Tailgate interchangeable?

[FL86BRONCO]

Hello again. Haven't had a lot of extra money to do much on this bronco lately but been chipping away at little stuff. So I need a tailgate and ALL the internals, window, regulator, motor, ECT. So I've found an 89 (mine is 86) that has a decent tailgate. Would everything interchange? I know they changed the front end and other things but it looks like the aftermarket ones say they fit and car part.com brought this one up as interchangeable. Wanted to hear from someone here before I pull the trigger, maybe there will be extra work but it will fit? Thanks for your help🙂

[kramttocs]

People have done it but it does require modifications and the body lines won't be right.

A user on FTE commented that:

To use an 87-96 tailgate, you must get every piece of hardware from the newer truck. The hinges, latch pins, bump-stops, etc all have to be changed out. I have done the swap on my truck (you can't find an '80s truck with a good tailgate around here), and IMO it wasn't too bad, just a bit of drilling and fabbing a couple of custom spacers. Just have to measure three times before doing anything.

 

[1986F150Six]

People have done it but it does require modifications and the body lines won't be right.

A user on FTE commented that:

To use an 87-96 tailgate, you must get every piece of hardware from the newer truck. The hinges, latch pins, bump-stops, etc all have to be changed out. I have done the swap on my truck (you can't find an '80s truck with a good tailgate around here), and IMO it wasn't too bad, just a bit of drilling and fabbing a couple of custom spacers. Just have to measure three times before doing anything.

Nice work, Scott!

[FL86BRONCO]

Thank you guys for the advice. For anyone else looking to do this it worked fine. Mine being an 86 I swapped one off an 89 and it bolted right up.