JSwamper

After reading a bunch of threads about getting the liftgate unstuck and how to repair it, I decided to do my own little write-up with pictures

NOTE. this is for 97-01 xj

1. If your liftgate is stuck shut... Crawl in the cargo area and pull the trim until you can see the latch mechanism. With pliers, pull up on the threaded rod with the green tab at the bottom and it will pop open. There are others way to get it open, but if nothing else works, this will

2. Now that you have open your liftgate, remove the entire trim to make it easier to work on.

3. Now to repair the tailgate... Push the green tab to the left and that will allow you to push the rod out. Now that the rod is disconnected from the bottom, you can ether turn it so the rod moves up, or you can simply pull out the rod and adjust it till its right.

4. Make sure everything works and it well lubricated before re-installing trim.(I like to use Honey Goo by Kleen Flo,,works well)

Tjheems

Thanks a Bajillion...mines been jacked up since i bought it...and now i pull the handle and it just says "no"

hopefully this will be the fix i was looking for.

JSwamper

haha no problem,, mine was stuck for a year and just got around to fixing it today,

Hope all go's well

Matt Ellerbee

That little clip is the culprit.

I fixed mine same way you did, but did some reinforcing to the clip with some zip ties, just to be safe.

JSwamper

i think im going to do that too

bain98xj

i just had to get mine open and relube the latch and then it worked fine.. i did tighten up the handle a bit but i really didnt need too.

milmat1

AHHHH HAAAA ! ! ! !

Thats what causes that little bugger to stick ...LOL

Mine has done that twice now and after a week or so and a bunch of WD39.5 It will start working again, Wish I had known this last week while I had all the int trim out....

Thanks For The Thread !!

JSwamper

No Problem... It pissed me off for about a year.

Finally got it done, and thought it would be a big help for most people.

-J

-xj

Just a fyi. I Was at the junkyard the other day lookin for a new rear latch rod holding clip like pictured(mine broke). Well i found 00-01 cherokee and started tearing into the hatch. It has a different style clip that retains the rod. Its made of plastic and fully encapsulates the rod. Maybe this is a better design than the metal clip. Probally a redesign after all the problems the metal clip apparently has.

JSwamper

I'm not to certain about that one. I thought the model were the same from 97-01

BlueXJ

What makes it stick anyway is it a poor design or improper maintainence?

JSwamper

With a majority of people having this problem,,, im gonna say poor design

JSwamper

Wear and Tear,, just like everything else

zfranklin92

im having the exact same problem right now and need to get it open asap. i have reached in behind the panel and pulled up on the vertical threaded rod and absolutely nothing is happening. when i look down in there at the rod it seems as if it serves no purpose. is there something else i need to do while pulling up on the rod? or does someone have a picture of the lower end of that rod so i can see if mine is broke

98 JeepJeep

if you dont see the little plastic clip at the lower half than it is broken or came undone.