Barn Door Conversion

[verniqua]

Does anyone know how difficult it is to convert from a tailgate to barn doors? I have an '88 and I keep having problems with the window mechanism breaking down and I would like to install doors instead. Any input would be appreciated.

[Jonboy]

It looks like it could be done, but looks like a whole lot of trouble. I haven't tried it personally. There are quite a few people on here parting out 'burbs, so the parts may be easy to come by to do it, though.

[apstguy]

We have discussed it before and it would be way too hard and would take way too much time and energy to be worth it.

[verniqua]

Thanks for the information. I was told that every suburban was made the same except so many got doors and so many got tailgates. I couldn't see how it could possibly be interchanged but thought I would ask. Thanks again.

[BigBlockBurris]

Everyone that tells you it can't be done hasn't ever tried to do it. Can it be done? Yes. Have I done it? Yes. Me and two buds did it on his 90 model. We had a parts truck with barn doors on it so it made it easier having all of the complete barn doors. It does take some welding and cutting, but when finished you can not tell his truck did not come with barn doors. The dimples for the hinges are there, just under the out side layer of metal and you do have to change the whole bottom sill. It was a good bit of work but definetly worth it. Tailgates suck compared to barn doors.

BBB

[lovetorev]

I have a barn door parts burb if you are interested. I am only using the motor and trany & gas tank. The body has rust around the rear quarters and it is a non air, 2wd, base model.

[kevinr1970]

I was talking to a "knowledgeable" person who told me that every thing is there, but covered.
So I locate a set of barn doors (actually bought a '73 2wd for $100 that ran!) and proceed to remove the "push-plugs" covering the weld-nuts to mount the hinges. I then remove the cover that goes around the top of the window frame which is a permanant thing to do only to discover that there is no way to latch the driver side door on either the top or the bottom of the opening.
I should have seen that the bottom latch plate wasn't here, but that was my fault. I believe the sill plate is bolted in place like mentioned above, but mine was so rusty that the bolts were now part of the surrounding sheet-metal so that was out.
It also looked like the top latch plate had a provision for where it would mount to, but there were no weld-nuts to attach it to?
Like mentioned above, if you have a 'burb with a solid body (good sheet-metal) and weren't afraid of doing some welding and maybe some cutting it wouldn't be to much of a hassle.
Good thing for me is the doors are canted to want to shut so they stay that way.