Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister-B
Mine is centered, and it doesn't have any side to side play. Those guides are fine. You know that spring latch on either side? One latches in fine and has plenty of overlap to keep it in place. The other side doesn't overlap enough when it pops through, and so the slightest bump pops it out. This tailgate is not original, although it has probably been on the truck for 30 years.
What do you mean by a come a long?
Thanks for your help!
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Sometimes if our trucks run without a gate for a while and get loaded (used for a truck) The sides of the bed will spread out. A come-a-long is a tool that you can use to hook in the stake pockets and pull the bed sides back to there original location. It sometimes is not even noticable to the eye but has an impact on the gate latching.
It does not sound like you have this problem. If your gaps between the bed sides and the gate are good then I would check the latch it self. Is it extending out as far as it can. These are spring loaded and sometimes the springs get weak. That with some natural aging will make them stick. make surte it is coming all the way out. use the good side as a guide.
If the latch is working as it should, you may have to shim it out. I would start with some 3/8 flat washers and stack them to about a 1/4 inch thick and place them in between the latch and the gate. If you have a way to cut a slot in the washers, then you don't have to remove the bolts all the way.
Look at the photos that magwakeenercew2jh posted above. You can either shim the latch in the gate or shim the stricker that is bolted to the bed side.