Tailgate handle trouble

[Diesel Dave]

Today I went to open tailgate to find it would not. Discovered one of the pullrod clips(plastic) had broken which let one rod fall off. Therefore I cannot open the tailgate. Does anyone know if removing the 3 bolts on the backside of the tailgate will allow the handle to come out so I can replace this clip. Thanks. DD

[Troy]

Yes. Same thing happened to mine. I used a plastic wire tie to hold in place. It has held for 2 years that way over some fairly rough roads.

[Diesel Dave]

Thanks Troy! But how did you recover the rod to fasten it back in place? Thanks DD :(

[Troy]

I don't recall all the details. I probably fished it out with a metal coat hanger or light weight banding wire. Mine was just broken on the latch side and once I retrieved the rod it wasn't difficult to rig a fix. You could probably buy the plastic holding thingies but I decided that in the heat of the desert it wouldn't last any longer the 2nd time around.

Good luck.

[Will Bonner]

Take one of the plastic pos to "NAPA" and they can replace it with a metal one, like the ones used on the door handle rod. You can also go to a well stock hardware store and use the round clips like the ones used to hold on the wheels of Bar-B-Q grills.