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split midgate???

izzypop

Full Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
21
Location
Portland, OR
Okay this is my first av. and really like it minus a couple things but I have to ask why is the midgate not split like the seats. When I want to just throw in some wood or PVC I have to take the whole back seat down. With a car seat it is just a PITA when it would be simple to just have one side come down while someone could still sit in the back like a car???:E:
Is there an aftermarket midgate that does this or mod for it??? It's drivin me crazy.  :p
 
You might want to just search on the very topic of "split midgate" :)
 
I love the idea of a split midgate.  Did you ever find any aftermarket info for this?

Its keeping me from pulling the trigger on an 07 AV.

Pete.
 
pkrip said:
I love the idea of a split midgate. Did you ever find any aftermarket info for this?

Its keeping me from pulling the trigger on an 07 AV.

Pete.
there is no aftermarket split midgate and probably will not be one..

those who have it did it themself...

good luck
 
I am a first time Avalanche owner (Black Diamond 2013 LT) and I love this vehicle!
My question is why did GM bother making the rear seats 60/40 when the midgate is one piece?
What purpose does splitting just the seats serve?
I agree (rather late for this) that a split midgate would make great sense, or a solid gate with two pass-through doors, as some have suggested.
Too bad an aftermarket company didn't jump on this.
Anyway... I'm glad to be a member of this forum and would appreciate any info or advice on the split midgate issue or Avalanche ownership in general.
 
I tried this and it turned out to be a disaster, I wanted to put two 10s in the 60 side and still be able to flip the 40 side down to slide gear in. Those that know me will tell you that I am more than handy and my fabrication skills are better than most. I would have done this had it not turned into nothing but a headache. Once you split the gate it wants to lean into the cab on top inner corners, since there are only two hinges, so it is very difficult to get to seal, unless you were to add additional hinges or locking mechanisms, secondly, once you add any sort of effective weather strip to the center of the two sections, it essentially renders one side of the split gate useless, as the strip needs to overlap the other gate to get a good seal, so if you put it on the 40 side, you always have to flip the 40 down first, or flip both gates. Trying to put only the 60 down tears up the seals (I tried 4 different methods and types of weatherstripping).  In addition to these two major issues, there were more than enough minor ones, the spring loaded flap mounted in the bed that comes down and covers the gap between bed and cab needs to be spilt as well, finishing the center edges so they don't look like crap, establishing and maintaining the original rigidity of the gate once it is split, and some others I don't quite remember.  I ended up scrapping the whole idea and just building a new midgate out of two layers of MDF, bolting a box for two 12's to it, adding a combo vinyl/carpet front and carpeting the rear and called it a lost cause, leaving me with a worthless gate and about $60 out of my pocket in additon to the countless hours of misery while working on it., O yeah, not to mention the lack of a properly functioning midgate during the 3 weeks of failed "splitting" and the two weeks without one completely while spending more $$ fabricating a new one.  My advice, get this idea out of your head as quickly as possible and save yourself some misery.
 

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Thanks for your response Calicak89.
I would never attempt to fabricate any kind of split/modified midgate.
It would have to be one designed/produced by GM or a reputable aftermarket company and that's not going to happen at this point.
I'm still curious why GM chose to split the rear seat.


 
Split mid gate may be a safety and/or cost issue.....need the added strength to protect rear passengers from injury if you get into a front end collision or hard stop while carrying a heavy loose load in the bed......a split midgate capable of the same strength as the one piece would require additional hardware and expense and a separate and more complex latching mechanism for each half and make storage of the rear window impossible ............even a a more complex/ safe split gate would still not protect from loose cargo in the bed entering the main cab through the folded portion.....would also make switch over a little more complex.........so the marketing and/or safety people probably nixed it.


Existing split rear seat with a one piece midgate permits carrying 3 or 4 passengers while folding down the other portion of the rear seat to carry grocery bags, coolers, boxes, objects too tall or too wet/dirty to place on a rear seat cushion, etc on the floor space of the main cab instead of the bed......just remember to click the shoulder belt across the seat back with the folded cushion or it may collapse with a short stop.
 
I'm working on a tablet right now, but doa search for "I split my midgate" by me about 6 or 7 years ago, not easy, but turned out pretty well. It is doable. I gave it to another member when my needs changed, not sure what became of it.
 
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