Tail gate cables

[Steven Petersen]

Agreed, my dads 1990 had straps.
GM’s marketing team said it was to stop the rattling tailgate issue.

My dad bought a new 92 K1500 and it was the first time I ever saw tailgate cables or headrests. Both negative changes in my opinion. So the cables must have started in 91 or 92.

 

[454cid]

My dad bought a new 92 K1500 and it was the first time I ever saw tailgate cables or headrests. Both negative changes in my opinion. So the cables must have started in 91 or 92.

No, 90.....my dads GMC had the cables. It was something that stood out to me since I was used to the steel straps that his old 76 Dodge had.

 

[1997]

No, 90.....my dads GMC had the cables. It was something that stood out to me since I was used to the steel straps that his old 76 Dodge had.

My dads was a Chev.

 

[Steven Petersen]

My dads was a Chev.

Did he purchase it brand new?

 

[mars2878]

My dad bought a new 92 K1500 and it was the first time I ever saw tailgate cables or headrests. Both negative changes in my opinion. So the cables must have started in 91 or 92.

cables was probably a way of saving money.
headrests were made mandatory as a way of hoping to reduce whiplash if rear ended. No headrests had a chance of snapping your neck as it folded over the seat or a chance of smashing your head into the rear window of a reg cab truck. So headrests were seen as a safety measure.

 

[Steven Petersen]

cables was probably a way of saving money.
headrests were made mandatory as a way of hoping to reduce whiplash if rear ended. No headrests had a chance of snapping your neck as it folded over the seat or a chance of smashing your head into the rear window of a reg cab truck. So headrests were seen as a safety measure.

Right. Cables were to save money. Headrests were govt. mandated I believe. Idiotic government nanny state overreach.

 

[Steven Petersen]

Found a 1990 brochure. Still had steel straps.

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[PlayingWithTBI]

Only the metal straps were used in 88-89. Here’s the 88-89 parts catalog along with pics of my 88. I believe there’s also a difference in tailgate mounting holes for brackets vs cables, but I can’t confirm that.

I went back and looked at some of my pictures. My truck has those rubber bumpers on the box but none on the tail gate. Maybe they were removed sometime before I bought the truck? I wonder if the later trucks that came with cables had those bumpers? That may be the indication whether the truck came with or without cables?

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[Steven Petersen]

I went back and looked at some of my pictures. My truck has those rubber bumpers on the box but none on the tail gate. Maybe they were removed sometime before I bought the truck? I wonder if the later trucks that came with cables had those bumpers? That may be the indication whether the truck came with or without cables?

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You may be on to something. I remember hearing there’s a slight difference in the strap tailgates vs the cable tailgates, but it doesn’t prevent swapping either way. I think it was to do with an extra set of holes.

I’ve been digging and I found a 91 454ss brochure that shows metal straps. So the change was either mid-91 or 92. 91 was kind of a transition year.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

So the change was either mid-91 or 92. 91 was kind of a transition year.

Yes it was. Remember the dash changed from Moonie gauges to needle and tach gauges too.

I wonder if someone with a 92+ can check to see if they have the rubber bumpers and cables?