Tailgate Adjustment Question
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 491
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Tailgate Adjustment Question
Hey guys, I feel silly asking this question, but...
How do you adjust the latch on a styleside tailgate? I sprayed the latch hinges/mechanism and the two end units with penetrating oil and it freed up really nicely, but the end pins won't pull back far enough to allow the brackets to clear, so the tailgate won't lower.
I have it off the truck currently, was going to clean it up/paint it before I installed it, and remembered that it was a PAIN to get it off the old bed because of this exact problem
Any advice on adjusting the darn thing?
-Brad
How do you adjust the latch on a styleside tailgate? I sprayed the latch hinges/mechanism and the two end units with penetrating oil and it freed up really nicely, but the end pins won't pull back far enough to allow the brackets to clear, so the tailgate won't lower.
I have it off the truck currently, was going to clean it up/paint it before I installed it, and remembered that it was a PAIN to get it off the old bed because of this exact problem
Any advice on adjusting the darn thing?
-Brad
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
Are both hinge rods hooked to the latch. Sometimes the plastic clips holding them in the latch break and then one rod pops out. If they are, it could be that the latch itself bent and now won't open up far enough to engage the hinges all the way.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
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The two plastic clips on the handle (latch?) end are fine. I haven't pulled apart the outsides to see if they're still intact. There seems to be about 1/2" of play between where you start pulling and when the latches start moving.
-Brad
-Brad
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
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That is also an excellent suggestion. I'm going to take the latch out tomorrow morning and see if it was bent by the previous owner. Judging by how stiff/frozen the mechanism was when I bought it, it wouldn't surprise me if he'd just kept yanking on it and bent or broken something.
Putting an extra bend in the rods also seems like a good idea if all else fails - should I heat it with a torch until it's glowing, then bend it and quench it? Or do you think bending cold is fine? I suppose the easiest way would be to heat it, un-bend the end that goes through the latch on the side, and then re-bend it about 1/4" closer in.
-Brad
Putting an extra bend in the rods also seems like a good idea if all else fails - should I heat it with a torch until it's glowing, then bend it and quench it? Or do you think bending cold is fine? I suppose the easiest way would be to heat it, un-bend the end that goes through the latch on the side, and then re-bend it about 1/4" closer in.
-Brad
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
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I'd unscrew the handle mechanism and pull it all out for a look see. In addition to the above suggestions, you may be able to adjust the catches on the side out a little so less movement of the bolts is required to open it.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
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-Brad
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
Glad Mark posted the "bending" of the rods suggestion as I did forget that. I know my tailgate rods had slight bends in them and they barely open enough to get the latches open.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
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I may just replace them in the near future.
HOWEVER, I was able to modify the handle assembly so that both of the latches would disengage enough to allow the body latches to clear.
What I did was grind out a tiny bit more of the handle assembly - it's got a little "dimple" in the arm where the handle contacts the cam assembly.
You can see what I did - I basically doubled the width of the little dimple, allowing the arm to move a LOT further. Pretty quick & easy - much faster than disassembling all the latches to get the rods out just to bend an "S" into them.
I hope this helps someone in the future. I do need a pair of those plastic clips now though!
-Brad
HOWEVER, I was able to modify the handle assembly so that both of the latches would disengage enough to allow the body latches to clear.
What I did was grind out a tiny bit more of the handle assembly - it's got a little "dimple" in the arm where the handle contacts the cam assembly.
You can see what I did - I basically doubled the width of the little dimple, allowing the arm to move a LOT further. Pretty quick & easy - much faster than disassembling all the latches to get the rods out just to bend an "S" into them.
I hope this helps someone in the future. I do need a pair of those plastic clips now though!
-Brad
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
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I replaced the plastic clips in my 77 tailgate with soe from the help section at the parts store. The ones I used were labelled as door clips for mid seventies Ford cars. They have been working for pretty close to fifteen years now.
Robert
Robert
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