Tailgate operation - schematic?

[buckslayer]

Guys - the "plunger" (for lack of proper term) on one side of my tailgate doesn't pop back out when it's retracted with the handle during opening. I've tried lubing it, but the only way it'll spring back is if I fiddle with a screwdriver. Does anybody have a schematic of the internals or can you help me out here?

Thanks

[leveldowen]

What year truck is this? If its a pre-88, you can just take the three bolts off the handle, pop out the rods, then take the two bolts out of each of the latches, and pull them out with the rods attached to them. You should be able to clean out all of the corrosion in the latches and pack them with some heavy grease to prevent further corrosion, and put it all back together. Or its just busted and you need to get a new latch. The key is that you can't really lube them completely without taking them out of the tailgate.

[buckslayer]

It's a 1997. Does the above description still apply?