Tailgate Problem Situation

[Bjoern0115]

Heya.

During the past week, I've been working on a family move about an hour north of where we are now and the wagon has proved more than useful at replacing a U-haul.

The tailgate doesn't seem to enjoy the recent attention. I first discovered some issues when the entire world froze about 3 weeks ago. The door mechanisms all froze and wouldn't shut once opened, and I blame lack of grease on the workings and weather seals that are the same vintage as I am.

In the spring, I'm pulling everything apart to grease the windows, doors, locks and fix my locks so I can actually secure the car. The tailgate, on the other hand, seems to have different ideas.

Lately, opening it downwards work fine for the most part, but opening sideways as a doorgate is a gamble since it refuses to close again. Closing it with some force does not seem to help but it becomes slightly easier once the glass is rolled down. If I hold the door shut tightly and open it as a gate, the bottom latch will catch to work as a hinge, then I can close it no problem, so that's become the method of choice.

Last night, I did that, and opened and closed it a couple times to make sure, rolled up the glass and was on my way. About 5 miles into the journey, I noticed the rear dome was on, and terrified the gate would drop and shatter the window, I swerved to the side of the road to close it. The gate had come unlatched sideways (as a door) and was swinging free when I got around the car.

What could be causing the latch to hate me and hate being a latch? It's too cold out still for me to want to mess with anything, so I'm hoping the perhaps using it exclusively as a tailgate would solve this for the time-being.

Thanks in advance.

[marquisman]

sounds to me that, you need to take the inside panel off and look inside at the latches. im thinking, with the combination of your top latch bushing issue and a issue with the bottom latch catch is doing this. the latches work indipendantly, unless you want to "lock" the tailgate. my dads 88 wagon tailgate, for the longest time would always pop open. after looking and looking, i found the bottom latch somewhat rusty inside. the rust caused the "finger", that holds the latch closed, to have little movment and not hold the latch closed all the time. another thing that may be, is that the spring in the lower latch could be poped or broken. its hard to explain but, i hope you know what im trying to say lol. i wish i had an old tailgate, so i could cut it open to show what i mean. actually, the bottom latch is pretty much the same as the front doors. maybe someone has one handy and can take a pic of the back side of it?

[Bjoern0115]

I think I follow. Once I'm inside there, it'll make more sense.

If if helps anyone in the future, I'll try to take pics while I'm tearing it apart. I'm afraid, as I usually am, that it's a part that is impossible to find and expensive to replace. :/

[johnunit]

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?33479-1990-country-squire-resto-lowrider-in-UK/page13

You may find some helpful pics for visualising the issue (or having people describe them while referencing pics) in the above thread. Starting post 498.