

Here's the first one this is what it looks like with the Tailgate up... You can see how they hammered and folded it over towards the center line of the tailgate/vehicle.



The second pic you can see that the hook and chain would rub against that section had they not folded it over... Although with the canvas on there I think it wouldn't rub as much but part of the hook would...



The guy that originally had this truck was the Second owner... 1st being the U.S. Government... and the guy did absolutely nothing to the truck except for really foul up the electrical system...

Looks like your bed sides have been bent outward and someone added that flat stock shim to move the hook plate on the tailgate further out. The short indented section is correct. You could remove the flat stock shim and return the tailgate hook plate to it's correct position tight against the tailgate and then use a com-a-long to pull the bed sides back towards each other until the tailgate fits properly.

Now I've got to go look at mine, even thou the bed is completely apart, I should be able to notice..................

Here's a couple of my unmounted bed parts.

Oddjob:
Looks to me that this might be damage caused by letting the tailgate drop and the round portion of the hook hitting that part of the tailgate.
Hal

IMHO, I THINK THAT SOMEONE HAS TAMPERED WITH THIS BED/TAILGAT FOR SOME REASON. IF YOU ARE USING THE TRUCK AS A WORKHORSE AND DETAOLS DO NOT MATTER, THEN LEAVE IT AS IS GIVEN THAT THE TAILGATE SECURES WHEN CLOSED. IF HOWEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE AS CORRECT AS POSSIBLE, I WOULD FIRST CHECK THE TAILGATE IN TERMS OF HOW SQUARE IT STILL IS AROUND ITS CORNERS AND HOW FLAT THE SHEETMETAL IS. THEN I WOULD CHECK HOW "SQUARE THE OPENING FORMED BY THE BED AND BED SIDES IS. SOMEWHERE THERE YOU MIGHT FIND THE PROBLEM. I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT THE BEDSIDETOPS HAVE BEEN STRETCHED OUTWARDS AT SOME POINT, AND APPARENTLY THE MASTERMIND WHO FIXED IT DID NOT CARE TO IVESTIGATE. PART OF THE "TOOTH ACHES, CHOP OFF HEAD" THERAPY APPROACH. JUST MY TWO CENTS. GOOD LUCK FRIEND

Well I know the beds out of square which is no problem to fix... One reason is some nimrod put an unsecured heavy load in the back and punched the forward section of the bed next to the spare tire...

My desire is to return it back to it's orginal state so...

So is Bruce's set up correct...?

Thanks for the response... I'm excited to be working on the truck again now that our weather has let up for the next 9 months...

Brian
Oddjob

Both of my beds were set up like this, I have a donor bed disassembled/apart as well. I'm using almost half of it. (some of it is up for grabs)
I'll try and take some better shots tomorrow (I'm off) in the daylight.

Here's a straight in photo of a straight tailgate edge.

I can see it now, someone has unfolded the "alignment" bar, I wonder why they didn't simply cut it off?

So... do I simply need to move my hook plate inward...? I can see how it was throwing the alignment of the bed off being where it was...

Take the home made shim out and heat the ear and bend it back towards the center of the tailgate. Then square your bed sides to the tail gate.