99 two-door tailgate sticks

[Old Fixer]

The glass window opens with the actuators but the tailgate itself requires a crisp jerk on the latch to open. Unfortunately, the owner is a little lady who cannot create the thrust/leverage to accomplish this w/o a stepstool. I've lubricated all the actions and they seem to perform all right, but the problem seems to be that it's binding on the driver's side latch pin in the frame. It's a second-owner car with no history of damage, but who knows? The pin has a large hex socket in it and I'm wondering if these can be loosened and adjusted, even a little bit might help.

Other suggestions are welcomed.

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like an alignment problem. Need to look where the drag is and see if there is ability to adjust at the hinge or latch to remedy.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

As stted above, it sounds like an alignment issue. Inspect the hinges to determine if one of them was somehow slightly bent. Also look at the bottom latch assembly, both on the door and the truck body, to see how they align.

 

[Old Fixer]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like an alignment problem. Need to look where the drag is and see if there is ability to adjust at the hinge or latch to remedy.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, too. I see the drag on that driver's side pin but back to the question about those catch pins or knobs, whatever you want to call them. Can they be loosened with an Allen wrench and moved without fear of dropping a retaining nut inside the frame?

 

[Miami-Dade]

Welcome from Miami!

 

[repairman54]

Door strikers can be loosened. Just enough to give it a tap to move it.

 

[OR VietVet]

Door strikers can be loosened. Just enough to give it a tap to move it.

Yes, what I was gonna say. I have a very small hammer, I call it my "tick hammer" and when you loosen them just enough to use a small tap, like @repairman54 said. You should be able to see the outline of where it was tight before, after you move it.

Make sure that if you adjust, you tighten back down before checking the drag/alignment each time.