Tailgate soft close fix

[KeinoDoggy]

20% off always here:

https://www.fairwayfordparts.net/oe...damper-assist-kit-no-more-slam-vnz6z99406a10a

Seriously, there is never a reason to order from the ford main site that I can think of. The dealer sites like this literally have everything off 18-20%.

Or do what I did which was to ask my local dealer to match Fairway's price. Which they did.

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[liveshot]

I discovered that to avoid the rubbing you have to be sure that the metal plate that the rod attaches to is exactly straight up and down. Your picture shows that the bottom of the plate is jutting out slightly towards the tailgate. Mine was at first and I experienced the rubbing. Once I reposition the plate correctly my problem was gone.

NEED HELP from my MTC brethren !
Had my Ford dealer(attempt to) install the DeeZee two times. Both times the plate that goes into the tailgate has fallen off. What did they do wrong and how can I correct it to make the tailgate assist work without falling off?
A few pictures attached.
Thanks all !

 

[Darnon]

It looks like they aren't allowing the T-nut to rotate 90 degrees before tightening down fully.

 

[Ringo]

Take the T nut off and clean ALL the blue thread locker (solid) off So the nut can turn freely. Apply new blue thread locker (liquid) Then try again after getting the nut close to the bracket and be sure to pull out on the bolt once it turns into position. The hardened locker is the problem. They shoul have supplied this with a little package of lock tite and not put it on the bolt before hand to let it just harden in place

 

[liveshot]

Take the T nut off and clean ALL the blue thread locker (solid) off So the nut can turn freely. Apply new blue thread locker (liquid) Then try again after getting the nut close to the bracket and be sure to pull out on the bolt once it turns into position. The hardened locker is the problem. They shoul have supplied this with a little package of lock tite and not put it on the bolt before hand to let it just harden in place

Thanks folks. It’s next to impossible to get the nut to turn at all.

 

[Flight Test]

Thanks folks. It’s next to impossible to get the nut to turn at all.

That is why the nut should be tightened before inserting into the tailgate to minimize the gap. Orient the nut to the proper position then tighten.

 

[KeinoDoggy]

Thanks folks. It’s next to impossible to get the nut to turn at all.

Get it loosened a bit first. Then tighten the bolt and nut to the point that the oval nut is lined up to go in the hole AND the space between the mounting plate and nut is only slightly more than the thickness of the tailgate's hole opening material so that you won't have much tightening to do once you turn the nut 90 degrees. Then it is helpful to use a flat head screwdriver wedged between the tailgate panel material and the mounting plate to pry enough pressure to prevent the oval nut from turning as you tighten everything down.

 

[liveshot]

Take the T nut off and clean ALL the blue thread locker (solid) off So the nut can turn freely. Apply new blue thread locker (liquid) Then try again after getting the nut close to the bracket and be sure to pull out on the bolt once it turns into position. The hardened locker is the problem. They shoul have supplied this with a little package of lock tite and not put it on the bolt before hand to let it just harden in place

Thank you all for your suggestions. Mission accomplished. Yes, the blue thread locker was the issue getting the bolt off the plate. Soaking it in the wife's nail polish remover got the bolt off. And the suggestion to use a flat head screwdriver while tightening with the 5mm Allen made it snug.
This forum and you guys specifically are invaluable. Again, my thanks.

 

[Fastbackjon]

Take the T nut off and clean ALL the blue thread locker (solid) off So the nut can turn freely. Apply new blue thread locker (liquid) Then try again after getting the nut close to the bracket and be sure to pull out on the bolt once it turns into position. The hardened locker is the problem. They shoul have supplied this with a little package of lock tite and not put it on the bolt before hand to let it just harden in place

Excellent explanation---That is the exact fix, and sorry to see a Ford Tech didnt know any better. One should get on their phone for install tips while working in the service bay. Anyway, Hope you get it mounted correctly.

 

[Ringo]

This forum is great. Glad you’ve got it on now.

 

[Mymaverick2021]

Good eye. Especially in the first pic, it looks angled way toward the tailgate.

Update, I just discovered that if you look at the cable on the side with the tailgate assist it is slack putting all the weight of the tailgate squarely on the strut, so if you put your weight (in my case 200lbs) will cause the plate to pull out. I readjusted it and tightened the crap out of it and will not be sitting on it, I feel Ford should replace the cables so they support the tailgate instead of the strut

 

[RDRahn]

Get it loosened a bit first. Then tighten the bolt and nut to the point that the oval nut is lined up to go in the hole AND the space between the mounting plate and nut is only slightly more than the thickness of the tailgate's hole opening material so that you won't have much tightening to do once you turn the nut 90 degrees. Then it is helpful to use a flat head screwdriver wedged between the tailgate panel material and the mounting plate to pry enough pressure to prevent the oval nut from turning as you tighten everything down.

I received my DeeZee tailgate assist package and put it on today. Did find that lining up the oval nut and tightening it down to be challenging. So...
1. While not in the vehicle, I completely tightened down and then slightly untightened the oval nut - seemed to be a bit easier to screw together after that.
2) With sharpie marker made a vertical line on the head of the bolt so I would know when the oval nut was turned correctly to that 90 degree when pushed into hole in the tailgate.
3) as mentioned above having something like a screwdriver to hold plate away from the side of the tailgate while I tightened that bolt/oval nut down seemed to do the trick - I used a wood shim that I could slowly take out, tighten more, slide out a bit more, tighten a bit more, etc. until the plate was completely tightened against the side of the tailgate.
Really had to tighten bot bolts very tight - especially the one that holds the cable to the side of the truck. Good idea to make sure that plate is pushed toward the front of the truck as much as you can to keep it out of the way of the cable.

Works great and my wife really appreciates that the tailgate is now easier for her to handle.

 

[Catbizguy]

So, you purchased the aftermarket tailgate softclose device. It works great, until it doesn't. What happens after a few months of opening and closing is that the cable starts to go behind the ball of the actuator when you close the tailgate. Then, when you go to open again it gets stuck and the tailgate does not fully open. The rubber will start to rub off the cable as well. For $1.98 and a few minutes of work, you can fix it yourself. I got a rubber stopper at Lowes just large than the ball of the actuator (that's the $1.98 part of this). I then drilled out the inside and cut a slit in the side. I pushed it over the ball and put a black zip tie on it to ensure it stays in place. That's it, it now works perfectly again and the cable "does not" got behind the rubber cap. I'm sure you geniuses have a 3-D printed "do-dad" that will do the same thing, but I don't so here's my fix...

I did a simple fix, just put a large zip tie around the main part and cut it about
2 in. out.
I just did this but I have not had it go behind since.

 

[Ferdinand]

I did a simple fix, just put a large zip tie around the main part and cut it about
2 in. out.
I just did this but I have not had it go behind since.

I suggest to review position of damper. The damper should be un the upper side, as stated earlier on this threat:

 

[gman1108]

I'm glad i went back to this thread because I was having the same issue and found out also that it was upside down. I too was following fords pictures and they had it upside down, thanks for the info.

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