[Drz]

This is a minor emergency actually, since I need the space for tomorrow. I crammed an aquarium in there this afternoon, which barely fit... but now that I want to take it out, I realized I hadn't thought about how the aquarium is blocking the circular handle on the gate. The tank is wedged in tonight, there's no hope of lifting it straight out of the bed.

Does anyone know a way to open the gate without using that handle? I hope I don't have to keep the aquarium in there forever!

 

[WearyEagle]

Now that's a real conundrum . . . .

There is an inside release on the left side of the inside of the truck bed, but I don't know if this also releases the gate.

Maybe a glass cutter will turn out being your most valuable tool. :lol

 

[Mike in AZ]

Opening the Tailgate Option

DRZ, Good news

Ok, the manuals didn't say a thing. I went to the garage and found your answer the old fashioned way.

There is an opening on each side of the tailgate for the side post to latch into the release mechanism. It looks kind of like a trunk latch on conventional GM cars. The slot is about 1.5" high and .75" wide. One on each side...

Put your index finger into the slot with the fingernail outboard and you will find a lever about 3/4" or so inside the tailgate with the soft side of your finger.

You have to be in the lower part of the opening, below the post that comes in from the side of the truck.

Push this lever directly horizontal toward the center of the truck. It will have to move about 1/2" to get the mechanism to release. It will let the gate release just a small amount because the other side is still latched. You'll know.

Go to the other side and push that lever horizontally toward the center of the tailgate until it releases also.

You might need a very slight amount of pull on the gate while doing this if your rubber seals are tired.

No, you won't lose a finger. I tried it and it works.

Good Luck, :thumbs

Mike

 

[artsmart]

This is a minor emergency actually, since I need the space for tomorrow. I crammed an aquarium in there this afternoon, which barely fit... but now that I want to take it out, I realized I hadn't thought about how the aquarium is blocking the circular handle on the gate. The tank is wedged in tonight, there's no hope of lifting it straight out of the bed.

Does anyone know a way to open the gate without using that handle? I hope I don't have to keep the aquarium in there forever!

Did almost the exact same thing this weekend...it wasn't an aquarium but some very large boxes with stainless steel containers. Luckily, my husband was able to lift it straight out while looking at me with one of those "expressions" :smash Glad to know, now, that there is another fix.

 

[lloger]

I went out to mine and took a picture. Hope this helps. That is a great tip. It should go in the tips thread. If you can't find it with your fingertip, go find another SSR, maybe at a dealership, and open the tailgate so you can look at it with the tailgate down. It is a black lever attached to a white phenolic block.

 

[Drz]

Mike, lloger, thank you so much! It worked absolutely perfectly. :thumbs There is absolutely no way I would have figured that out on my own, I can 100% guarantee I would have banged on the aquarium and grunted and swore all night, just like I did for the first 15 minutes before I came to the forum. Seriously, I can't thank you enough, you saved me a lot of hassle.

Again, thank you!! :thumbs :thumbs :thumbs

 

[wildcat66]

This is the greatest site!! Truely great people here too!

 

[Joe Schuhriemen]

Try the button in the glovebox. It will get you in.

Sarasota Joe

 

[41chevcoe]

Try the button in the glovebox. It will get you in.

Sarasota Joe

The button in the glovebox will open the cover but not the tailgate,I think the problem was after they opened the cover, the aquarium was against the tailgate release handle on the inside.I had a similar problem but was able to rearrange the cargo to get enough room to pull the handle

 

[Pretzel]

Thanks Mikem,
Might have to use that some day.

Cheers!

 

[freezer]

Another quirk; If there is pressure on the tailgate from the inside, i.e. a heavy box has shifted aft against the tailgate, then you cannot open the tailgate with the handle. You need to remove the pressure from the tailgate and push on the tailgate slightly to get it to unlatch. I took one completely apart to fix a "broken" latch that was not broken!

 

[mikepowell]

thanks! great tip!

I love this site :flag

 

[sweet34]

Stuck Tailgate

Another helpful hint from Mike!!!!woohoo

 

[Craniac]

Two bolts and one electrical connection and the cover comes off. Then stuff can be removed. It is possible for the cargo to relocate and block access to the two levers.

Probably take longer than the method above.

 

[mikebike]

I guess if we wanted to complicate things I think one could add a solenoid or 2 to release the tailgate

 

[Jtryagain80]

Does anyone know the part number for the release rod clips/linkage?