When building a clean truck with all of the distracting features shaved off, you might look into changing some of the smallest of details. One thing that often gets overlooked is the tailgate handle, which is normally flipped to the inner bedside of the tailgate when the outer sheetmetal is shaved. Most commonly used is a handle-relocating piece that flips the big bulky factory handle to the opposite side of the gate. A flip kit may work well on most trucks, but what do you do for project trucks that require something cleaner? An answer to this dilemma is to create a discrete and clever button that unlocks both of the passenger- and driver-side latches on the tailgate.
While going above and beyond on customer's rides, the folks at Chaotic Rods & Customs discovered a simple way to make a button-style tailgate release. It can be done with a few tools, with air grinders and a welding machine at the top of the list. If you are able to do it all yourself, it might cost you as little as $50 in materials. If you do not have the skills to execute the mod, Chaotic can take care of it all and get the tailgate in paint-ready shape for $400.
Read on to see how the shop shaved the tailgate on this month's Busted Knuckles '08 Toyota Tundra.
1.With the tailgate off the...
1.With the tailgate off the Tundra, a tape measure was used to find the center, which was then scribed on. This is a guide to place the hole for the button. The Tundra has a removable access panel on the back of the tailgate, which was removed for the next step. If there is not a removable panel like this, you will have to make one or cut the OE sheetmetal accordingly.
2a.Once you have access to...
2a.Once you have access to the inside of the tailgate, the latch rods can be removed along with the factory handle (2a & 2b).
2b.
3.Here are the real guts of...
3.Here are the real guts of the button system: a 1/2-inch nut with 2-inch-long bolt secured to a piece of 1x1-inch rectangular tube steel supplied from Mustang Metals. Before the nut is welded on with the Miller 210 welding machine, it was placed 1 1/2 inch off-center. Note that the voltage was set to three while the wire speed was at thirty.
4.After the nut and bolt is...
4.After the nut and bolt is secured to the tubing, the assembly is flipped over and welded onto the structure of the tailgate.
5.On this Tundra, the factory...
5.On this Tundra, the factory pivot plate that attaches the latch rods was found useable. It was then welded to the bottom of the bolt and the straightened rods were attached to it. If you are unable to use the factory pivot plate, you can make one out of 18-gauge flat steel and drill holes in it for the factory plastic rod clips to fit in place. Then you will be able to attach your custom plate.
6.A lever was then made out...
6.A lever was then made out of 1/4-inch plate, which goes between the top of the bolt and the button's backing plate. It was cut 1/4 inch short of the surface and welded onto the bolt.
7.A small piece of 1/4-inch...
7.A small piece of 1/4-inch plate was attached perpendicular to the lever. This is the backing plate of the button.
8.On the access panel cover,...
8.On the access panel cover, the hole was drilled for the button and shaped with an air grinder.
9.With the cover on, a washer...
9.With the cover on, a washer was welded to the backing plate. The weld was made big enough to seal up the hole in the washer and then it was made flat with a die grinder. As you can see, the washer now acts as our button and when pressed, it will activate the whole assembly to unlatch the tailgate.
1.Since this is a brand-new...
1.Since this is a brand-new truck, a custom filler piece had to be made to shave the factory hole for the handle. To help make this piece, masking tape was spread over the hole and cut accordingly. The shape created with tape acted as a template for the filler 18-gauge sheetmetal.
2a.The edges on the hole need...
2a.The edges on the hole need to be stripped of the factory paint and sealer before attempting to weld the sheetmetal together. Here, an air grinder is used to expose bare metal on the edges.
2b.Then, the filler piece...
2b.Then, the filler piece can be welded on with the voltage set at two and the wire speed at eighteen. Afterward, the surface can be body-worked for paint.
The Final Word
Though this article describes how to do this on a new Tundra, the general procedure can be used to shave the handle and make a button-release on any tailgate. Bear in mind that with different applications the placement of the nut-and-bolt assembly may be different, so it is suggested to mock everything up before finishing it off. If you have the tools and skills for the modifications, you can get away fairly cheap. However, if you can't do it on your own, Chaotic Rods & Customs is able to do it and get your truck in good shape for paint.