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Tailgate Troubles

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  super98lsc 
#1 ·
Been trying to get the tailgate opened on my 85 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Window is up and won't lower which by my understanding it has to be down to allow the tailgate to open. Now I think the motor is bad but I can't seem to get to it. At any rate everything inside the door as far as the window goes seems to be just plain stuck and it looks like this thing has to be open to work on it. Short of breaking out the pry bar and torch I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Checked fuse? Power to fuse?
If you can remove the carpet, inspection panel. There are two round clips, one on either side. Remove the clips, pick up on the track, pull the arms out of the track, lower window.
If it will not move with either switch, you may be able to jump the motor to lower window, getting the panel off is the first step either way
 
#3 ·
Do not break the window. As stated above, remove the rear access panel. There are two circ clips on the outside edges of the window channel(it holds the window up. First thing to do is put something underneath the window to support the weight of the window. Next, using a long flat head screwdriver(I found this to be the best tool) remove the circ clips that hold the arms to the lower window channel. Do not remove the arms until both clips are out. Remove one side then the other and then remove whatever support you were using then lower the window.
 
#5 ·
Under the truck there is also a wiring harness that supplies power to the rear window motor. Its run with the trailer/brake harnesses. It should be a big red wire paired with a thinner black one. Make certain you have juice there.
 
#6 ·
Phillips.
When you take off the inspection panel and look up you will see the metal frame that holds the bottom of the window.
Once you have identified that follow the bottom of it with your eyes towards either the right or left side (there are clips on both sides and both will have to come off) You will see a long oval shaped loop on the bottom of the metal channel. you will see an arm coming from the middle of the tailgate to the oval shaped loop. The arm has a stud on the end that goes into the loop. That stud is held on by a circle clip(circlip). You remove that but leave the stud in the loop(this holds up the window). Do the same on the other side(remove the circlip). Now that both circlips have been removed you can push the studs out of the loop. You MUST hold on to the window as you are doing this or it will fall hard into the gate possibly breaking it. Once both have been removed you can lower the glass. Lower your tailgate. At this point you MUST disconnect the defroster connection (there are two, one on either side). You can then gently (using tow people) remove the glass so you can work on your tailgate motor.

I had similar issues. My channel was so rusty that it had split and widened to the point where the window would catch and not go up and down more than a couple of inches. I replaced the channel and it works fine now.

There was no motor issue.
 
#7 ·
All right, I think I've figured out what I'm doing, located the clips. Super98lsc, thanks for explaining that wiring to me, had no power there, a bad splice further up. Not sure why the wire had been spliced but its fixed now. Power to the door but the motor still wont work. I don't have a garage to work in so I'm waiting for A: a new motor to get here and B: the rain to stop before I take stuff apart.
 
#8 ·
Cool, Also check the safety switch which is on the driver side of the tailgate. Its a little lever that gets pressed back whenever the tailgate is closed this switch allows power to the motor. Its there to prevent the window from opening when the tailgate is down. Usually you can slide a small flat head into the slot between the t-gate and the side of the truck and push the lever. Or if you have the inside apart just bypass that switch (they go bad) and see if the motor powers up. Unless of course you have already tested for motor power.
 
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