TC Retired
Senior Member
My Aluminum topper could be a nightmare if a rodent were to chew or corrosion or wire breaks... It latches inside the bed...
How do I manually open my 2024 Ram tailgate?
- Thread starter 3TV
- Start date
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Hardracer
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Though I don't have this newer model this really seems stupid.how could the genius engineers not ever figure that there could be a chance of this shutting without power....no back-up plan for for getting it open?ya really dumb to me.
OP
OP
3TV
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Yup, like I said earlier, a really really stupid design. What is someone going to do if they are towing a fifth wheel trailer and they have an electrical component fail that kills power to the truck, such as one of the several control modules. If it is something that requires the truck to be towed to a service center to fix, you can forget that. A tow truck isn't going to be so happy having to tow a Ram HD with a 40' fifth wheel behind it. And how is the service center going to get that inside their shop to work on it. And if Ram service centers have a specialty tool that consist of a remote battery and jumper cable to connect to the wires inside the tailgate after removing the service panel, my dealership's service center knew nothing about it.
TC Retired
Senior Member
Can you share the schematic pls. For those of us with hard toppers that would be a very good tool box addition...
OP
OP
3TV
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I'm not sure what you are asking. I don't have a schematic.
TC Retired
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What ever you have, wiring, plug(s) needed, location of said plug. size of battery need and so on. Thanks in advance...
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You need to supply 12v to the solenoid inside the access panel, use a test probe and pierce the wire to supply 12v to the solenoid.
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Not the same issue as the OP, but my dislike too for these electronic solenoids. My minor issue is the solenoids on my ramboxes on my 2022. Many times I go to push the button to open the lid and I have to press the unlock button on my FOB. It’s not all the time, but I liked the regular push buttons on my older (2015-2018)
PrecisionEngineer
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There is most definitely a manual lever. It’s on the back side of the mechanism. Gotta snake your fingers over the top and press the lever with the tip of your finger.
PrecisionEngineer
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Passenger side is over the top and down. driver side is under the bottom and up. It’s the same mechanism just upside down.
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Happy_Camper
Junior Member
Well, I stumbled across this thread while having a similar issue to the OP's.
I have had Ram 2500 trucks since 2008, and I've just traded in my 2018 for a 2024. One of the major reasons I will use this truck is to haul a truck camper. I am very experienced with taking the tailgates off, but Ram really threw me a curve ball with this one. They've gone from one plug between the tailgate and truck, to three plugs. The first two are easy to access. The third is impossible. Combine that with an electric latch and the result is just stupid.
I was trying to take my tailgate off in the middle of a snowstorm last week, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get to the third plug. I finally decided to come inside to warm up and look it up on the interwebs. Of course, I closed the tailgate before I went inside so the gap wouldn't fill with snow. Hahahaha. Yeah. There was no opening it after that.
I ended up driving it back down to the dealer. They had encountered this once before with someone else who had a truck camper. They lowered the spare tire in order to access the plugs, and they said that was the only way to access the third plug to remove or install the tailgate. Absolutely absurd design.
The dealership apparently rigged up a longer wiring harness for the previous customer and they'll do that for me later this week. They said very few people actually remove the tailgate so it's probably a design flaw that won't matter to RAM. Ugh.
TLDR: If you close the tailgate and can't reopen it, lower the spare tire and you will be able to access the plugs. And then write a letter to RAM to explain why their new design is absurd.
I have had Ram 2500 trucks since 2008, and I've just traded in my 2018 for a 2024. One of the major reasons I will use this truck is to haul a truck camper. I am very experienced with taking the tailgates off, but Ram really threw me a curve ball with this one. They've gone from one plug between the tailgate and truck, to three plugs. The first two are easy to access. The third is impossible. Combine that with an electric latch and the result is just stupid.
I was trying to take my tailgate off in the middle of a snowstorm last week, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get to the third plug. I finally decided to come inside to warm up and look it up on the interwebs. Of course, I closed the tailgate before I went inside so the gap wouldn't fill with snow. Hahahaha. Yeah. There was no opening it after that.
I ended up driving it back down to the dealer. They had encountered this once before with someone else who had a truck camper. They lowered the spare tire in order to access the plugs, and they said that was the only way to access the third plug to remove or install the tailgate. Absolutely absurd design.
The dealership apparently rigged up a longer wiring harness for the previous customer and they'll do that for me later this week. They said very few people actually remove the tailgate so it's probably a design flaw that won't matter to RAM. Ugh.
TLDR: If you close the tailgate and can't reopen it, lower the spare tire and you will be able to access the plugs. And then write a letter to RAM to explain why their new design is absurd.
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I wonder what the dimensions of newer tailgates are
Could a person fit an older tailgate with manual release into a newer tailgates place ?
Or maybe just switch tailgate handles ??
it looks like a 2018 & a 2024 Ram Tailgate, are the same width & height
60" wide
21.4" tall
Could a person fit an older tailgate with manual release into a newer tailgates place ?
Or maybe just switch tailgate handles ??
it looks like a 2018 & a 2024 Ram Tailgate, are the same width & height
60" wide
21.4" tall
Last edited:
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2009 - 2018 tailgate
top cap is curved, holds water, on the 2009 - 2018
2019 - 2024
top cap is flat on the 2019 - 2024
top cap is curved, holds water, on the 2009 - 2018
2019 - 2024
top cap is flat on the 2019 - 2024
Last edited:
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When I brought this truck home in Mar 2023, I didn't know before I picked it up that it had an electronic-only lock on the tailgate. I got hold of my salesman and asked him to check and see if I could swap it for a manual, or at least a dual-lock type and told him I'd just buy it if I had to and throw this one away. He checked everywhere for several days and got back to me with a, "Nope, there is no tailgate for your truck other than electronic-only lock."
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Wasn't there a Ram 1500 Tradesman built in that year/
They surely would not have Electric Tailgate on those, would they ?
They surely would not have Electric Tailgate on those, would they ?
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2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 6'4 Box Truck For Sale Chamblee GA
under Exterior
Manual Tailgate/Rear Door Lock
2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 6'4 Box 4X4 Truck For Sale Chamblee GA - R87112
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So they did have Manual Tailgates
Jimmy07
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No.2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 6'4 Box Truck For Sale Chamblee GA
under Exterior
Manual Tailgate/Rear Door Lock
2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 6'4 Box 4X4 Truck For Sale Chamblee GA - R87112
Interested in this 2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 6'4 Box 4X4 Truck R87112? Then call today to secure our special Internet pricing and save more than you expected. It's fast, easy, and only takes a few minutes at Landmark Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT of Atlanta.
So they did have Manual Tailgates
Every single 2019+ Ram 2500-5500 has the electric tailgate release.
Every single 2019+ 5th Generation Ram 1500 (DT body, 6 lug wheels) has the electric tailgate release.
