1986 F350

It seems the tailgate latch handle was designed with no tolerance for old/stuck rods. Has anyone overcome this "feature?" A brand new handle isn't any better. I'm thinking I need to replace the entire handle mechanism with something else.

The general problem is that my right tailgate pull rod is fairly difficult to pull. So when I pull on the tailgate handle, the upper hook can only push down on the lower rod for a few fractions of an inch and then it slides right past. If the rods are a little stiff and you have to pull a little harder on them, that upper hook just pulls right past the lower stud and the thing "pops" right out of place.

I've sprayed white lithium all over the inside of this tailgate and it hasn't made much difference. It's almost like there's an extra strong spring in the right side that perhaps the previous owner installed. This tailgate is clearly not the original.

But this handle design just seems to be really weak. The upper hook portion of the latch bends very easily and it seems to just love to pop beyond the rod that it pushes on. I could find a shop to weld an extension on to the upper latch and I'm sure that would work, but there has got to be a better way.

Anyone know of an "upgrade" to this tailgate handle mechanism?

 

i'd take it all apart and inspect it. my tailgate, while original was in bad shape when i bought my truck. i ended up taking the handle and rods out as well as the spring mechanisms in the sides. Cleaned everything up and then used an oil can to lube everything up. i then put everything back together using new plastic clips at the handle and the tailgate works better than it did from the factory.

i'd go and check out the spring. maybe one of your rods is bent and that's why it's harder on one side or maybe it needs some lubrication some where.

worse comes to worse you spent a few hours dissembling the tailgate and lubing it back and it didn't work vs spending money on something you're not sure will fix the problem.

 

smashclash thanks for your response

I unbolted the plungers on both sides, to which the tailgate cables also attach, and I PB Blasted them and greased them up. The rods were nice and straight aside from the intentional bends at the handle-end. After greasing them I could easily manipulate the plunger by hand, both outside of the gate and inside it. If I remove the handle I can pull on the rod with my fingers and unlatch both sides of the gate. The right spring just feels a little bit stronger than the left.

I purchased a new handle from LMC and it behaves exactly the same as the original. It's as though the hook on the handle needs about twice the length as it has. It seems to pop when it has only a few mm before it would unlatch the gate. Both the handle that came with the truck, and the brand new handle from LMC, behave the exact same way.

Perhaps I either have non-factory springs in the plungers (they feel just about right for this application, but they are fairly firm), or I somehow have a handle that doesn't match, uh, something. The handle bolts right it; no tweaking required.

The gate looks like it was painted with house paint and a hand-brush. The F O R D letters that are stamped in to the gate are painted with sloppy acrylic paint. It seems like the right gate for this year. I don't see any evidence of the PO tweaking a different model gate to fit this truck. No extra drill holes or cutouts or welded nuts in odd places. It seems to be the right year; they just found one that was ugly and made it slightly less ugly with a paint brush.

I must be missing something. I have unscrewed and cleaned up everything. All components seem to be in working order. Yet the handle still pops off.

I wonder if the old springs have stiffened over time? Is that possible?

Regardless, it still seems like a very nearsighted design for the handle. If it just had an inch of more length on the handle it would have compensated for whatever I'm dealing with right now. I was hoping this would be a known complaint with this particular handle and there would be an aftermarket upgrade for it; or something.

 

Get an OEM quality handle.

The aftermarket handles are very light weight and are flimsy.