I finished unloading my bicycle and the tailgate fell off in my hands/bumper? It dented the corner and took two of us to get it back on and now the camera wire harness hangs down.

What happened and will it happen again? My daughter and I use this truck for horse shows and my husband will not always be around to help wrestle the tailgate back on.

 

I've only had it happen once and it was because was pulling up on the handle hard when I closed it so when it hit the 45 degree release point I pulled it right off the pivot. Same thing would have happened in any pickup I've ever owned.

 

Yep, you lifted up on the tailgate when it was at the proper angle for removal. Only way it will come off...

 

As for the wiring harness, that snaps in to the bottom of the tailgate. It probably popped the clip out when the tailgate came off. Open the tailgate all the way and look between the tailgate and the bed. You could be able to see the harness and a rectangular black plastic piece. That is the piece that clips into the bottom of the tailgate. Just snap it back into place.

Rob

 

you can install a hose clamp around the passenger side hinge to prevent that from happening. 3 minute fix

 

and make it so a thief has to at least carry tools to steal your tailgate if it's not a locking tailgate...

 

Ehh, they'll be to occupied chopping down the aluminum '15 150's for scrap cash.

 

Thank you for the response! I will shop for a clamp today and look into ordering a new plastic wire harness holder as the one I have now is snapped. It helps to know what not to do.... to keep the tailgate in place.

 

You don't even have to lift up. I had a full bed and a bag of trash was not all the way in when I went to close it. It had just enough pressure on the gate to pop it off. I had a birthday cake in my other hand and actually was able to keep the gate from dropping to the ground and save the cake too. Wound up pulling a muscle in my back though doing it. Pretty sure I used a few choice words at the time and a few of the kids heard me....Use caution.

 

This is what I have done on all my trucks.

Especially since my buddy had one stolen off his truck right in his driveway.

A locking handle and a simple hose clamp will AT LEAST slow them down.