Easy fix or stupidity

My tailgate wasn't opening, so as a normal human being I opened the whole thing and I found this:


Did some research, a new thing costs like $100. So I found some wires and decided too tie it.


It's gonna end up breaking again in a couple weeks, I'll then see how much of a thicker wire I should get and use that. It does the job tho

 

Looks like you only need the little red plastic clip doohicky to fix it properly.
That is what I would do. 9 dollars beats the crap out of 100 dollars every day.

Here are some that might work, It even shows a picture of a Tacoma.

$5 HERCOO Tailgate Handle Door Lock Rod Clips Left Right Driver Passenger Side Yellow White 5mm Rod Size for 69293-12030 69293-12040 Compatible with Tundra Camry Celica Corolla Echo Highlander

https://www.amazon.com/HERCOO-69293-12030-69293-12040-Compatible-Highlander/dp/B07RWWB12Z

 

Looks like it, search for "linkage clips".
Just need to find the right size.

 

Take it to a welder to tac weld?

I despise plastic clips.

 

The problem is installing it, I don't wanna deal with rivets, seems like too much work. I feel like this is good tho I'll see how this goes

 

They are easy to install, you put the clip in the hole, put the rod in the hole in the clip, and latch the clip over the rod.




There's also metal versions.

 

First one seems easy, the problem is the rivet, it's no ordinary screw I don't wanna break anything while removing it

 

Oh yea I see what your talking about now, that's interesting most tailgate handles just have the plastic clips clipped in not riveted in.

 

If it weren't for the rivet I could have, its annoying cuz you can't rlly do much about it other then buy a whole new handle which would be too much work for such a small issue

 

It's a brass rivet. Grabbing the head with a ViseGrips and lightly turning back and forth should loosen it enough to pull it out. Then use the plastic clip as a replacement. What have you got to lose? Worst case, you have to buy a new one.

What you did isn't going to last and may not work at all.

 

if you squint, it’s mint!

 

It does work but you have to pull this thing a little harder, And I ain't no mechanic and when I am I end up breaking it more lol