Stuck Tail Gate

My son sent a text this morning that the tailgate on his 2011 Taco sticks shut sometimes.

The handle isn't loose and in fact is hard to pull. Eventually it opens, at least so far, but it's only a matter of time.

My first thought was that the latches on either end need to be cleaned and lubricated, and maybe the mechanism attached to the handle.

I was going to suggest that he clean the latches and then lubricate them with lithium based grease.

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?

 

I think the lubing will help it

 

It cold enough to freeze there?

 

Yeah, open the tailgate, pull the panel off and lube up everything you should be good, its a super simple mechanism

 

I had the opposite problem, could open it, but it wouldn't close. Lubed it up, problem solved

 

When mine stuck, I beat it off with a sledgehammer and built an ugly box tailgate out of 14ga steel. The latches are old screwdrivers. Never had the new one get stuck or bend under a load.

 

Generally not, but occasionally during the winter.

 

Probably not much different than on my 3rd Gen.

 

You're a day early, it's not Friday yet.

 

Probably something is bent from closing it the wrong way?

 

I had that problem after lubing the latch mechanism.
I used WD40, it got really sticky and kept the latch from “latching”.
I cleaned it out with 90% alcohol and then used dry lube.
The same type you use in the door key cylinders.

So far, so good

 

Good work. A lot of people think that WD40 is a lubricant, but it's actually a water displacer. Hence the WD. The 40 is how many tries they got to develop a working product.

I kid you not.

 

Yeah, I didn’t have a problem until lubed them.
That’s what happens when you fix stuff that isn’t broke

 

I'd like to see pictures. I like ugly but functional, reminds me of me.

 

Invented in San Diego by engineers working for General Dynamics! "Water Displacing formula #40"

 

Use some white lithium grease.

 

I have issues with the latches freezing occasionally in the winter, water either gets in from the car wash or during a freeze thaw cycle.
I found a heat gun/hair dryer works great to get the ice out and then blast it with compressed air to push any left over water out of the locks.

 

Still haven't finished (a few years later) i was going to cut out the square spaces, to make slide in accessories like a bed extension and canopy, etc.

This was $40 of steel it won't break, the cable or bolt would break first.

I've been using it as a surface to beat the shit out of things on. (Makes me wonder why the factory tailgate folded.)