How do you get the tailgate open on station wagon 68 satellite?

[Wizard]

Have a 68 Satellite station wagon that I just rolled the back window down manually and now I can't get the window back up. so I figured it needs lubed up and trying to get the tailgate open but cant to take off the panel to get to the window mechanism gears and rollers.

There is a lever on the inside of the door that says Gate and Door. Does that have anything to do with it or maybe the door is locked and need to put key in it and unlock it.

Thnks,

Wizard

 

[peabodyracin]

You move the lever one way to have it open as a door (hinges on the driver's side) and the other way to open as a tail gate. If I recall correctly there is a mechanism on the passenger side that prevents you from opening either way unless the glass is all the way down. Unfortunately in order to get at that you have to have the inner panel off. I know I'd been able to remove that panel with the gate up on 3 b body wagons I've owned over the years. One was a 62, a 66 and a 69. Be careful trying to force the window crank. The coupler that hooks the crank/lock mechanism to the window mechanism is cast aluminum and will snap on you. They're tough to find. (The key slot in the crank handle just locks/unlocks the window mechanism. No effect on the door.)

 

[YY1]

I had to directly connect a battery to the gate window motor on my 67, as the current from the car's battery wasn't strong enough through all the wiring.

I also liberally sprayed WD-40 everywhere I could see that had a latch, hinge, or a gear, including the handle mechanisms.

Eventually it opened. The hinges were very bound up with rust and had to be rocked back and forth before it would open fully.

Note that 67 is fold down only, while 68 is fold down or swing out IIRC.

 

[pushrod]

On the driver side, with the window down. You can see the catch that opens the gate.a long flat screwdriver will flip it open. Allowing access.

 

[Wizard]

On the driver side, with the window down. You can see the catch that opens the gate.a long flat screwdriver will flip it open. Allowing access.

Okay, will check that out. which side is the hinges on? Driver side or passenger side?

 

[pushrod]

Passenger.

 

[64 Sportfury]

Driver side for door mode. Both sides for gate mode.

 

[kiwigtx]

If all else fails...

 

[derush]

On the driver side, with the window down. You can see the catch that opens the gate.a long flat screwdriver will flip it open. Allowing access.

i to am having issues with the tailgate , where exactly is the catch located , i see the linkage going to the dr. side mech. ?any help would be greatly appreciated , thanks ed

 

[pushrod]

With the window down look on the driver side and you will see a rod end attached to the latch mechanism. Push the tailgate
Latch toward where it says door,(left) and using a flat blade screwdriver pry the latch toward the right.
If you remove the cover you can grip the rod with vise grips and tap it to the right with a hammer while pushing the lever.
You must release it with the lever
anytime you are trying to open it.
It helps if you have three hands.

 

[kiwigtx]

Okay, will check that out. which side is the hinges on? Driver side or passenger side?

Any update on the tail gate?

 

[70chall440]

I am working on a 69 right now, to open in gate mode, both top latches have to release. To open in door mode, both right (pass) side latches have to release. In my case I cannot get the upper left (driver) side latch to release in order to open it as a gate, but I can open it as a door. Pulling on the rod doesnt do anything.

As said, the window has to be all the way down, there is a safety level in there that the window pushes down that allows the latches to release. Its a pretty complicated system.

 

[Kern Dog]

I also liberally sprayed WD-40

NO Politics in the tech forums, please.

 

[kiwigtx]

NO Politics in the tech forums, please.

..................................................................

 

[69a100]

Maybe this will help? Good Luck
https://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/threads/how-to-open-tailgate-1965-new-yorker-wagon.51260/

 

[derush]

lots of info there but it primarily for 1965, and the 68 is pretty different , if i slide it to gate what do the rods release on the mechanisms on each side , my lever will slide , but the mech. are not releasing for some reason , and i have the window all the way down and the safety is released .

 

[70chall440]

I am no expert on this and I am working on a 69 but I would think they would be similar.

IMO, the way this is supposed to work is this, when the window is all the way down it pulls down an interlock rod, then you would slide the knob in the direction of whichever way you want the gate to open;

- for the door: pushing the knob to door pulls 2 rods (or perhaps it is just one to one latch that has another connected to it), that rod/s release the upper and lower claw latches on the right /passenger side (look just like a door latch) and you can swing the gate open (opening from the passenger side towards the drivers side).

- for the gate: same deal, window down, pushing the knob to "gate" pulls a long rod that goes to the left latch and another short rod going to the left latch. Theoretically the top 2 latches would release but the right lower latch would remain allowing the tailgate to lower down like a pickup tailgate. I say "theoretically" because I have yet to get the one I am working on to work in the gate mode.

 

[Ron H]

NO Politics in the tech forums, please.

Oh you're saying he should have conservatively sprayed...maybe moderately...**** no way not to make this political.

 

[derush]

I am no expert on this and I am working on a 69 but I would think they would be similar.

IMO, the way this is supposed to work is this, when the window is all the way down it pulls down an interlock rod, then you would slide the knob in the direction of whichever way you want the gate to open;

- for the door: pushing the knob to door pulls 2 rods (or perhaps it is just one to one latch that has another connected to it), that rod/s release the upper and lower claw latches on the right /passenger side (look just like a door latch) and you can swing the gate open (opening from the passenger side towards the drivers side).

- for the gate: same deal, window down, pushing the knob to "gate" pulls a long rod that goes to the left latch and another short rod going to the left latch. Theoretically the top 2 latches would release but the right lower latch would remain allowing the tailgate to lower down like a pickup tailgate. I say "theoretically" because I have yet to get the one I am working on to work in the gate mode.

finally got it, hey does any buddy know if the swivels on the adjustable threaded rod linkage that control the tailgate is still available from anywhere, there a at lease two of these in the tailgate , most are the typ. ell linkage with the clip that hold the ell on to the hole , but these ones are for the adjustable threaded linkage rod, thanks for all the help guys , ed

 

[Moparnocar]

Maybe this will help? Good Luck
https://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/threads/how-to-open-tailgate-1965-new-yorker-wagon.51260/

Ha! I was reading this whole thread when I happened apon this post, that 65 is mine and I did FINALLY get it open. Way different than a b body wagon