I have a tailgate that will not open in either the sideways direction or the flip-down position. The window is completely down (bottomed out) and there is no lock that is involved. The handle that opens the door sideways turns freely and I can see from looking down inside the tailgater that it is making contact with the latch but it doesn't really move the striking plate much. As for the flip-down handle it will not move at all. The tailgate is solidly closed, it is not in an "in-between" state, if you know what I mean. The back of the tailgate cannot be removed while the door is closed as a row of screws are at the bottom of the door (which can not be reached). Any suggestions??? I would think that there must be some procedure for this scenario, but the standard Ford/Mercury shop manual only outlines corrections to problems when the door is open. I find it difficult to believe that the answer to correcting this problem is cutting a hole in the door to access the latch assembly. Help? Martin
Can you remove just the screws you can reach on the inside panel and pull it away from the gate (even though it's still attached at the bottom)? -- If so, then you can get inside and possibly see what's causing to jam.
There's a type of coax screwdriver extension that Black and Decker offer for their small battery powered drills that might help you open the inside panel. Have you tried using a coat-hanger to get the latch to open up?
when the window drops..it hits a latch of sorts that releases the locking assembly. when you have the window all the way down just try pressing down on the glass and see if it releases....otherwise the 'rod' that is connected to all that stuff may have come undone/broken. but you should be able to Magyver something to at least get it open once ...so you can get the inner cover off hopefully
I've removed all the screws that I can actually see. However, I'm guessing that at the top of the inside panel is a lip that holds on the panel; the only way to remove the panel is to lift it up before it will come off. Therefore, you have to have the door open and remove the bottom screws before that panel can be removed. As for the window being down all the way, it appears to be bottomed out. I have a compounded problem that I can't see everything at the bottom of the gate very well, as there are all kinds of leaves, acorns, and other debris that obstructs the view. I've used compressed air, a 3' screw driver, etc. to move the crap that's at the bottom around so I could see what's going on but it's difficult to see what's up. Going after the latch must be the way to go. I've spent several hours and my partner has spent an hour as well trying to figure out how to move the latch. It's getting really frustrating...
It sounds like the tailgate was really made 'tamperproof', maybe 'ownerproof', although I saw 'winged one's' post in your restoration thread, and that should let you tamper.
Tailgate Woes I took my 89 Ford to a body shop and had them re-align it. Just a thought- they should be able to get yours working if it is a good shop.
I know you said it's not a lock problem, but you are sure the tailgate is unlocked, right? How funny would that be if you've been spending all this time trying to get to it when all you had to do was to unlock the silly thing!
heres comedy for ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....mine started doing the same thing today>>>.....now i gotta listen to myself??????
It's funny you said to double check the lock. I purchased a '72 Colony Park recently and the prior owner said the left rear passenger door was stuck closed. Well, after tugging on the lock knob for a moment, up it popped and the door opened flawlessly. Chris
Similar story. I was off roading quite some time ago in a Bronco II. I was on a very marshy island right off the causeway leading to Long Beach Island, New Jersey. I ventured was too close to the bay and got it stuck in the goopy muck. Couldn't get her out of there nohow. So, I got out, as did my buddy, and checked out the situation. When I got back in, it seemed even more stuck. After about an hour, we decided the suction was holding it tight and we had to call Stone Bros out of Barnegat to come tow us out. They got there, hooked it up and they couldn't budge it either. Suddenly, it struck me that I was so in the habit of putting on the emergency brake every time I'd get out of any car I was driving, that I probably did that when I first exited. Guess what! I released the emergency brake and the tide had gone out enough to dry up the mud and backed the little sucker out under its own power, Duhhhhhh!! I still had to pay the tow guy, though.
Here is the story of how i managed to get a FREE 1966 fairlane. My dad call me one day and says the neighbor is going to have his car hauled off to the wrecking yard and wanted to know if i might want it before he does. At first i thought nope must be a pos. but when i found out it was a fairlane over there i went. After getting the paper work in order the owner tells me that he cant get any doors to open even though they are unlocked. he had even tried prying them open:banghead3:, but no luck. anyway long story short.....oh wait too late. anyway title in my hand i went to the car pushed in the button on the door handle pushed down on the door handle with all my weight and "pop" the door opened. I drove the car home. My buddy back in high school had an old ford that you had to that to in order to open the drivers door. needless to say all the guy had to say was
