Can't open Caddy tailgate - what a joke!

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

One of the tailgate handle  rod fell off/ dropped into the abyss due to a broken/ missing nylon insert in the metal rod clip. While taking the handle off to make more room to fish the rod out I managed to drop the other rod!

There is no way to jimmy the two latches! It is well protected! Why??? There is no lock on the tailgate, why design it so you can't jimmy it? Because the rods are at the bottom of narrow (3/4" ) and deep tailgate walls, it is very difficult to get purchase and fish them up.  Finally got them after 1/2 hour trying. VW could have put a catch in the wall to prevent the rods from dropping  to the bottom but didn't. Must be a joke!.

Have a set of clips coming from Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gen-Vw-Rabbit-Pickup-Caddy-Tailgate-Handle-Rod-Clip-/270698961624?pt=Motors_
Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f06ea5ad8&vxp=mtr

I'll be stuffing some foam in the walls to keep the rods from dropping again.

Anyone else run into this? Not fun!

[tyb525]

About as good of a design as a rubber belt keeping the valves and pistons from colliding I'd say.

[8v-of-fury]

About as good of a design as a rubber belt keeping the valves and pistons from colliding I'd say.

Lol. What is ironic about this is, is that it is stronger than a timing chain

[DanV990]

About as good of a design as a rubber belt keeping the valves and pistons from colliding I'd say.

Show me a 4 stroke OHV diesel that is a non interference motor. Oh wait a second you can't.

[8v-of-fury]

Only better design to that would be gear-to-gear driven, but even they have a failure rate I am sure..

[Gizmoman]

One if my recent favorites is putting the cold start cable into the IP linkage - swiveling clamp chingus and tightening the tiny screw - without moving anything
You know- down in the dark abyss between the pump , the injectors and the steel injector lines.

Good idea on the foam.

[8v-of-fury]

I do that before the pump gets installed... haha

[theman53]

Gears are better but they transmit more vibration than a belt, so yes you are correct in saying failures. Not as much timing but valve train takes a beating.

As far as the tailgate goes, I don't know what we could do to make it better now that they have it this way. Maybe only service it with it off the truck so you can turn it upside down to dig out the rods?

[81 vw pu]

As far as the tailgate goes, I don't know what we could do to make it better now that they have it this way. Maybe only service it with it off the truck so you can turn it upside down to dig out the rods?

Bingo, that's what I do. I have a special long screwdriver with a 90 on the end to release the latch on each side then pull the tailgate off and flip it upside down so rods fall back into position..

[rs899]

When I bought my caddy 20 years ago it had holes drilled in the surface side about 2" from each latch.  One inserts a screwdriver in each latch and jimmies.  That's the way I left it...

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

As far as the tailgate goes, I don't know what we could do to make it better now that they have it this way. Maybe only service it with it off the truck so you can turn it upside down to dig out the rods?

I was wondering if the Bentley says "if the rods drop, flip truck upside down to access rods and release latches to service tailgate"

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Bingo, that's what I do. I have a special long screwdriver with a 90 on the end to release the latch on each side then pull the tailgate off and flip it upside down so rods fall back into position..

Very curious of this setup. Where do you insert the screwdrivers? How long are they?

I also tried a magnet. Didn't work. All it did was stick to the tailgate walls.

[81 vw pu]

Bingo, that's what I do. I have a special long screwdriver with a 90 on the end to release the latch on each side then pull the tailgate off and flip it upside down so rods fall back into position..

Very curious of this setup. Where do you insert the screwdrivers? How long are they?

I also tried a magnet. Didn't work. All it did was stick to the tailgate walls.

If you look straight down between the bed end and tailgate you will see the latch. Insert long skinny flat tip screw driver (8" to 10")  with a short 90 degree angle on tip. You will see hole in the bracket where the spring loaded piece sticks through. Push the plunger back towards the center of tailgate while pulling outward on tailgate. Now repeat on other side if both rods are off.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Bingo, that's what I do. I have a special long screwdriver with a 90 on the end to release the latch on each side then pull the tailgate off and flip it upside down so rods fall back into position..

Very curious of this setup. Where do you insert the screwdrivers? How long are they?

I also tried a magnet. Didn't work. All it did was stick to the tailgate walls.

If you look straight down between the bed end and tailgate you will see the latch. Insert long skinny flat tip screw driver (8" to 10")  with a short 90 degree angle on tip. You will see hole in the bracket where the spring loaded piece sticks through. Push the plunger back towards the center of tailgate while pulling outward on tailgate. Now repeat on other side if both rods are off.

 Thanks, I'll practice that after I get the tailgate back on. Before I do that should I take the latches apart to lubricate? Anything to watch out for if I need to do that?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

 

If you look straight down between the bed end and tailgate you will see the latch. Insert long skinny flat tip screw driver (8" to 10")  with a short 90 degree angle on tip. You will see hole in the bracket where the spring loaded piece sticks through. Push the plunger back towards the center of tailgate while pulling outward on tailgate. Now repeat on other side if both rods are off.

 Thanks, I'll practice that after I get the tailgate back on. Before I do that should I take the latches apart to lubricate? Anything to watch out for if I need to do that?