I recently purchased a 1972 concours wagon to restore. I have a problem with the dual tailgate. I can't open it either way. Any suggestions.

DebbieJ

remove interior panel and check the mechanism

We have removed the inner panel already. The Fisher body manual taked about a window lock-out rod. We can't tell if the rod is hooked up properly. This could cause the tailgate to not open either direction. Any ideas on the lock-out rod.

Thanks for all the posts

Debbiej

Hi Debbie,

Now that you have the cover off, try and spay the mechanisms of the door(especially the rods) with a good lubricant, like WD-40 and let it sit for awhile and try and open the door again. After all these years, the mechanisn could have frozen, due to dried up grease.

As for the rod you mentioned, it is probably the one used for the window mechanism. There is a safety mechanism, that only lets the door open when the rear window is all the way down.

IF you can get to a factory service manual, the factory diagram will show all the mechanism parts for the rear door. Try usuing the a major public library, there should be a section for factory service manuals.

Kent.. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

i could be wrong but just remembering the wagons my dad had 30 years ago i think the tailgates would open out with glass up but not down.i have never owned a wagon but would like to have one. good luck

no, the gate will not open in either direction unless the glass is down. that is one thing to check, the limit switch that tells the gate that the window IS down could be no working so the gate thinks the window is up even if it is down and will not allow the latches to operate.