new to me '96 Limited

[trex300]

2 questions for the board:

1. Will my 15" winter tires and rims fit on my newer '96? Has 16" stock rims now.

2. How to open rear door? Latch is seized, removed inside covers and used pliers to move the cable operated latch in the center/bottom of the inside of the door. Moved inside latch all the way and door will still not open. Poured the penetrating oil to it and will try again later. Looking for suggestions if the penetrating oil doesn't work.

Thanks in advance,
Rick

 

[Singtoe]

Are the 15 wheel steel or aluminum. If they are steel, yes they'll fit, if it is aluminum then they won't. - Maybe.

Just take 10 minutes and try it. Then you'll know for sure.


The rear gate. No real solution. Is the gate rusted out. If it is, cut an access hole near the lock and unlatch the lock and replace the gate with a used one.

If the gate is in great shape, just keep fiddly with the lock until it unlatches.

 

[trex300]

I'll try them to make sure, they're steel stockers from my '88 pickup.

The hatch is in very good shape so I'll just keep trying.

Thank you for your reply Singtoe,
Rick

 

[wc11]

Had a similar problem with my rear door this summer.
It felt like it never unlocked because of no physical resistance when pulling the handle.
It the end after some medium fist pounding at the base of the door latch it finally "clicks" and I open it.
Turns out years of greasing the door, it just gummed up and the latch wouldn't move.
An entire large can of WD40 with a screwdriver to work the latch open & close, dental pick & toothbrush (no I'm not) and all the old grease and 15 years of dirt are worked out.
Works perfect now.

 

[trex300]

The cable operated latch release inside the bottom of the rear hatch is now moving freely as is the cable, but the hatch will still not open. The part that wraps around the Schrader bolt when hatch is closed must be seized also.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to remove the 3 bolts that hold the latch to the bottom of the hatch from the inside by drilling out the bolts.

Am I on the right track here or what?

 

[Grenvilleter]

I'm trying to remember how I got the hatch open on my "parts" runner.
Same problem as you.

Seems to me I was able to use a big hammer and a very long punch/screwdriver/piece of long metal. I can't remember what it looked like to tell you exactly but, where your cable hooks on... that's the piece that's seized.

Look in there with a flashlight and place the end of the pry bar on the catch and pound it down an inch or so then try to pull it back up.

It can be done without resorting to cutting holes in the body panel.

You will probably end up twisting off the mounting bolts that hold the latch in place as I did and having to drill them out regardless, but, just wanted you to know it can be done.

 

[trex300]

Got the rear hatch open by grinding the three mounting bolts and their captured nuts off inside the hatch. Tight fit but I managed to get a grinder in there.

The latch was a big ball of rust, I'll get another one at the wrecking yard.

Thank you for the helpful replies,
Rick

 

[rm2fast]

My old 96 limited came with 16s I put 15s on it before trading for my tacoma and had to grind a crazy amount off the calipers and they were aluminum 15s ..couldn't pay me to do it agian took several hours