Anyone have a picture of the tailgate harness connector?

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JD Martin

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I'm hoping one of you fine folks here has a picture of this thing.

I'm not a big fan of the "removable" tailgate on these trucks; I've had my tailgate pop off the right hinge a number of times when putting it up or down if you just happen to push on it the right way. Yes, it goes right back on, but I've had the left side come off too and suddenly I'm holding the whole tailgate. But that's a completely different story.

I suspect one of the times it came off, it pulled the plastic harness connector out of the plastic and (I think) broke a little piece of plastic. In any case, I cannot for the life of me figure out how this plastic harness bracket is supposed to be connected to the truck. There's two tabs on the top, and two on the bottom, and a "push" tab on the right hand side that the official Ram video shows that you push to pop this thing out - but how does it go back in? Are those tabs supposed to all be inside the plastic, which would make no sense, but it also doesn't work all of them outside the plastic. Are just the top inside and the bottom outside? Or is it staggered?

Right now mine is just floating in the open hole. It doesn't seem to be affecting opening or closing the tailgate, but I'd like to put it back the way it's supposed to be and I can't seem to find any pictures of it on the internet.
 

crash68

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I'm not a big fan of the "removable" tailgate on these trucks; I've had my tailgate pop off the right hinge a number of times when putting it up or down if you just happen to push on it the right way. Yes, it goes right back on, but I've had the left side come off too and suddenly I'm holding the whole tailgate. But that's a completely different story.
Put a stainless steel gear hose clamp around the right side hinge, the tailgate won't pop off anymore. If I remember correctly use something like a 72mm-80mm gear hose clamp.
If the left side hinge pops off there's a problem with that hinge.
 
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JD Martin

JD Martin

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That's a really good idea, thanks for that. The left side only comes off once the right side is off.

Does anyone have a picture of the harness plastic setup?
 

jawzs2

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You might want to browse thru either of these threads, pretty sure there's pictures of what your looking for. Hope it helps


 
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JD Martin

JD Martin

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Thanks all. There weren't any pictures that helped - half of them are dead from time anyway - but I figured it out. For posterity, the tabs on the top and bottom of the panel rest on the outside, while the tabs on the left and right go inside. Mine won't stay put because there's a piece of broken plastic where the right tab would rest behind, so I will have to figure out a fix. I'm sure it broke one of the times when the tailgate came off without me trying to take it off and I had to catch it to keep it from dangling. The hose clamp is an excellent idea and one I'm going to use when I get a second.
 

mikeru

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I'm curious to know what this certain way is that you close the tailgate when it comes loose. The only time I've had that happen was on an older work truck I used to own, I had some long lumber in the bed, and it was laying on the tailgate when I was closing it. I had to use more effort to close it than normal, and the right side came loose. But it's never happened if there wasn't extra weight on the tailgate.
 
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JD Martin

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I don't know if it ever came completely off putting it up but had it happen several times putting it down. If you have hold of it and maybe put some outward pressure on it, when it reaches the open slot on the tailgate bracket it can slip right off; that's what makes it an easy off tailgate. I'll add the hose clamp so it doesn't come off without me wanting it to do so.
 

GTyankee

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The clamp trick was first used when thieves were stealing Gen 4 Ram tailgates
Then thieves started carrying screwdrivers
Then companies started making it harder on the thieves

hose clamp

1647073166569.png

 

mikeru

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I don't know if it ever came completely off putting it up but had it happen several times putting it down. If you have hold of it and maybe put some outward pressure on it, when it reaches the open slot on the tailgate bracket it can slip right off; that's what makes it an easy off tailgate. I'll add the hose clamp so it doesn't come off without me wanting it to do so.
That's how every tailgate on every truck I've ever owned comes off. Lower or raise it until it's about 45 degrees and pull towards you. I guess until you add the hose clamp, try not to pull towards you when opening or closing it?
 

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moparpartsgiant.com shows tailgate elect wiring do u have classic ram
 
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