Replacing a YJ tailgate with a CJ Tailgate

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CommodoreDiegoFirebeard
Posts: 99
Joined: October 27th, 2007, 11:35 pm
Location: Granger, IN

Replacing a YJ tailgate with a CJ Tailgate

Post by CommodoreDiegoFirebeard »

Pretty common mod and many well documented ways to do it. Here is how I went about it.

I picked up the CJ tailgate from a club member and new hinges from Quadratec. Once the tailgate backing plates were cut out and replaced the gate swap could begin.

Body side hinge holes marked and drilled.
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Body side hinge backing plate
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Hole cut to slip backing plate in to the tub
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Backing plate bolted in position

URL=http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2921526940102599484czUZGI]Image[/URL]

Backing plate welded in and gap filled with weld

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Ground flush and primerd
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Tailgate mounted and YJ tailgate hinges holes filled
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Last edited by CommodoreDiegoFirebeard on March 16th, 2008, 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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green50gt
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Post by green50gt »

Looks good Matt!
Teepot
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Post by Teepot »

Great Job Matt!!
Dave
JEEP - If you can't build the one you want. Build the one you have.
99 TJ 4.0 5sp 3:73 2"BB 1" BL/ML, Teraflex disco's, Blank built custom rear bumper, Rock Hard front bumper, 32x11.5 Procomp M/Ts on 15x8 Cragar series 397 rims.
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OiRadio47
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Post by OiRadio47 »

:smt023 :smt023

looks better than the YJ gate
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tdad
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Replacing a YJ tailgate with a CJ Tailgate

Post by tdad »

that looks real good I would like to do that with my TJ
CommodoreDiegoFirebeard
Posts: 99
Joined: October 27th, 2007, 11:35 pm
Location: Granger, IN

Post by CommodoreDiegoFirebeard »

Go for it! The openings are the same size. I saw one on Ebay last week in MI. For what I bought all the parts for and sold my stock gate on e-bay for I made a few bucks 8)
CommodoreDiegoFirebeard
Posts: 99
Joined: October 27th, 2007, 11:35 pm
Location: Granger, IN

Post by CommodoreDiegoFirebeard »

Found this on E-bay if anyone wants to do the swap...I can help w/ the tub mounts if needed.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/jeep-cj- ... dZViewItem
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CapnDave
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Post by CapnDave »

is there anyway to use the original hinges as a tire carrier
88 cherokee pioneer chrysler 8.25 dana 30
6.5 inch lift 35" procomp xterrains
CommodoreDiegoFirebeard
Posts: 99
Joined: October 27th, 2007, 11:35 pm
Location: Granger, IN

Post by CommodoreDiegoFirebeard »

Anything is possible...I had no intent of carring a spare on the back of the Jeep so they had to go. The idea has merrit...They seem stout enough to hold the weight of 35" tire. Making a triangular mount that bolts to the hinges out of round or square tube...or better yet welded to the barrel of the gate side hinge to make it cleaner (if they are forged or stamped steel that is, I expect they are) would be the easy part. Making a snug and well supported mount and latch on the driver side would be the intersing part...could be as simple as a few tabs in with a hitch pin and a snubber to keep the vibration down...or a more complicated reciver and latch. Should be pretty easy really...
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