[Diesel Dog]

My tailgate "sticks" on my '00 F 350 you have to push on the gate and work the handle at the same time. Anyone have the knowhow and care to share it on how to make it work correctly?? Or at least what part I should play with first??

 

[JLayne]

how is it sticking, are the pins not retracting all the way or is there something out of line with the latches themselves?

my tailgate sticks and it its due to a bad handle or rather the mechanism behind it not moving the rods the proper distance... it has a sweet spot on it that i can find and open it but nobody else has any luck

so it could be that or i would look at the latches and strikers on the top rather than down at the hindge both truck side and gate side to make sure they are not corroded, worn, or bent. also make sure the plastic piece isn't missing from the striker post (post part on the truck). also look at the tailgate and make sure it isn't warped. check all the bolts and make sure they are tight. lastly have ever greased it? sticker posts and latches on the doors and tailgates are moving parts just like everything else and they need lube... but nobody ever lubes them.

if all that fails then your probably doing to have to figure out what is misalighned and shim it

 

[WNYPA]

Must be a 2000 model year security feature... I have that too.

 

[Diesel Dog]

Must be a 2000 model year security feature... I have that too.

Thats what I tell everyone!! I'm the only one that can get it open.

Thanks for the tips jlane...I'll get it scoped out. alittle lube would go a long way.

 

[JLayne]

Must be a 2000 model year security feature... I have that too.

well its not in my sig. but that makes 3 of us... mine is a '00 as well LOLLOL

 

[KarTek]

Well, count another '00 guy in here. My gate sticks like crazy. I literally have to jerk up on the handle to get it to pop loose. My gut tells me the latch pins are not aligned with each other. That is to say, when one side latches, the other has to continue a small amount before it latches too. This puts quite a strain on the latches and would create the sticky situation you describe.

I haven't looked at it too closely but I think the only way to adjust it is to move the pins that stick out from the bed to engage the gate latches. I believe (haven't tried it out yet) that if you loosen them with a Torx (T50 maybe) that you will be able to re-position them for a better fit.

 

[KarTek]

Just as a follow up, I checked it this weekend and the gate is fully adjustable - hinges and latch pins. The hinges have 2 T50 Torx bolts each. Loostening them allows the hinge to move about 1/4" in all directions. The latch pins have just the one T50 head and loostening this one allows the pin to move 1/4" in all directions.

I took about 15 min. to do the work and the gate works normally now!

 

[Diesel Dog]

Just did mine, took all of 5 min. All I had to do was loosen the top posts and slide them back about 1/8 inch. works like new!!!

 

[diesel_ram_man]

a buddy of mine has a 2001 dodge 3500 and his is like that too you have to push against the tailgate while lifting the handle to get it to drop open.

 

[Diesel Dog]

It's probly that easy to fix on a Dodge too !!

 

[JohnsGarage]

Hi, this seems to be an old post but I just want to share my tailgate assist shock. I'm too old already to open/close the tailgate since I always carry load on the bed. I've been having pains in my elbows and wrists that make it difficult for me to access the tailgate. For those, having the same situation like me, I came across this article where I knew which one would best fit my truck, here.