Tailgate jam

[RoadRanger]

Due to various issues with my TJ when offroading it for the first time (see "snake oil delete" thread) I rolled back into a tree and bent my tailgate. Stalled on a steep hill and couldn't restart it - and the power brakes ran out of vacuum backing it down. I only hit the spare, not all that hard. We winched it straight-ish (soft shackles on the spare) but when you pop the latch it only opens under 1 inch and will not open further. When you push it shut you can hear it "click" as well as when you pull the latch. Lock seems to work normally. 8 foot 2x4 "lever" through the spare carrier doesn't help or even bend it further. I tried to unbolt the hinges but two of the four of them stripped out the torx heads and I'll have to drill them out if I proceed - with no guarantee it will open even if the hinges come off.

Anyways anybody have any advice on how to proceed short of taking a cutting torch or sawsall to it LOL ?

 

[hosejockey61]

Due to various issues with my TJ when offroading it for the first time (see "snake oil delete" thread) I rolled back into a tree and bent my tailgate. Stalled on a steep hill and couldn't restart it - and the power brakes ran out of vacuum backing it down. I only hit the spare, not all that hard. We winched it straight-ish (soft shackles on the spare) but when you pop the latch it only opens under 1 inch and will not open further. When you push it shut you can hear it "click" as well as when you pull the latch. Lock seems to work normally. 8 foot 2x4 "lever" through the spare carrier doesn't help or even bend it further. I tried to unbolt the hinges but two of the four of them stripped out the torx heads and I'll have to drill them out if I proceed - with no guarantee it will open even if the hinges come off.

Anyways anybody have any advice on how to proceed short of taking a cutting torch or sawsall to it LOL ?

@jjvw and @tworley are the resident experts this year.

 

[jjvw]

...

Anyways anybody have any advice on how to proceed short of taking a cutting torch or sawsall to it LOL ?

Wrenches work just fine.

There was no saving my tailgate or ExoGate after landing the spare on a tall ledge.

I found a replacement gate.

And solved the real problem by moving the spare into the bed.

The next step is to build a carrier that lays the tire down flat, so I can see out the back again.

 

[tworley]

Mines still bent

 

[jjvw]

@jjvw and @tworley are the resident experts this year.

One day and then the next!

 

[macleanflood]

I had to field disassemble mine 2-3 times in Moab. I found the linkage at the bottom of the mechanism that pulls the latch release had jarred loose. Pulling it over and down fixed the issue until the next hard knock.

What complicated all of this was my Hooke Road rack...and all the stuff in my Jeep for Moab. I had to flip the passenger seat forward...which meant removing my Rugged intercom...to get everything out from under the rack to crawl in and figure out the mechanism. Getting the cover off was a PIA.

I got home and ordered a 15" big brake kit from Black Magic Brakes...that helps a ton...and I'm retrofitting an iBooster into my TJ so I have brakes when I stall the engine.

Thread 'Electric vacuum pump to improve brakes'

May 10, 2025

Just got back from Moab. My brakes absolutely sucked.

Going to order a BMB 15" big brake kit from @mrblaine - that's going to solve most of my issues.

Considering divorcing the vacuum booster from the engine and adding an electric pump like this:

https://granatellimotorsports.com/i...volt-vacuum-pump-systems-410100.html?q=410100

That way when I stall my manual 97 with an AX-15 on a steep slope I still have vacuum assisted brakes to either back down and try again or enough stopping power to get the engine running again and keep crawling...

• macleanflood
• Replies: 47
• Forum: TJ General Discussion

-Mac

 

[Apparition]

@jjvw and @tworley are the resident experts this year.

Don’t exclude @NashvilleTJ

 

[RoadRanger]

To be clear, I can see/hear the release "working" but it only opens 3/4"-ish.

 

[RoadRanger]

I'm retrofitting an iBooster into my TJ so I have brakes when I stall the engine.

-Mac

I had a couple small diesel cars that had electric vacuum pumps to run the brakes etc so was thinking the same thing

 

[tworley]

Take some heat to the torx bolts.

 

[RoadRanger]

I got home and ordered a 15" big brake kit from Black Magic Brakes...that helps a ton...

That's for the front I assume? Is there an upgrade for the rear drum brakes? Those sure look tiny, especially with my 17" rims

Actually the seller gave me a big-ish box that supposedly has new brake parts in it - I should really check that out first (if I can ever get into the back again )

 

[macleanflood]

No need to update the rear brakes. Fronts do most of the stopping.

-Mac