Blazer tailgate issues

[SDJunkMan]

The tailgate on my CUCV has been hard to open, and finally wouldn't open at all, so I had to remove the access panel from the inside and pull on the rods to get it open. It looks like everything in there is OK, just not getting enough pull on the rods. Any ideas for adjusting it? Should the rods be straight or have a bend in them? The inside handle looks like it might have a slight bend in it, but not enough to keep it fron activating the rods.

 

[dvdswan]

If you don't have any visual broken parts then they could be worn or clip guides are missing for the rods allowing movement. It's been a while since I've been in the gate.

Check the handle for sure. If you do not get the full pull effect of it the latches will not pop.

 

[Snoots]

The rods should have 'clearance' bends in them. Over time they may have stretched out some and need to be bent back to give you the correct travel to release the latch.

 

[SDJunkMan]

The rods should have 'clearance' bends in them. Over time they may have stretched out some and need to be bent back to give you the correct travel to release the latch.

That's what I was thinking. I'll try rebending them and see what happens. I don't see any otner way to adjust them.

 

[Snoots]

There should be no need to 'tweek' them too much.

 

[bucket]

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/suburban-tailgate.33669/#post-680569

Here you go, the Suburban handle and mechanism is the same.

 

[bucket]

If you bend the rods that go out to the latches on the sides, the tailgate may not latch fully anymore.

 

[SDJunkMan]

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/suburban-tailgate.33669/#post-680569

Here you go, the Suburban handle and mechanism is the same.

Thanks Bucket, I'll have to check my parts stash because I think I saved some Suburban tailgate parts. Been too hot to mess with it today.

 

[Raider L]

Most all the tailgate handles have a slight angle to them. Years ago I would see that on trucks that were just a year or two old. I think they are made that way as a ergonomic angle to the handle. I know that may sound silly, but I assure you, you drive around and I'll bet you'll start seeing Chevy trucks with the tailgate handle angled! Before I took my tailgate off it was angled to.

 

[SDJunkMan]

Put the burb handle on and lubed everything, working fine again. The handle that was on it was bent pretty bad inside the tailgate. Couldn't really tell until I removed it.