Replacement 00' Silverado Tailgate Latches (GM OEM)

[mrrsm]

Considering that there really is very little wrong or problematic with my 20 Year Old Silverado... the idea here was to replace BOTH Tailgate Latches if possible. It was prompted due to being both a "Truck TLC" issue and as a matter of practicality because presently... The Tailgate Rattles about quite a bit.

The easiest place to find the (L) & (R) side Latches was to search-scour eBay for GM Dealerships that might have either one side, the other... or both available... or perhaps ...NONE. A few months ago... I located two Dealerships that had the opposing sides and pulled the trigger (around $45.00 per side).

For the sake of memorializing the appearances of these odd units... I also took these images that are worth posting for their OEM Boxing and Part Number Information and because this is an unusual set of repair or replacement components, it might prove informative to others having this problem. There is no need to insult anyone's intelligence at GMTN by documenting any R&R Instructions :

 

[TGstring]

interesting that the (small triangular)"bumpers" are different colors... one is gray and the other is black. I wonder if they're of different durometers thru engineering or if it's just a random batch sort of thing.

thank you for sharing the pics

 

[mrrsm]

It might seem like a trivial matter at first blush... but upon closer inspection of the posted images, it seems to be no accident that there is a Unique "Color Choice" associated with either sides of the Vehicle Tail-Gate. The Two Fasteners holding the Lock-work Bracket Coated Cable Eyelets to each of these unique Units also sport matching Colored Cap-Screws (Bolts) and mimic the same look unique for each side:

Gray for the Gray Rubber Bumper
Black for the Black Rubber Bumper

This must be something organized by Assembly Engineers for the folks on the GM Silverado Component Assembly Lines to 'visually key on' right out of their Parts Bins during the attachment of the 2 Cable Support and Lock-Work units to each side of the Truck Tail-Gate sub assemblies and ensure that the proper item later gets picked up and rapidly installed.

 

[mrrsm]

This second On Topic Post works Hand in Glove with the replacement of the (L) & (R) Tail-Gate Latches and involves the R&R of the Striker Plate Lugs that have perhaps either Lost their Plastic Bushings or they’ve Rusted up so badly that every time you hit a Bump in The Road... The Tail Gate rattles like Hell.

In the Video Linked below, our ‘Old Friend’, Dr. Shock (...so very helpful with all of his Instructional Tech 2 Training Videos) describes a very clever alternative to performing a complete R&R of these Lugs, as will be done with my approach… by using some small cut off sections of PEX Plastic Pipe approximately 0.50” thick (3/8”) in dimension. He demonstrates this technique very nicely as a solution to his TGR (Tail Gate Rattle) problem ...in very short order:

I'm solving my own issues by replacing the entire set of Striker Plate Bolts and Washers as per these images (about $34.00 for the Pair over on eBay):