need help with broken taigate latch

[87mjdriver]

Inthe middle of moving my family this weekend, my tailgate latch breaks in the closed position.

 

I need some help with this,

first my bed is rhino lined and the idiots that did it sprayed over the bolts in the bed. Is that the only 2 bolts on the bed side? and is there a access panel or is it just the bolts that hold the latch in?

 

After I get the latch out what am I going to be fishing for, is it a cable that goes from the latch to the mechanism on the bed side?

 

how can I fix the cable system do I just need to get a whole set from a donor?

 

Thanks for any help guys

[comanchedude]

There are three torx head bolts that hold the handle on the tails gate

So if bed liner is covering them, you will have to get that off first

Then there is a rod that goes to each side

Now you should be able to take a thin flat blade screwdriver and "walk" the latch back to open the gate (look at were it latches near the top and slide the screw driver blade in against the latch and force it back enough to clear the latch boss) after the gate is open then you can remove them and replace the rod or the latch whatever has failed

[87mjdriver]

thanks for the help is there really three torx bolts I can only make out 2. is the 3rd above or below the 2?

 

thanks

[Xacto]

It's only two bolts according to the manual. Maybe this will be of help:

 

[Eagle]

It's definitely three. I've replaced a couple of handles. The third is out of line from the other two but I don't recall offhand if it was higher or lower.

 

But definitely three.

[comanchedude]

The third one is above the two