The flimsy operating lever on the little black plastic button of the tailgate latch broke . This the 3rd time in about 6 years . Before heading off to Voluparts or the Picknpull I'd like to know there a model year which may be better about this or even if there a "new" HD type - thanks

Hate to say it Bambam, but maybe you are doing something wrong.

I can only think of the plastic covered latch inside the hatch, that goes so light, I cannot see how that brakes.

On the outside all is of metal and fairly strong, I cannot imagine that braking.

Pls explain.

Reg,

"...flimsy operating lever on the little black plastic button of the tailgate latch..."

Do you mean the interior "pull handle" latch release, or the exterior latch release?

Three times sounds excessive -- hell, one time sounds excessive. Perhaps the latch mechanism is corroded and exerts high resistance. Have you lubed the mechanism?

I've owned a lot of 245s and put a zillion miles on 'em, and only had the tailgate latch break once on a '75. As I remember, the small internal "finger" (with the hole for the sliding pin) split so the sliding pin didn't slide.

That's when I started flooding 'em with oil. Door latch mechanisms, too, for almost the same reason.