Fixed! Slide out tailgate brackets missing threading??

[Bronco_Buckeroo]

Hi all,

Installing the slide out tailgate and it would seem the brackets that the frame of the tailgate bolt to are missing threads.

See step 11:

Instructions show the bolts going into the brackets without nuts. I was assuming that the holes in the brackets are threaded.

They are not:

And even if there were nuts missing, the specified bolts do not fit through those holes freely.

Has anyone else encountered such an issue installing this thing?

Or am I missing something here?

Sponsored

 

[Bronco_Buckeroo]

Fixed it.

Bought an autozone tap and die set for $35 and just tapped the holes myself.

Takes an M8 x 1.25 tap for those bracket holes - for anyone in the same situation or even just wondering.

Took some elbow grease and some actual oil to lube the tool of course, but it was a LOT simpler than dealing with Ford parts again.

This was my second slide out tailgate. The first came like this: