Tailgate Latch Hooks?

I bought a 2007 regular cab Tacoma without a tailgate. I found a junkyard replacement tailgate (also from a 2007 pickup) which appears as if the tailgate latch hooks rub against (it would close if they were shorter). I can force it closed, but the hooks rub and the mounting bolt heads are starting to rip up the plastic tailgate cover. See picture for reference. Are there various sizes for these latch hooks? Or are there slightly different sized tailgates? The body looks straight to me.

 

Loosen all the screws that hold on the tailgate cover, it’s has some play to adjust it.

 

Both sides have this issue, so I can't correct it by 'centering' it so to speak.

 

I wonder if your bed is not 'true'.

- You said it didn't come with a tailgate. The tailgate adds to the rigidity of the bed so if that truck was used a lot without it, the bed might have pinched inward at that spot.
- Heavy weight added to the bed, repeatedly, would bow the walls inward.


If you can come across a different Tacoma where the tailgate closes smoothly, measure the gap and compare.

 

That is an interesting thought. If anyone else happens to measure, I'm reading 56.25" just above the taillights.

If it's been pinched, I suppose I could use some sort of spanner clamp to bend it back outward. Would only require 1/2" or so.

 

On my 2105 prerunner I measure 56.75

 

That would check out. Thank you for measuring!

 

For future reference, I was able to spread the bed sides out 3/8" or so with a bottle jack and that was enough to get the tailgate to fit again. Doesn't latch, but that's another problem to fix...

 

The amazing utility of the milk crate

 

Fuggen love this guy. Thigh master bottle jack for the win