Tailgate Lock Spring

Levi

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
559
26
Cheyenne, WY
I put this together (mostly cut and paste) from a write-up that was shared with me a couple years ago.

Materials Needed:T30 Torx head, Needle Nose Pliers, Large Phillips, Small Phillips, Small flat head, WD-40, Socket Wrench, Beer, Patience. I ordered my springs from the ebay seller in the UK. It only took a week or so to get them.

The rear door cover is removed by first putting a socket on the handle and removing the 2 bolts.
Next pull on the door handle to access the small screw that holds the black cover for the door handle.
1.jpg

Use a Phillips to remove the 6 bolts holding the screen on the sub woofer . Use a Phillips to remove the bolts that hold the subwoofer surround on. Unplug the harness that holds the subwoofer. It should look like this:
2.jpg

Use a large flat head screw driver to pull the door studs out. Some will break but if you are careful maybe not many. Work your way under the door skin and one at a time wedge the studs out.
3.jpg

Unscrew these 7 bolts and save the parts. The one I marked has a small red washer on the other side. Make sure you save this to.
 
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Levi

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
559
26
Cheyenne, WY
Next unscrew these 2 bolts. This is when you will need the T30 although you could probably improvise a flat head screw driver or allen wrench.
4.jpg

Ok now comes the tricky parts. You have to disconnect all the rods that make all the parts work together. Each rod is held on with either a metal clip or plastic clip. I have circled all the places that you need to remove them.
5.jpg

Now you will be able to remove this whole “y” shaped part. Notice where I marked here that this plate at the top has a rod that fits thru it. It’s pretty obvious but I thought I would mention. This entire part encircled in green now comes out.
6.jpg
 
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Levi

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
559
26
Cheyenne, WY
All right now you are left with just the door lock mechanism that has to come out. This is a good time to take a break and drink one of those beers. There is one more rod attached to the door lock mechanism that you have to remove. I couldn’t get a picture of it but you will see it. This is when it helps to have small hands.
7.jpg

That rod has a small metal clip at the bottom that you have to save. Mine fell down in the door but it is easy to retrieve.
It is at this point that you have to remove the lock mechanism. Now after you try to maneuver it out for a while you are going to think that there is something you missed because there is no way this thing is coming out but it does. Lift it a little and turn and turn and lift and eventually you will be able to work it out. It would help to remember how you did it because you have to fit it back in but that’s for later.

Now here is a picture of the lock mechanism out. I have a screw driver pointed to where the spring goes. It was obvious on mine because there were pieces of broken spring in the two holes where the spring fits.
8.jpg

Here is a picture of the spring and the broken one in the background.
9.jpg
 
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Levi

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
559
26
Cheyenne, WY
There are 2 holes that this spring fits in. One is round and one is key hole shaped. Use the needle nose pliers and fit the end into the round hole first. Next flip the mechanism like this and use a flat head screw driver to press the other end of the spring down into the hole shaped like a key hole. Like this:
10.jpg

This is where the patience and the beer comes in. Might help if you are a watch maker or you are used to making little ships in bottles. Now spray the crap out of the thing with wd40. Now you have to fit the mechanism back in the door. Now if you took it out you know what a pain in the ass this is. You better drink another one of those beers first. Refit the door mechanism.

Now that you have it back in first screw in the 2 torx bolts at the end of the door. Don’t tighten them all the way yet. First put the small rod on in the way back that is connected to the lock mechanism that I did not have a picture of. Next fit back in the “Y” piece and connect all the rods to it. Make sure you fit the pull for the lock first or you might end up on the wrong side and have to disconnect them and redo them all.

Now after you connect all the rods screw this bolt in first. It’s a little trick because you have to put that red washer on the other side.
11.jpg

Ok now that you have done that you can tighten the 2 torx bolts at the end of the door. Now screw all the other parts back together and make sure you connect the door lock pull to the actuator.

It should look like this: (hopefully with less rust)
12.jpg
 
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Levi

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
559
26
Cheyenne, WY
Go ahead and test it!

Now make sure all the studs are connected to the back of the door skin. Use the crazy glue to glue on any that have broken. Start at the top and push then in one at a time.

Reconnect the subwoofer, the subwoofer surround and the subwoofer grill. Reattach to door grab handle. Now it should look like this:
13.jpg
 
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