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Adjust the tailgate closing depth?

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Old May 25, 2020 | 01:44 PM
  #1  
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Wbrian
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Adjust the tailgate closing depth?

Hi All! Is it possible to adjust the depth that the tailgate closes to? It seems like my tailgate doesn't close all the way flush. That has caused the hard top bed cover to chip paint on the top edge of the tailgate. It closes securely, but not flush... I took some pictures, but they're on my wife's phone. I'll add them later...
thanks for any help on this!

Brian


 

Last edited by Wbrian; May 25, 2020 at 04:33 PM. Reason: Add pictures
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Old May 26, 2020 | 06:24 AM
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When I got my spray in liner, the added thickness made the tailgate harder to close and the gap was larger than I would have liked.

I ended up shaving down the stops on either side a bit with a utility knife. Just enough to not have as much pressure on the tailgate. Not sure if that would be enough to resolve your issue.

Could check the 2 bolts on the latch and see if there is any adjustment there. I don't believe there is any on the post on the truck site but could be wrong.




 
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Old May 26, 2020 | 11:26 AM
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TJReams
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The studs the tailgate latches to mounted on the truck should be adjustable the same as the doors are.
TJ
 
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Old May 27, 2020 | 07:13 AM
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My neighbor was over one day and was complaining that his last couple of Ford PU's - they had really hard to release tailgate latches. Seemed weird, so I told him to check my two. Mine were very easy to unlatch. I noticed he had a spray in bedliner (mine were slide-in liner, and no liner) so we looked more closely and found where some sprayed bed liner was preventing the tailgate from closing all the way. Took a utility knife and trimmed the liner away in those spots, then the tailgate released as it should. Not sure if that's what's happening here, but worth having a look. I can't remember exactly where the problem was, but it was pretty obvious once we looked.
 
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Old May 27, 2020 | 10:33 AM
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Wbrian
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Thanks. The top strikers latch before it even hits the bumper. I'll try to adjust them later this evening. Is it the screws in your picture?
thx!
B.
Originally Posted by Robbgt
When I got my spray in liner, the added thickness made the tailgate harder to close and the gap was larger than I would have liked.

I ended up shaving down the stops on either side a bit with a utility knife. Just enough to not have as much pressure on the tailgate. Not sure if that would be enough to resolve your issue.

Could check the 2 bolts on the latch and see if there is any adjustment there. I don't believe there is any on the post on the truck site but could be wrong.



 
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Old May 27, 2020 | 10:35 AM
  #6  
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Wbrian
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From: Virginia Beach, VA
Thanks! I'll look at that too!

B.
Originally Posted by NewEnglandHerdsman
My neighbor was over one day and was complaining that his last couple of Ford PU's - they had really hard to release tailgate latches. Seemed weird, so I told him to check my two. Mine were very easy to unlatch. I noticed he had a spray in bedliner (mine were slide-in liner, and no liner) so we looked more closely and found where some sprayed bed liner was preventing the tailgate from closing all the way. Took a utility knife and trimmed the liner away in those spots, then the tailgate released as it should. Not sure if that's what's happening here, but worth having a look. I can't remember exactly where the problem was, but it was pretty obvious once we looked.
 
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