LX Owners: How difficult is it to lower your Tailgate? (1 Viewer)

[best4x4xfar]

I've looked at a lot of Land Cruisers (100 series as well as 80 series), and it seems like all of their tailgates practically fell down after the release lever was pulled. My question is this. I looked at an LX450 the other night, and the tailgate would not go down without forcibly pulling it down (considerable force). The owner claimed this was normal and has always been this way (original owner) and that his new 2004 LX470 was the same way. I doubt this is so, but before standing my ground on it before the owner, I wanted to confirm that LX450 tailgates lowere rather easily, just liket he cruiser's gates do. Any ideas on why this would be, or what it would take to fix it (assuming it is not normal)? Thanks for the input..

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

It probably just needs some lube. iirc, mine was quite stiff when I first got it - likely b/c the PO didn't use the lower tailgate. only the upper hatch. Just double check that there is no rear end accident damage, etc

 

[JAPFPE]

Drops like a rock

The tailgate on my 1997 LX450 drops like a rock if I let it go. There are no snubbers or struts to control the descent of the tailgate so its pretty much a freefall.

 

[Bruneti]

Mine will fall on it's own if you don't hold it after it's released.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

I have to pull on the tailgate to get it to fall after I pull the lever, but nothing forceful, just a gentle tug and then it's free.

Ary

 

[Josh83]

My 97 was like that when I got it. I sprayed WD40 on the hinges and worked it back and forth a few times and it was good as new.

 

[cruiserdan]

The gate hinges are binding and/or rusted.

 

[tacomafj-80]

my tail gate opens real easy. no bind - no fuss (lx-450)

 

[OZCAL]

My LX tailgate opens smoothly, doesn't drop like a rock, and "catches" nicely right before it is fully open requiring a little weight to fully extend it. Seems to be the way it was intended. It is perfectly level.

My LC tailgate squeals, falls like a rock, bounces, hits me in the chin, on its way back up before settling. It is bent (from the PO's backside sitting on it all day, I suppose, although he did have a full length rack and may have used it as a standing loading platform with the upper door closed).

Anyway, it may be a bent lower tailgate contributing to the problem.

[EDIT: if it is merely a bent lower tailgate, there is a "fix" somewhere in here (IH8MUD) wherein you remove the liner, put some bolts through the gate and a block of wood, and "pull" the tailgate straight by tightening nuts on the bolts. Just paraphrasing, and I haven't done it myself because I'd probably just bend it back... ]

Lack of lubrication is probably the main culprit, though. I once heard the best way to get an extra $500 for a used car is to grease the door hinges; maybe the owner never made it to the back of the truck with the grease gun.

I guess you also have to conside the possibility of a hinge alignment problem following an accident.

Good luck,

David

PS - sorry for the garden-hose answer to the glass of water question, it's just that I have both trucks (same year) and I'm drinking coffee.

 

[syrinxstar]

drops like it's hot

 

[lx450landcruiser]

hard to drop and harder to lift up i think its cuz i might have had too much weight on it. however the new cruisers are like a feather i was shocked how diff

 

[RavenTai]

The tailgate on my 1997 LX450 drops like a rock if I let it go. There are no snubbers or struts to control the descent of the tailgate so its pretty much a freefall.

Same here, no squeak, scrub, snubber or shenanigans, AFIK the moving tailgate parts are the same between the LX and LC. The key is different and the trim may be also.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Originally posted by OZCAL
My LX tailgate opens smoothly, doesn't drop like a rock, and "catches" nicely right before it is fully open requiring a little weight to fully extend it. Seems to be the way it was intended. It is perfectly level.

Ditto!

 

[informationjunky]

LX drops same as our cruiser, quick and smooth.

 

[LabRat11]

Warning: Take a very close look at that gate along with the whole rear section in general.

Gate on the wife's 80 dropped like a hot potato. Then she got tapped in the rear. Now the gate binds / resists dropping. Still drops but needs a bit of coaxing. Rear looks perfect until you take a very close look then you can see that the hinges are just a tad off.

Just a word of warning.

 

[Romer]

That is not normal.

 

[elmariachi]

The owner claimed this was normal and has always been this way (original owner) and that his new 2004 LX470 was the same way. I doubt this is so, but before standing my ground on it before the owner, I wanted to confirm that LX450 tailgates lowere rather easily, just liket he cruiser's gates do.

I saw one where the owner had spilled more than one soft drink in the hinge cavity, and it felt like it was binding. Once we got the sticky gooey off with hot water, lubed it with WD40, it was fine. For what its worth, all 80s and LX450s bodies were produced on the same manufacturing line by Araco. There would be no pre-planned or design difference on something like this.

 

[reffug]

Definately not normal. Should fall like a stone out of the sky.

 

[MTNRAT]

Mine is stiff.
Cheers,
Sean

 

[LX_TREME]

Definately not normal. Should fall like a stone out of the sky.

Hahahhhaee..... you guys cracked me up in the morning....LOL