Ever since I bought my '95 F-150, the tailgate has been a major PITA to get open. When I was at the pullapart the other day, I saw the mechanism on a truck with a partially disassembled tailgate... and it looked really simple.

So I popped the dozen or so Torx bolts out of my access panel, popped the plastic clips off the linkage, and sprayed the hinge with WD-40. Put it all back together, and it opens like a brand new truck!

Probably 10 minutes worth of work (I used an electric driver on the panel, #lazy), and my truck is way more useful. If anyone is having trouble opening their tailgate, I highly recommend this repair.

 

Simple fixes are always the best!