Power rear hatch.
 

I was installing a new stereo unit today and turned my battery switch off ,the rear hatch button stayed live and it made me wonder what do you do if your battery dies , can it be opened manually so you can put the charger on it.?:confused:

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

Hasn't happened to me yet, but from what I've read, you can force it open just enough to get your hands on the pin and pull it.

Does make me wonder what the designers were thinking...

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

They make those little chargers that plug into your 12 volt outlet.... Does seem a little odd that there is no way to open it though.

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

As cool as I think the electric hatch is, it's really freaking slow. That's not what bothers me, it's sitting there holding the switch the whole time.

Has anyone installed an auto up or down feature, similar to a car window switch?

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

I wish I had electric on mine.... Trust me, that thing is really heavy after a day of adult beverages! I've considered installing one.

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

Next time you have your hatch open, look at the bottom mount...it has a slot in it that will allow you to open the hatch just a few inches to slide your hand in there to pull the upper pin. But if it is like mine, that pin would be very hard to pull with a bare hand (mine is really hard to pull), so a pair of pliers to grab the ring or some other tool would be helpful.

Just as Steve pointed out, the electric lift is "freaking slow". I disconnected/removed mine and put 2 new stainless 20 inch long 90 pound gas shocks on it. Easy and quick to open and close for me.

It does take a small bit of strength to open it the first few inches until the shocks take over. So for my wife, I will re-install the electric lift, without hooking it to the hatch at the top, so it will open the hatch those first few inches until the shocks take over.

That way the electric lift only needs mere seconds to lift it a few inches so the shocks take over instead of all the way up and down which takes like what seems forever. Closing it is easy for anyone.

To make the electric lift work that way, I will make the electric lift stable at the bottom so it stands on it's own from the bottom...then simply put a rubber piece on top of the rod so it doesn't scratch anything. A chair leg rubber cover should work for that.

I'll take some pics and post them when I do that if anyone is interested.

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

That sounds like a pretty good idea. But if you can wire in a relay or whatever the auto up or down feature for car windows, the slow open or close wouldn't matter as much. I just hate holding the switch.

Think about it, after getting dinner, I want to check the oil and get the pole light for night time use. I would love to push and release the "up" switch and spend that time getting things ready. Same when closing, I could be getting the engine started and starting to untie while it's lowering.

Anyone know how the auto switches work for cars? Is it possible to wire it to hatch switch without too much trouble?

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

I have had similar issues.... I found using WD on the rams as well as greasing the unit was very helpful in the speed of them. They were very slow and worked at different speeds from one another and now after better maint. they work faster and more close to the same speed.

To solve the potential battery problem as well as make it easier to charge batteries, I installed a small charger in the rear seat so I can always charge batteries more conveniently and solve the lift concearn.

I also installed a toggle switch on the panel by the lift hatch switch to interrupt the power to one ram, so if they are not identical speeds, I can get them to be the same height when lowering.

Even with the issues, I do like the auto rams.

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

They get slower with age as well. Mine on my Z272 died and I was able to get in and pull the pin to open the hatch. I found out my engine cover was getting water logged and was VERY heavy, probably had something to do with the lift failing.

I took this problem to the next level. First off, I had my entire hatch cover redone. The guy who did it rebuilt the frame with a plastic material instead of plywood. It won't absorb water and is stronger than the wood.

Second, I converted my lift to hydraulics. I purchased a used trim pump and reservoir assembly for the power pack. I then found a ram that was the correct length and matched the diameter to pump. Made up some hydraulic hoses and added a bypass valve on the outside of the engine compartment in case of pump failure. I mounted the pump right next to my existing trim pump so I would have a spare for the trim in case of a failure there.

6 Seconds and the hatch is wide open! It's quiet and smooth also! Highly recommended!

Re: Power rear hatch.
 

I just installed a flush mount table leg in the middle of the floor and just removed the 6 screws in the floor hinge of the benchseat and it pulled forward exposing the hatch and battery.easy fix.