Stuck Tailgate 2000 Chevy Silverado 2500

[gregdennis53]

Feel free to laugh at me later, but I have a serious question and problem. When I was loading the camper in March I must have bumped the metal box protecting the utility connections on my Lance against the steel stud that the tailgate latches to. When I removed my camper from the truck in July the steel stud on the driver's side was bent toward the cab (along with a bit of the surrounding sheet metal). I tried to straighten it with a hammer but that did not work. My wife urgently needed me to haul a few loads of topsoil and bark dust so I used brute force to make the tail gate latch. Now I need to remove the tail gate so I can mount my camper for a fishing trip. I have tried everything I can think of to get the tailgate to unlatch. This morning I put a bottle jack and a 2x4 in the bed and had my wife lift the tailgate latch while I pumped the bottle jack but everything is still stuck. I have to leave in two days for a long fishing trip. I have decided to use my sawzall to cut the tail gate in pieces so I can remove it and then buy another tailgate when I need it next summer. It appears new tailgates only cost a couple hundred dollars (plus painting to match). Any other ideas? I need to fix this by tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest.

Thanks and Happy Camping.

[wnjj]

Edited. OP was successful.

[gregdennis53]

mkirsch wrote:
Even if you cut the tailgate it may not release.

First off if the pin was bent forward, pushing BACKWARD on the tailgate will not help the situation. You need to relieve the pressure on the pin, not add to it.

MKirsch, I owe you a salmon fishing trip. I used a couple woodworking clamps to pull the tailgate forward and it released immediately. And I think I can use a piece of galvanized pipe to straighten out the pin so it does not happen again.

Thanks, and I will PM you my information - I am serious about that salmon fishing trip.

Greg

[wnjj]

Wrap a block of wood in a blanket. Then find a tree or building you can back GENTLY toward with the block of wood between it and the top or edge of the gate. Once there is pressure on it, have someone lift the latch and hold it up as you pull away.

[gregdennis53]

mkirsch wrote:
Even if you cut the tailgate it may not release.

First off if the pin was bent forward, pushing BACKWARD on the tailgate will not help the situation. You need to relieve the pressure on the pin, not add to it.

Thanks to all for the ideas. The body shop can't fit me in until the last Thursday in August and I need to leave for Canada on Wednesday. But the above idea is interesting. I have a lot of woodworking clamps and I will try to put one end of a clamp in the "stake well" in the bed on the middle of the driver side and see if I can tighten the clamp and move the top of the tailgate toward the front of the pickup to release pressure on the latch.

As always, you guys are a great source of ideas.

Happy Camping!

greg

[wyocowboy00]

gbopp wrote:
Do you have a local body shop? Maybe they can help.

That is what I would try.

[gbopp]

Do you have a local body shop? Maybe they can help.

[AnEv942]

If it had access panels on the inside to the release rods you might have better luck forcing it open.
Possibly jacking truck at rear corner to twist.
Never tried, mine has small cut outs where pin passes the inside wall of gate- I can see pin and pawls, might get a screwdriver to pry the pawls off pin from bed side.

If you end up cutting I'd remove as much as possible- panels release rod etc. shells cheap

[bcguy2]

Looks like it's to tight at the bent edge...could you use an angle grinder to remove some of the inside of the tailgate to relieve the pressure? Good luck!

[mkirsch]

Even if you cut the tailgate it may not release.

First off if the pin was bent forward, pushing BACKWARD on the tailgate will not help the situation. You need to relieve the pressure on the pin, not add to it.