here is what i did.
once you remove the plastic and the black metal plate covering your back hatch, youll find this. the mechanish that releases the latch at the bottom of the gate. the steel bar at the bottom left is what moves when you pull on the handle from the outside. my handle was missing and this wasnt working so i bypassed it and figured out a different way to open it. it essentially pulled up on the cable(not pictured) that attaches to the gold/brass colored hook thing directly above the wire. i simply unhooked that cable and rerouted it.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HtmJJgNx_dNutFHfrxQhg7sC2ZDdHZ3xs2GlaUI3VsM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z_N6FbfQ4t0/UCaxuiRgw_I/AAAAAAAAAdo/eg5vkgtroH8/s144/2012-05-21_17-12-33_685.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100025882315046139501/4runner?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPC4wuXo5IfmMQ&feat=embedwebsite">4runner</a></td></tr></table>
here is the other end of the cable, where it is connected to the latch at the bottom center of the tailgate.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DvePGLbXiNikQcxJ5U_b77sC2ZDdHZ3xs2GlaUI3VsM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rSKByIjQinY/UCaxveo3dJI/AAAAAAAAAdw/EyGV07ocDtg/s144/2012-05-21_17-12-46_409.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100025882315046139501/4runner?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPC4wuXo5IfmMQ&feat=embedwebsite">4runner</a></td></tr></table>
then i directed over to here and jbwelded it in place so that it didnt interfere with the rear window. its just a little right of center. pretty much even with the key lock on the outside.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vj88MsJUIonv9DJAC_2oQLsC2ZDdHZ3xs2GlaUI3VsM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0d-3QX3PAco/UCaxwE16LKI/AAAAAAAAAd4/IRVCRBA9k9w/s144/2012-05-21_17-12-54_38.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100025882315046139501/4runner?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPC4wuXo5IfmMQ&feat=embedwebsite">4runner</a></td></tr></table>
i just took the other end(the one you disconnected) and jbwelded it in place. obviously make sure that you dont epoxy the cable, so that you can still pull on it.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EtWIRkdkf9WE1F61XOKAF7sC2ZDdHZ3xs2GlaUI3VsM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tgODZzBBPps/UCaxw6wWpOI/AAAAAAAAAeA/UFqGzZwpNqg/s144/2012-05-21_17-13-05_195.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100025882315046139501/4runner?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPC4wuXo5IfmMQ&feat=embedwebsite">4runner</a></td></tr></table>
then drill a couple litte holes reassemble and your all done..
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9rx0MofBIbIA21JM3gFe_bsC2ZDdHZ3xs2GlaUI3VsM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HIJTft7Nm2k/UCaxyuOOESI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/AtvHm_4HxZk/s144/2012-05-21_17-25-30_525.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100025882315046139501/4runner?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPC4wuXo5IfmMQ&feat=embedwebsite">4runner</a></td></tr></table>
i did this because my rear hatch handle was missing and i flet as if the whole assembly, shown in the first picture wasnt working properly, so to fix it back to oem was gonna be a little out of my price range. so i went this route. if you or anyone else does this please know that your handle on the outside wont work after.
you can still open from the outside though. you just put your key in, roll down the window, pull the cable and pull open the hatch. as a friend of mine says, good enough for the girls i date. :tongue: