Hello guy's and gal's

I have a 1988 Ranger with a tailgate that will not open. There is some movement of the rods when the handle is pulled up. There is evidence of the former owner using a screw driver to open it with. Unfortunately it was his grandfather opening it, he had never dropped the tailgate. Had no idea how to get it open. My SportTrac has a different latching mechanism, I just need a picture or help with how to manipulate the latch. I purchased a new tailgate for the truck, but it didn't have any hardware.

Thanks for any help provided,
Nascar_red

 

I dont remember if that gen tailgate had an access panel on the inside bed side of the tailgate, if not you will have to remove the two screws that secure the tailgate handle to the tailgate and then pull on each actuator rods to pull the sears in to get the gate open. Once its open you may have to adjust the catches so the sears dont catch as much. Once the tailgate handle mechanism is worn there is really no adjustment. Might have to bend and tweak the rods to shorten them up a bit so the handle can pull them in far enough to release the gate.

 

Thank you, really wanted a second opinion on what I was thinking of doing.

 

You can also use a flathead screwdriver to pry the sears back. One side of my tailgate handle is broke so thats what I do.

 

We just take ours off 9 months of the year, because my dad crunched it against the barn and it barely works. But yeah try what Collin said.

 

It's not a good idea to leave it off for long periods of time. It's part of the beds structure and you will notice your bedside starting to sag inward.

 

^^^ Really? Guess I had never figured this... Could that be why the steps on the bedsides are junk? The driver side one is worse than the pass side. But you step on them and they just sag under the weight when they used to be solid.