2002 Tacoma Tailgate wont open help!

Today i stuffed a mattress in the bed of my truck and closed the gate.
Now i cant open the tailgate. if i pull the handle there is no tension and nothing happens the handle feels very loose. i will upload pics and video in the morning
i have read other threads that say you need to put pressure onto the tailgate. but i am at work right now i will try it later today.

 

Yep, you broke the handle guts, to put it simply.

If the handle is loose feeling, the linkages are broke or disconnected.

You can get the gate open buy inserting a thin bladed screw driver and pushing back the latch pins. It takes 2 people unless you have really long arms.

 

Must have been a very short mattress both in temper and in length

 

I unscrewed the cover to take a peek of whats going on inside and i heard some old brittle plastic pieces crumble and falling down the tailgate i might have to order a factory OEM Door handle and install it myself, but i am not sure where to order one or how to install it does anyone know how?

 

http://www.discountbodyparts.com/ca...ilgate_Handle/2002/T580701.html?dbpcid=gglpla

depends if its the latch itself or if its just the clips that hold the rods...

 

Once youre inside the gate itself you should be able to grab the rods manually to open it up.

 

If you heard little plastic bits rattling around when you opened it up, it's probably just some of the linkages or clips, not the handle itself.

Best bet is to hit up a parts recycler/pick n' pull type place if at all possible.

 

I'd skip the pick and pull for those and go with new if you can find them. The plastic rod guides etc have been a problem part since the first model T rolled off the line. They age and get brittle, then they break and you're stuck again. Swapping unserviceable 20 year old parts for other 20 year old parts is in all likelihood going to lead to the same situation in the future.

If there was a way to freshen or rebuild them, different story. But old plastic is old plastic.

 

my old ford had the same problem...metal rods plastic rod guides....

 

Just offering an alternative. With small parts like that, you sometimes end up having to buy the entire assembly just to get a couple little plastic pieces you need.


Another alternative, depending on which parts you need, is to just hit up your local home depot type store or Auto Zone or something. They've got lots of little plastic washers/connectors that might work for you, too.

 

what plastic connectors are you guys referring too? I did not get to see what was attached when i opened the panel to take a peak i heard brittle plastic fall apart and fall down. is this expensive to fix?

 

should look like the green pieces...two each.

 

It's a $5 dollar fix. Do both sides. Get them at any car parts store in packets called "Help". The rod goes thru the hole and the plastic wraps around the rod.

 

i think they are called linkage clips. do they look like this?ttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjN74Cap4DUAhVF22MKHbytDg4QtwIIMjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autozone.com%2Fscrews-pins-and-clips%2Ffuel-injection-linkage-clip-universal-type%2Fhelp-10-pcs-linkage-clip-assortment%2F426062_0_0&usg=AFQjCNGHRzu5FRjnDZ1kNIqMjjxdFZYhNw&sig2=t7DKYpOxSLy3QXeTeOcAWA

 

yep.

 

hell yea, thank you Tacoma brother saved me some money! i will try working on it tomorrow..

 

looks like the actual handle is broken ill have to order a new handle now.