Nothing can smooth out a trucks look like removing those unnecessary body lines that seem to have no reason for existence and replacing it with a skin.
We are sure bodywork and mild customizing is something everyone has thought of, but figured they'd rather not try because it could be intimidating and you could seriously damage some sheetmetal. But here at Mini Truckin', we say if you wanna try it, go for it.
There's just something about the look of a clean rear end. Not to mention that this is one body mod on a truck that drastically changes the view from behind, and because of that, this is the perfect place to start your customizing. Unlike other custom jobs, such as shaving the door handles or filling taillights, when it comes to a tailgate skin, you don't have to cut or shape one piece of metal. Instead, all you have to do is buy an aftermarket Grant Kustoms U.S. steel tailgate skin, put it in place, and weld.
For those of you who have installed a Grant product, you know how easy it is. However, if you never have, let us break it down. Grant's tailgate skins come ready to install right out of the box. They're already formed to fit the truck, so all you have to do is prepare the tailgate, align it, trim it to exact fit, then weld it in. After that, it's just a little bit of bodywork and then off to the paint shop.
Is it really that easy? To be honest, pretty much. The hardest part about the job is actually welding up the edges, but with a little bit of skill and practice, it's not too bad. However, if you're unsure about your welding skills, stop by the metal yard and grab some sheetmetal and practice welding up the seam. Once you think you've got the hang of things, bring it in for the real thing. The best part is, Grant makes a tailgate skin for just about every year, make, and style of truck out there. Not to mention Grant Fabrication even has several options for their tailgate skins, such as taillights, offset license plate boxes, and more.
1.With the tailgate removed...
1.With the tailgate removed from the truck, the first step was to flip the tailgate handle. We used Street Scene's flip kit. It was designed to replace the inside access panel for the tailgate handle using the factory hardware.
2.Because this is a replacement,...
2.Because this is a replacement, we needed to cut out the old skin. To do this Bob used 1-inch on the top and bottom of the tailgate and 2-inch tape on the sides. This insures we didn't damage the frame of the tailgate.
3.With the meat of the skin...
3.With the meat of the skin removed, Bob used tin snips to trim up to the edge of the inner structure of the tailgate. Once trimmed, he used a hammer to flatten the cut edge on the sides and bottom. On the top of the tailgate, Bob used a pair of sheet metal pliers and rolled the edge down. This insures when the new skin goes on it will lie flat on the outer edge of the tailgate.
4.On the inside of most tailgates...
4.On the inside of most tailgates is some sort of inner structure. To make sure it doesn't put too much pressure on the new skin Bob used a straight edge to check the clearance. With a little tweeking, the support would rest against the new skin and not apply pressure.
5.Time to break out the grinder...
5.Time to break out the grinder and prep the edges of the tailgate.
6.Because tailgates can vary...
6.Because tailgates can vary in size, though it might not be very much, Grant products are trim to fit pieces. This means if the factory part is a little off, Grant Fabrication's products will still fit. With that said, Bob sets the skin 1/8-inch from the side edge of the tailgate and clamps it down.
7.To get the same fitment...
7.To get the same fitment on the other side of the tailgate, Bob uses a scribe to measure the overhang of the new skin. He set the scribe 1/8-inch over his measurement and then marked the cut line onto the skin. Using tin snips, Bob removed the excess material.
8.With the skin back on the...
8.With the skin back on the tailgate, Bob aligns it, clamps it down, and starts to tack it in place about every inch all the way around the skin until it was completely welded up. You might notice Bob isn't wearing any gloves, it's ok because his fists are harder than Chuck Norris'. How do you think Chuck got his fists of steel? Bob made 'em.
9.With it welded up, it was...
9.With it welded up, it was time to break out the grinder again using a flap-sanding disc. We didn't want a wavy edge so the grinder was kept as flat as possible with moderate pressure. This will round the corner instead of an angle.
10.Bob uses a hammer to fold...
10.Bob uses a hammer to fold over the bottom edge of the skin.
11.There it is, one re-skinned...
11.There it is, one re-skinned tailgate, no handle, no body lines.
12.Before it is reinstalled...
12.Before it is reinstalled onto the truck a few adjustment need to be made. Remember, the tailgate is about 1/8-inch thicker than it was before. So the bottom mount is loosened just enough to hold the tailgate up. As you can see it needs to move down. It also needs to move in just as much.
13.With a couple firm taps,...
13.With a couple firm taps, the tailgate will slide down lining up with the bedrail. We also adjusted it in just a little bit for it to sit flush. We removed the tailgate and tightened up the lower mounts.
14.The top latch isn't so...
14.The top latch isn't so forgiving. We used a reamer to open the holes to allow for adjustment. They were installed back onto the truck tightened just enough to move as needed allowing the tailgate to sit flush. We made sure all bolts were tight and we were done.
15.Not bad for a days wor...
15.Not bad for a days work.