Question about the tailgate????

[1987V204X4BURBinGA]

Hello

I have a question that I hope the experts can help me with.

On my 87 Surburban my tailgate wont latch on the passenger side. If you pull on it real hard it will come open.

I think that someone put a lot of weight on the tailgate, before I owned it, and this is why it wont close. When I bought it, I found both cables being snapped in two, and lots of what I think is cement dust in the gate.

The gate is pretty much free of rust, but like I said wont fully close.

I am wondering if this gate could be twisted, or if the passenger side hinge is what is keeping it from closing. ?
Does it have an adjustment on the latch?

I have found a two gates, but they are not cheap. 350.00 to 400.00 is the cheapest I can find. I dont want to shell out a bunch of money if it is a hinge, or a latch.

Any thoughts????

Thanks

[chevak20]

It has adjustments underneath the body, in front of the rear bumper, on the other end of the hinges. Look there if they had been moved by the heavy weight.

[Berg]

I know the rods inside that go from the latches to the handle sometimes stretch out and make it hard to release. After you pull on the handle on mine you have to push the gate in before it will release. I believe this was built in as a safety fixture. The little latch plates are adjustable with shims and by loosening the bolts that hold them on. Maybe you could get enough adjustment out of it and then maybe play around with the linkage to make sure it is pulling it enough. I'd try that stuff before replacing the gate.Good luck with it and keep us posted. I'm sure someone else will chime in too.

[1987V204X4BURBinGA]

Thank you both for the these inputs. I was messing with it last night and found that the latches are all full of gum and rust, the torque rod is bent in the middle, its actually bent up about an 1 1/2" from the gate, and the it looks the like the linkage in the handle may not be working properly.