tiger
+1y
It wasn't too hard will.
I used a Sharpie and drew the permiter of the acess panel onto the tailgate, then removed the panel. Then using a small framing square and a tape measure, I measured the locations for the holes from my Sharpie line, they were off 1/16" from center, so I adjusted the location of the holes to be on center. Behind the handle there are a total of 4 holes, two 10mm holes for the studs to hold teh handle on, and two square holes for the hinges of the handle, these holes aren't the same size, so I made both my holes the same size as the larger hole.
After measuring, marked, drilled, and jig sawed the holes out. Use a center punch before you drill, and use a file to clean up all edges. The inside release rods that connect the handle to the actual latch parts are bent ever so slightly, so I removed the rods and bent them straight to better work with the handle on the inside.
Just mount the handle and spring mechanisim, the silver thing that connects the handle to the release rods, to the access panel. The the absolute hardest thing....reattaching the release rods to the spring mechinsim...you have a very small space and the retention clips are stout.
The one thing I wish I woulda bought was a filler panel, although to fabricate one wasn't difficult, a premade one woulda been a lot easier. Just make a template, cut some metal, trim to fit just below the surface, make your bend, and weld it in....body work as normal.
Baha-
Yup, it's a Grant pan. Other then the two pics I posted last Tuesday or so, no progress pics.