Tail gate ( not lift gate or hatch) will not open. (1 Viewer)

[Jason hansen]

I went out to my cruiser to get some tools out of the back and the tail gate would not drop down. It seems that one of the arms from the handle to the latch is not connected. Tried to do a search on the problem but could not find a thread on the subject. It will be fun trying to get access because I have a platform in the back that is butted up against the tail gate. So now I will document this headache.

 

[thatcabledude]

I went out to my cruiser to get some tools out of the back and the tail gate would not drop down. It seems that one of the arms from the handle to the latch is not connected. Tried to do a search on the problem but could not find a thread on the subject. It will be fun trying to get access because I have a platform in the back that is butted up against the tail gate. So now I will document this headache.

Ooof. Had a similar problem with a car door years ago. Had to tear up the interior door panel to get inside.

Doesn’t seem like unbolting the hinges will help either.

 

[Outsane]

I wasn't able to open the tailgate once, I ended up unscrewing the two phillips on the handle. After that I could rotate the handle more and open the tailgate..

Good luck

 

[Jason hansen]

So I removed the 2 screws on the tail gate handle to get some extra travel and no dice.

 

[Jason hansen]

So next I removed the tail light ( broke the lower Philips screw tab a little ). Now I have access to the back the the door post bolts.

I might be able to slide a wrench between the tail gate and the body to crack the 2 bolts loose that hold the door post on. Then drill them out and hopefully they unthread. This is the side of the tail gate that would not unlatch..

 

[Jason hansen]

Hopefully the is enough travel for these bolts to thread out all of the way.

 

[80t0ylc]

I went out to my cruiser to get some tools out of the back and the tail gate would not drop down. It seems that one of the arms from the handle to the latch is not connected. Tried to do a search on the problem but could not find a thread on the subject. It will be fun trying to get access because I have a platform in the back that is butted up against the tail gate. So now I will document this headache.

You mentioned that you have a platform that is, butted up against the tailgate. Can you pull the platform away from the tailgate? It may be pushing hard enough on the tailgate to prevent that latch from working.

 

[Jason hansen]

The platform has been in there for 8 years. I was able to sneak a 10 mil wrench in and loosen up the the latch post bolts and open the tail gate. The plastic keeper on the rod end that hooks up to the lever was deteriorated and the rod fell out.

 

[Jason hansen]

I will have to go to the hardware store and get some hardware to reattach the rod end.

 

[Kernal]

Which hardware is missing, did it fall into the (inside) bottom of the lift gate?