"Ted Wiegandt" <twiegandt@comcast.net> wrote:
: The tailgate on my 02 will not latch when it is cold unless I really slam it
: hard. Anyone know what the fix is?
There are a few possibilities:
- The nubs on each side of the tailgate aren't returning fully forward.
See http://archives.dakota-truck.net/0401/0592.html for more info on
that and some pictures of what I'm talking about.
- The pivot mechanism in the latch might be hanging up, you can open
the tailgate, remove the three screws on the top of the tailgate
(because its open - normally they are on the inside) which will allow
the handle to come out - lubricate that mechanism.
- If you have a plastic or spray-in bedliner, it might be interfering
with the tailgate slightly, and the cold just stiffens things up
enough to where the normal amount of pressure doesn't allow the
gate to close.
- The catch pins on each side of the bed might be at *just* the right
distance away from the latches such that when it gets cold, things
contract enough to where the latches can't grab them fully and lock.
If that is the case, you could move them towards the rear of the truck
ever so slightly; I belive you need a monster torx bit for that.
Its probably one of the first two; I'd mess with the pins only as a
last resort. Good luck!
--
-Jon-
.-- Jon Steiger ---- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com --.
| 67 Coronet, 70 Cuda, 90 Dakota 'vert, 92 Ram 4x4, 96 Dakota |
| 96 Intruder 1400, 96 Kolb FireFly, 99 Cherokee, 01 Ram 3500 CTD |
`------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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