hi fellas

i was just looking at it. seems as if i take the 3 phillips srews out for the handle....then there are 2 bolts on each side for the locking mechanism. then all the guts of it should come right out im assuming? gotta dismantle her to sand it down and prep it for paint

thanks in advance for comments/tips

Justin

 

Wasn't there a full-width inner plate with about a dozen screws retaining it? It's been too long since I've had a conventional bed...

 

that is the trim plate on the back of the tail gate

 

i wish i had the LE trim plate, that looks nice. but i just have the regular old tailgate. i just got it all disassembled. first you have to lift the clips up that hold the rods on (these plastic clips are just like the ones found inside our truck doors that attach all the levers for like locks and what not)...them the 3 screws holding the handle and 4 bolts on the outside. took 5 mins. to do.

 

I just did the plastic rod end replace on my tailgate. mines an LE. take the 3 philips screws out or the center bed side of the gate. the mechanism will pull straight down with some persuasion to get to the plastic clips holding the rods. spin the plastic catches up and remove the rods. remove the 2 bolts on each side of the side catches and it all comes apart.

 

Did you use dodge part #'s? I want to do mine but I've never found the right part numbers. How much were they? I have the LE plate too, doesn't that mean I need two black clips and two white clips?? Any help very much appriciated my tailgate hasn't worked since I got the truck over a year ago

 

I think the dodge parts are 2 black and 2 white ones, left and right to pivot over the rod and clip over the top. I found generic ones at an auto parts place close by. they were a little over 2 bucks each.The rod is 3/16 inch and the hole is 1/4 inch. The hardest part is getting the center mechanism down past the plastic trim on the LE gate. I also had one side that didn't want to release when assembled. I put spacers (washers) under the catch on the side to effectively shorten the pull. I also adjusted the posts on the bed. no rattles, it works like new.

 

They are in the Oh $#!T section of most auto part stores, i always break one trying to re-adjust the rods in the tail gates.

 

Ok I'm getting a grasp on this. When I lift my tailgate handle the two little levers DO lift, but just not high enough to release the latches. I'm starting to think maybe my rods are just bent and the plastic pieces are intact?
So when the plastic pieces fail do the linkedge rods actually fall off and bounce around inside the tailgate and the little levers at the latches don't move at all?

 

on mine i laid the tail gate down and then worked the latch. If you look at the area on the gate just above and inside the end latch you will see a pawl that moves toward the rear of the truck. if this doesn't move far enough the latch will not release. I added 2 washers under the end latch bolts to space it out and shorten the rod travel. latch fully released. I suspect a little wear on a few moving pieces causes the need for adjustment. If I were hanging around on the back of a truck for 17 years I would need and adjustment.

 

And this my 1st gen friends is why I love this truck. Sure my tailgate doesn't work, but for the cost of 4ish washers it will. My stupid chevy 2009 work truck tailgate broke last month and they charged (the company acct) 140$ to replace one latch.

 

The rods usually bend, you can take apart the tailgate in 5 mintues, it may take a few more than 5 to reassemble I've fixed 3 or 4 of these now and never had to add washers, another spot that i find to bend is the handle its self, from being opened too far. When that happens, it won't move the arms enough to make the latches work. My tailgate didn't work when i got it, now it works just fine . Cost me 20 minutes of my time and some never-seize on key parts.

 

You could also reference this, if you're still having problems. http://ramchargercentral.com/index.p...owtoshow;id=29