cold weather

-28C here in the last few days. Tried to open the tailgate and the handle just went all the way up. Guess the little rod inside snapped or something. I'll look at it in the spring. For now I have to live with the "door" function of the tailgate, which I am not super fond of.

At least the heat works!

It's about the same temperature here outside, and inside the garage it took 24 hrs with the woodstove blasting before I dared to mess with anything plastic on my Caprice.

The clip that holds the rod in the bellcrank is broken, and the rod has slipped out of the slot. The rod end clip has a wide base to allow it to slide in the slot without falling out. They are not available, but I always pull them from damaged gates. If you want one, I can sell one to you for $3 plus postage.

I've become weak and acclimatized to the BC "winters"

sounds good Fred, check your PM. It certainly feels exactly as you're describing.

That is what they call..."The Jesus Clip". If I ever made friends with someone who owned a 3D printer, this would be at the top of my list of things to make. Also those little push pins that hold the inside headliner coverpanel for the rear wiper motor on.

The Northern folks will laugh, but it got down into the upper teens here in Texas the past few nights.    CRAZY weather for Austin, it never got above freezing on Friday, but thankfully the weather was clear so no ice-rinks!

I gotta say you northern folks are tough.  I was bitching and moaning all weekend, and about froze to death working on my window sliders in the garage.   Happily headed back to the 60's today and the 70's the rest of the week....just in time to get back into the office....boo...  

At least when we get these bitter "blue-northers" here in Texas, they don't tend to last long!

-Mike

Jason,cold weather killed my tail gate function as well. Ugh. Fred got another one?

The old Volvo wouldn't start this morning, it seems to not like subzero and will just crank away but no fire. So got into the Suburban and just click click click....what the hell it started fine yesterday! Ugh so jumped it and running. 12 mile drive into work at 8*ish and no heat....blower motor started worked and seems it needs a t-stat too. Well at least it's getting into the 30's later this week.

Do you need a popper? I have at least one. Check the pricing in my parts for sale thread in the vendor section.

The rod that slides into the solenoid may be rusty, or there may be water in the mechanism. I have fixed them with some penetrating oil, and 400 grit w/d paper.

I love the idea of a 3D printer. I've bought a pack of assorted clips that had the appropriate one at a chain parts store last year and have a fully functioning tailgate now, the one I needed GM used in the tailgate latch rods of GMT800. Hmmm New lenses for rear grab handles...

you can eliminate the pesky plastic clip by bending the end of the rod to almost 180 deg loop,..

works great for me,.

https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t8603-tail-gate-only-opens-like-a-door-fix

Nice tip,thanks Nick.