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Lift Gate Latch Adjustment?

F

Flyfisher

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Billings, Montana
OK, I've searched and found nothing to tell me if the latch on my rear lift gate ('89 XJ Wagoneer Limited) is adjustable. The lift gate rattles in the closed position and I know it's not just something inside the lift gate (I've pulled the interior cover already). Do the three torx bolts holding the latch in place provide some adjustment? Does the latch pin (on the body) adjust somehow?

Anyhelp is appreciated...the rattle is about to drive me insane!
 
on my 99 you can adjust the latch striker on the body by loosing the 2 nuts under the body lip behind the bumper! mine rattled bad and I adjusted the striker and its better now I want to replace the 2 rubber bumpers on each side of the body!
 
Thanks for the help. I have adjusted the rubber bumpers using washers, but I'm at the limit of that adjustment. If I go further I'm afraid the weather-stripping won't make a good seal. I'll crawl under tonight to see about adjusting the striker...hoping my receiver hitch isn't in the way!
 
You should be able to sneak a box wrench in there without interference from the hitch. Check the post itself for wear. If it's worn, you can sometimes get a little improvement by turning it around to face the other way. You might have to experiment with placement, because if it's too tight it won't latch right, and sideways adjustment matters too.
 
My 98 rattles too. Tried replacing the rubber bumpers but it made no difference. I also just noticed that there is daylight showing along the bottom of the gate. And gate latches and opens just fine. What would cause this misalignment of the gate? How do you adjust the bumpers?
 
Behind the rubber bumper you can get a wrench on the bolt and screw it in. Then you probably also need to adjust the latch striker forward as well. Its just 2 13mm bolts. Adjusting the bumpers too far in can also make the hatch rattle. I used grease on the bumpers to figure just where they start touching the latch.

What I would do: Screw the bumpers in far enough they don't contact. Then move your striker forward to the correct position that removes the daylight. Then screw the bumpers back out to where they barely touch the hatch.
 
Just wish I could find any that are remotely affordable. Oh why didn't I think to take the ones of my WJ before weighing it in for scrap?

Just thought, there is adjustment at the hinges, although I imagine that's more for alignment - & not for the faint hearted (especially if working alone)
 
I just did this last night. After awhile of adjusting my bumpers out and the striker plate in, I was still having the hatch rattle and seeing light through the seal. I realized I wasn't shutting the hatch completely, even though the latch was engaging.

By shutting the hatch firmly while pressing on the handle area, I got the hatch to latch shut further in. I adjusted the bumpers back in so the hatch was not rattling, and all seems well. I can no longer see light, and the body line between the shut hatch and D pillars looks much tighter.

Give this a try if you're having a problem with the hatch rattling. I cannot swing my hatch shut and have it latch correctly. I need to push at the handle. Perhaps I need to adjust the bumpers in further.
 
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