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Rubber Tailgate Things...

P

Poetrybo

GUEST
I don't know if this has been spoken about before or not... but on both sides of my tailgate I have these lil rubber triangle thingies that slip onto some metal tab. Does anybody know what these things are for? When slamming the tailgate, they make no contact with the truck itself. So far, the only reason for their existence is to protect my clothing from the metal tabs? What annoys me is that they are prone to being dislodged and I have to scramble to look for them or nonchalantly go down to my local Avalanche dealership and nab them off the trucks on the lot >:D
 
Lost one. The dealer replaced it. Lost it again. Haven't been back to the dealer. I can't see a need for these either, unless they compress only if you really slam the tailgate hard.
 
If you were to sit with your leg over the edge or have a small child slide off the tailgate it keeps you from ripping the crap out your legs. :B:
 
exactly! I see no use for them whatsoever other than to save your clothing or your skin from the metal tabs that stick out! I've been thinking about shaving/filling/cutting the metal tabs off but haven't in case they were for something that I didn't know about. ???
 
I've lost one in the past. Noticed when I ripped up my jeans. :)

Mine do make contact with the bed of the truck. There's a little hump with a worn spot on it.
 
Very 1st day, probably 3-4 hours, of ownership I found one on the ground. What kind of adhesive would you recommend for these?
 
Noticed today that one of the rubber triangular "snubbers" that sit on either side of the tailgate was missing. Went to dealer parts...guess what...I was told that I can't get just the rubber snubber. GM only supplies the entire NEW metal latch assembly! The rubber snubber must cost all of 10 cents. God knows what they get for the entire latch assembly. The good news is that the dealership said they would replace it under warrantee. The typical news is that it was"...not in stock..." and would have to be ordered. Go figure... Oh yeah, I also tried to purchase the transmission temp gauge to fill up the dash panel display. Don't ask...

Steve in Maine
 
Steve:

You can't order the gauge by itself. The cluster is one solid piece of electronics. What most people do is replace the entire instrument cluster with a GMC Yukon Denali or Cadillac Escalade cluster. Both install, both come with 120 MPH speedometer, and both come with the tranny temp gauge. No calibration needed - it just knows.

The replacement job is TOTAL do it yourself. Takes all of 15 to 30 minutes. You will have to swap out your hours meter and odometer into the new cluster. Some dealers are helpful - some are terds. Open up the Yellow Pages and check out "Speedometer" to find a shop that can do the swap for you.

If the dealer told you you can't buy the gauge by itself - they are speaking the gospel truth.

The Denali cluster is gray face, white letters and white needles and runs about $195 through our sponsors. The Escalade cluster is dark, navy blue face, white sport letters with a 20 MPH scale and argent trim - runs about $220 to $230 through our sponsors.

These clusters are in HUGE demand and so expect a back order wait of two to four weeks (I had to wait three - mine shipped yesterday).

Hope this helps!
 
I found a little triangle of rubber in the driveway a couple weeks ago and realized I had seen it before, but I didn't know what it came from. I held on to it. A little while later I took my tailgate down and discovered the missing rubber snubber (Has a nice poetic ring to it, doesn't it?).

I am glad my kids didn't find it in the driveway before I did. I know it would have been history . . .

Bottom line: These things aren't attached too tightly. Keep an eye on yours.
 
I'm missing a rubber snubber too - have been since day one! So far it's the only reason I'd need to go to the dealer - so I haven't yet. Do I really care - is this just a rattle preventer?

Nope, they aren't on to well!
 
I had lost one of these a while back and the dealer tossed me a new one on the spot. I wonder if GM would be willing to donate 50 of them to the club. Lose a rubber? Call the Chief!
 
Hint: Remove the "snubber" and goop on some black RTV to the pointy metal bracket. Mine haven't come off since.
 
I found this discussion amusing. I have thought about those stupid little things many times............like every time my son crawls in the bed he knocks one off.

Been meaning to glue, or RTV one on..........guess I need to do it if they are this hard to get ahold of.
 
When I first heard of some of us losing these I checked mine. Still had both. ;D

Some time later one came up missing. After no luck finding it in the driveway, I realized the only place it could have been lost was at a car show when my brother sat on the opened tailgate.

Went to where I had been parked (exactly two weeks after the show) and found it laying there in the parking lot.

Little things like that can make your day. :)

I was going to get a couple spares the next time I was at the dealership, but if replacements are not available I will from now on every time check both sides before closing the tailgate.
 
When the tailgate lataches are adjusted properly, those rubber "thingies" should make solid contact when the gate is fully closed and latched. They are "anti rattle insulators. Without them you should be able to move the tailgate back and forth slightly. Try it with the last cover panel removed. You should see what I mean. Chevy has them on the Silverado also for the reason stated above. (of course the Silverado does not have the Av tonneau covers which provide a similar effect when installed.
 
Yep. Add us to the list.

We lost our first one during the first month of ownership. We went to the dealer to get it replaced. Guess what...... there is no part number for them! You have to order the whole latch it is attached to.

The dealer snagged one off of the lot for us and we were on our way. They were covered under warranty.

We lost another one a couple months ago. I am considering shaving the little tab, that holds the rubber, right off the latch. I love using that dremel.

At a couple GTGs, I have noticed that some people even have them installed in reverse so that the point on is pointing towards the ground when the tailgate is open. ??? ???
 
I lost one last summer.

The last place I had been with the tailgate down was at a car show. Some of my sister's kids had been sitting on the tailgate.

Two weeks later I went back to the spot where I had been parked and found the "rubber tailgate thingy" laying there in the parking lot. (y)

I am now a bit obsessive about making sure they are still attached.
 
I lost one and the dealership didn't have any in stock. But the service manager took me out into the parking lot and we stole one off of my salesman's AV (personal vehicle). >:D He told me to be quiet and that he'd replace it when he got some more in stock. The one that we replaced it with was a lighter gray color and fit much tighter. Perhaps they changed design on them?

Here's a picture that I did to document trimming off the protec tab that sticks out back there which also is a pants ripper. You can see the bumper in it though too. It's the light gray bump at the right end of the latch that the cable attaches to. This is the "newer" bumper that I mentioned too.

Tailgate_1.jpg

 
Thanks TXAVy.... Though at first I was very confused by that picture. That is, of course, until I read your whole message.
 
Lost them, :mad: replaced them, :) lost them again, :mad:snagged them off an Escalade EXT and glued them back on? >:D
 
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