Tailgate freezes shut.

[s alex]

Every time I wash my JTR and is cold outside (and often is up here) my tailgate freezes solid, to the point I can't open it. I do have a hard tonneau cover which I wipe where it contacts the tailgate, but the taigate handle mechanism is the culprit.
Any ideas ( besides "don't wash it when it's cold")

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[johnparjr]

Uh don’t wash it in freezing cold ?

 

[sass JT]

Every time I wash my JTR and is cold outside (and often is up here) my tailgate freezes solid, to the point I can't open it. I do have a hard tonneau cover which I wipe where it contacts the tailgate, but the taigate handle mechanism is the culprit.
Any ideas ( besides "don't wash it when it's cold")

I’ve had this same issue with all the trucks I’ve owned and with a hard tonneau cover. It sucks but it happens. The only thing I haven’t tried is to keep a lube on the hard tonneau seal.

 

[Killroy Was Here]

Might try pulling the long cover off of the front side of the tailgate to access the latch handle mechanism.
Then spray some WD40, CRC Power Lube, or some other lube that will displace water on the pivot points of the latch handle. You may have to do this a few times a winter if you wash it a lot through the season.
Just a thought.

Dave

 

[NC_Overland]

Might try pulling the long cover off of the front side of the tailgate to access the latch handle mechanism.
Then spray some WD40, CRC Power Lube, or some other lube that will displace water on the pivot points of the latch handle. You may have to do this a few times a winter if you wash it a lot through the season.
Just a thought.

Dave

Yup. WD40. I learned that when I moved to CO. WD-40 on the door seals too. Spray them down good and wipe them with an old rag and it cleans them also. Do that a few times abd you’re good for the season.

 

[Bananaman]

Wait...what?? I'm supposed to wash my Jeep?

 

[Chris262]

You can blow some of the water off with a leaf blower after you wash. That's what I do with all of my cars in the winter. Usually I hose down any snow and slush off my car at work inside of the shop and then just blow off as much water as I can before driving home.

 

[cdyoung9799]

Might try pulling the long cover off of the front side of the tailgate to access the latch handle mechanism.
Then spray some WD40, CRC Power Lube, or some other lube that will displace water on the pivot points of the latch handle. You may have to do this a few times a winter if you wash it a lot through the season.
Just a thought.

Dave

+1 for this

 

[Free2roam]

Straight alcohol? Isopropyl.

 

[yushjr]

I had the same problem. I sprayed all the contact areas with silicone lube. It works great.

 

[texanjeeper]

So, you immediately need to open the tailgate after washing it in freezing weather?

I'm sure this is a problem inherent to Jeep trucks, as opposed to Ford, Dodge, Chevy, GMC, Toyota, etc.

 

[redrider]

Reminds me of the time we had a warm spring weekend in Nebraska so I washed the Charger. That night we had a hard freeze. Next morning the lock cylinder shutter flap thingy would not budge. I used a lighter flame against the key touching the thingy. It worked. We never had these problems in the south. I am sure the 'hood was amused-"Hey Maude, look what the new neighbor from SC is doing! Washing his car before May 1st. Should we tell him?" Not a peep.

 

[NC_Overland]

+1 for this

+2 actually, but who’s counting. I’d recommend WD-40 over the others. It literally stands for Water Displacement 40th formula. It’s perfect for applications like this.

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