Vito tailgate
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It's not that easy as:
The mountings for the existing barn doors, including the stops and the hinges will have to be removed.
The bumper configuration for the barn doors vs tailgate is slightly different.
You will have to drill and tap the tailgate mountings in exactly the right spot otherwise the tailgate clearances will be wrong when you shut it. You would need a template or other aid to the drilling pattern.
I am sure you could do it but there's plenty of opportunity to f**k the job up.
Just convince yourself that your barn-door vito is lovely.
The mountings for the existing barn doors, including the stops and the hinges will have to be removed.
The bumper configuration for the barn doors vs tailgate is slightly different.
You will have to drill and tap the tailgate mountings in exactly the right spot otherwise the tailgate clearances will be wrong when you shut it. You would need a template or other aid to the drilling pattern.
I am sure you could do it but there's plenty of opportunity to f**k the job up.
Just convince yourself that your barn-door vito is lovely.
hmmm
i've tried but i cant I've gone out and bought a tailgate for my x reg (2000) vito, and through a lack of research discoverd there aint no threads.
i'm a bit of a novice but got a have a go mentality...anyone brave enough to give me instructions...?
i've tried but i cant I've gone out and bought a tailgate for my x reg (2000) vito, and through a lack of research discoverd there aint no threads.
i'm a bit of a novice but got a have a go mentality...anyone brave enough to give me instructions...?
ha ha lol
if only...i had a fight with a telegraph post while i was goin backwards. I'm sure i dont need to explain which party was worst affected...
i've looked underneath the caps an there aint no threads...the holes are already drilled underneath the caps its just these damm threads...
if only...i had a fight with a telegraph post while i was goin backwards. I'm sure i dont need to explain which party was worst affected...
i've looked underneath the caps an there aint no threads...the holes are already drilled underneath the caps its just these damm threads...
Dont discourage the man....everything needs a first person to try it, I would get two vans next to each other, with the different doors and go over them with a fine tooth comb (and a beer) and figure out what the potential problems may be.
One word of warning, The verticaly opening tailgate may be cool, but as I have found out, replace the board with something heavy, add some 6x9 speakers and sudenlly the door struts cant hold the weight of the door up...reall ball ache if you want to unload the beasty. Mine has no rear window, to be added this December, this is no doubt going to aggravate the problem.....suggestions???
Barn doors would not do this..
One word of warning, The verticaly opening tailgate may be cool, but as I have found out, replace the board with something heavy, add some 6x9 speakers and sudenlly the door struts cant hold the weight of the door up...reall ball ache if you want to unload the beasty. Mine has no rear window, to be added this December, this is no doubt going to aggravate the problem.....suggestions???
Barn doors would not do this..
cheers lads...more to report...
the holes on the top are drilled an plugged...my donor vehicle had a close inspection (no beer sadly, scrappy rules apparently) there are some plates that the tailgate bolts to...they had to be fairly un-ceremoniously ripped out but they are in my posession...
just need to wait until i can get a spare minute to work out how the [email protected]?! they'll go in me van without being as brutal as I had to be removing them from the dead vito...
the holes on the top are drilled an plugged...my donor vehicle had a close inspection (no beer sadly, scrappy rules apparently) there are some plates that the tailgate bolts to...they had to be fairly un-ceremoniously ripped out but they are in my posession...
just need to wait until i can get a spare minute to work out how the [email protected]?! they'll go in me van without being as brutal as I had to be removing them from the dead vito...
alright everyone...
just to let you know that my Vito now has tailgate fitted, no pictures sorry adamuk, light was hard enough to work in let alone take pictures...
the job itself was pretty easy actually...the hinges are attached to the body with plates that have threads in them and to retrofit these required some patience and a wire coat hanger and masking tape (the stikiest I could find) basically threading them through thge frame until they met with the bolts tricky (bout 20mins per bolt) once they were in it was pretty straight foward...
The threads for the struts were already there and were covered by a cap that must have been screwed in at factory...
the only modification (or botching) required was on the new bumber i got to go with the tailgate configuration where the bolts to attach the bumper were in a different position but a simple 8mm drill bit was all theat was required...
if anyone wants to know more then I'll happily explain in greater depth but really lads in not a major job...nb I havent wired the badboy in yet...a more significant challenge i think...
just to let you know that my Vito now has tailgate fitted, no pictures sorry adamuk, light was hard enough to work in let alone take pictures...
the job itself was pretty easy actually...the hinges are attached to the body with plates that have threads in them and to retrofit these required some patience and a wire coat hanger and masking tape (the stikiest I could find) basically threading them through thge frame until they met with the bolts tricky (bout 20mins per bolt) once they were in it was pretty straight foward...
The threads for the struts were already there and were covered by a cap that must have been screwed in at factory...
the only modification (or botching) required was on the new bumber i got to go with the tailgate configuration where the bolts to attach the bumper were in a different position but a simple 8mm drill bit was all theat was required...
if anyone wants to know more then I'll happily explain in greater depth but really lads in not a major job...nb I havent wired the badboy in yet...a more significant challenge i think...
Awesome!
If you can post some instructions with pix then that would be fantastic. It's just the sort of info that makes this site really useful!
P.S. what about the locking mechanism? On the van side of things, is it still the same attachment?
If you can post some instructions with pix then that would be fantastic. It's just the sort of info that makes this site really useful!
P.S. what about the locking mechanism? On the van side of things, is it still the same attachment?
Anything is possible if you have enough money and time.
One thing that I would ask is whether the vehicle has central locking, The coding in the ZV control unit will need to be changed to suit the new vehicle configuration. The central locking will not work.
One thing that I would ask is whether the vehicle has central locking, The coding in the ZV control unit will need to be changed to suit the new vehicle configuration. The central locking will not work.
all in all the job took about 4 hours (inc revisiting the bumper, there are some big black plactic plates underneath the bumper on each side that the bumper kinda clips into...)
like I said I havent even considered the electrics, I am missing a part of the opening mech must be some kinda push rod need to source one first) anyone got any idea if the barrel out of my old barn door will fit the tailgate (so I can use the same key to lock?)
like I said I havent even considered the electrics, I am missing a part of the opening mech must be some kinda push rod need to source one first) anyone got any idea if the barrel out of my old barn door will fit the tailgate (so I can use the same key to lock?)
I've since brought a vito with a tailgate, looks a simple but costly job to convert from barn doors to tailgate. Working within R&D within the motor trade, find it very hard to believe that MB would produce two different bodies to give the customer a choice of rear doors, too costly in tooling the production lines. Look at the PCD of the wheel hubs, most are 112x5, what are the benefits of making things unique to one vehicle?
Ugly
Ugly
Thanks for the information on here, I've been able to change my barn doors to a tailgate with a window. I was lucky enough to get the same colour as well - what a result. I wouldn't have attempted it without reading this thread though!
Here's a few tips for anyone trying it themselves.
1. - If you can, get someone to give you a hand.
2. - Make sure that you have all the replacement parts before you start. ie catch plate, thread plate for hinges, struts and rubbers.
3. - If you get the tailgate from a scrap yard, make sure you get the thread plates for the hinges out - use tin snips and a crowbar if they don't have cutting equipment (they are sealed in place inside the bulkhead).
4. - Put the hinges on first. Gaffer tape the thread plates for the hinges to a stick and feed them into the baulkhead, screw in one bolt to hold them (once they're lined up), then you can use one bolt to attach the hinge at an angle. You can remove the first bolt and line the others up.
5. - Take the barn doors off etc. and replace with the tailgate.
6. - If you are lucky, the tailgate mechanism would come with a key. You will need this to remove the barrel as I don't think there is any other way to get it out. You can then replace it with the barrel from your own barn door handle.
I still have a few things to sort out like the rear demister, central locking, washer and wiper etc. ( any tips? )
Here's a few tips for anyone trying it themselves.
1. - If you can, get someone to give you a hand.
2. - Make sure that you have all the replacement parts before you start. ie catch plate, thread plate for hinges, struts and rubbers.
3. - If you get the tailgate from a scrap yard, make sure you get the thread plates for the hinges out - use tin snips and a crowbar if they don't have cutting equipment (they are sealed in place inside the bulkhead).
4. - Put the hinges on first. Gaffer tape the thread plates for the hinges to a stick and feed them into the baulkhead, screw in one bolt to hold them (once they're lined up), then you can use one bolt to attach the hinge at an angle. You can remove the first bolt and line the others up.
5. - Take the barn doors off etc. and replace with the tailgate.
6. - If you are lucky, the tailgate mechanism would come with a key. You will need this to remove the barrel as I don't think there is any other way to get it out. You can then replace it with the barrel from your own barn door handle.
I still have a few things to sort out like the rear demister, central locking, washer and wiper etc. ( any tips? )
I have a 2007, with a tailgate.....
I want barn doors so i can carry 6 meter lengths of pipe on my roof without having them sitting 250 mm off the top of the roof.
As the tailgate opens it lifts to this measurement higher than the rest of the vehicle.
Im not happy with my purchase as i did not see this flaw in my plan.
I want barn doors so i can carry 6 meter lengths of pipe on my roof without having them sitting 250 mm off the top of the roof.
As the tailgate opens it lifts to this measurement higher than the rest of the vehicle.
Im not happy with my purchase as i did not see this flaw in my plan.
2000 108CDI, 2007 120 CDI long, Suzuki K5 GSXR track bike, 2005 Kawasaki ZX10R
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1,423 Posts
That is about the only drawback with a tailgate, luckily my rack sits high enough that it just clears
Martin
I'll be back off down the scrap yard to get myself the hinge plates, that i failed to figure out how to get out last time I was there.
I got the bumper, and the barn door a few weeks back - but haven't made any progress yet. I'll try to take good pictures as I go along.
I got the bumper, and the barn door a few weeks back - but haven't made any progress yet. I'll try to take good pictures as I go along.
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11 Posts
Hi ipc81. I have just removed barn doors from my vito to put tailgate on. I took all bits off that I coukd including some back plates. Will have a look later in my lockup and see if I definately have them still. You want the plate with nuts on to attach hinges to I take it.....
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