Blue_03
Full Member
Everyone with an Avalanche knows the tailgate is WAY TOO HEAVY.? GM has worked to resolve the issue in 2007 with springs on the hinges.? Good for ?07, but what about us with the ?02 ? ?06 trucks? Well glad you asked.? There is a least one company who makes a product to help.? It?s not designed for Avalanches, and I may contact them again to see if they would be willing to make a version for the AV, but I did find a way to make the existing product work for Avalanches / Esclalanches.? (That is my name for EXTs)
Hoppy makes a tailgate torsion bar.? If you search Froogle (now Google Products) for ?tailgate torsion bar? you should find a number of places that have this product for less than $30.? I got mine (with shipping) in 4 days for $24.? We found it removed 70% of the tailgate weight!? 70% !!!
I picked up mine at: http://autoaccessconnect.stores.yahoo.net/taasforpitr.html
First some warnings:
So what do you need to do??
Once you get the product, remove and throw away the instructions and drill template.? Avalanche/EXT details are not listed on the template ? details are below.
1.? We cut about ? of an inch off the torsion bar with the ?A label? or with the yellow paint. - will explain later.? Maybe it was not needed - maybe move the drill point up to 5" from hinge and don't cut anything.? I have only installed two of these.
2.? Drill a 3/8? hole 4.25? above the driver?s side tailgate hinge.? (Take care you don't scuff the side of the truck with your drill chuck depending on drill bit length)? You will drill through the metal and the drill bit will hit another steel wall about ?? inside your nice new hole.? This is a little bit of an issue and the reason we cut the ?? off the torsion bar.?
3.? Measure over 32 ?? from the outside of the hinge cup on the tailgate and make a mark ? you will drill into the bottom of the tailgate in line with the existing rivets of the tailgate.
4. Remove tailgate, transfer measurement and drill or re-measure and drill 3/8? hole in bottom of tailgate.? It?s fiberglass, so don?t brush it away with your hand unless you want to itch for the next 24 hours.
5.? Insert the torsion bar back into the side of the truck and make sure it?s sitting flat against the truck bed wall behind the hinge pin.? You will need to insert the bar, push, pull, pry and try to wiggle the torsion bar into the hole between those two walls.? This WILL result in you bending the metal a little above the hole to get a little more room between the two metal walls.? I was trying to push on that inside wall to get it to bow in more and bend the outside metal less, but I don?t think it would be possible to insert the whole like 2? of the bar in ? cutting off ?? to 1? off the bar appeared to do the trick and we got about 3/4" into the hole.
6.? Re-install tailgate, but this time you will insert side B of the torsion bar into the tailgate hole you just made.? I found a hammer to tap the bar into the hole was required due to the friction from the side of the hole on the torsion bar.? (NOT a one person job)
7.? Don?t forget to latch your tailgate cables back onto the stops.? You should now be done.
Give it a try.? Your face may look like this when you close the tailgate the first or second or third time:? ?
? ?? ??
I forgot to check my tailgate weight before I changed mine, but we checked the second time and found the "weight" required to lift the tailgate using a bathroom scale went from 28 lbs to 8 lbs. Next time you are at the gym - go do a couple curls with a 30 lbs weight and then go do a couple with the 10 lb weight.? You will be out shopping for this product before the sun sets.? Your wife will love you for it.? ?
Hoppy makes a tailgate torsion bar.? If you search Froogle (now Google Products) for ?tailgate torsion bar? you should find a number of places that have this product for less than $30.? I got mine (with shipping) in 4 days for $24.? We found it removed 70% of the tailgate weight!? 70% !!!
I picked up mine at: http://autoaccessconnect.stores.yahoo.net/taasforpitr.html
First some warnings:
- You are doing this at your own risk ? it involves drilling a couple holes, if you are scared of this, go away now.
- If you remove your tailgate often ? this will complicate that process, so think about that.
- There is a little prying and just a little metal bending involved in this ? it?s at the hole you drill above the driver?s side tailgate hinge.
So what do you need to do??
Once you get the product, remove and throw away the instructions and drill template.? Avalanche/EXT details are not listed on the template ? details are below.
1.? We cut about ? of an inch off the torsion bar with the ?A label? or with the yellow paint. - will explain later.? Maybe it was not needed - maybe move the drill point up to 5" from hinge and don't cut anything.? I have only installed two of these.
2.? Drill a 3/8? hole 4.25? above the driver?s side tailgate hinge.? (Take care you don't scuff the side of the truck with your drill chuck depending on drill bit length)? You will drill through the metal and the drill bit will hit another steel wall about ?? inside your nice new hole.? This is a little bit of an issue and the reason we cut the ?? off the torsion bar.?
3.? Measure over 32 ?? from the outside of the hinge cup on the tailgate and make a mark ? you will drill into the bottom of the tailgate in line with the existing rivets of the tailgate.
4. Remove tailgate, transfer measurement and drill or re-measure and drill 3/8? hole in bottom of tailgate.? It?s fiberglass, so don?t brush it away with your hand unless you want to itch for the next 24 hours.
5.? Insert the torsion bar back into the side of the truck and make sure it?s sitting flat against the truck bed wall behind the hinge pin.? You will need to insert the bar, push, pull, pry and try to wiggle the torsion bar into the hole between those two walls.? This WILL result in you bending the metal a little above the hole to get a little more room between the two metal walls.? I was trying to push on that inside wall to get it to bow in more and bend the outside metal less, but I don?t think it would be possible to insert the whole like 2? of the bar in ? cutting off ?? to 1? off the bar appeared to do the trick and we got about 3/4" into the hole.
6.? Re-install tailgate, but this time you will insert side B of the torsion bar into the tailgate hole you just made.? I found a hammer to tap the bar into the hole was required due to the friction from the side of the hole on the torsion bar.? (NOT a one person job)
7.? Don?t forget to latch your tailgate cables back onto the stops.? You should now be done.
Give it a try.? Your face may look like this when you close the tailgate the first or second or third time:? ?
? ?? ?? I forgot to check my tailgate weight before I changed mine, but we checked the second time and found the "weight" required to lift the tailgate using a bathroom scale went from 28 lbs to 8 lbs. Next time you are at the gym - go do a couple curls with a 30 lbs weight and then go do a couple with the 10 lb weight.? You will be out shopping for this product before the sun sets.? Your wife will love you for it.? ?
Torsion bar + EZDown = sweet 
