You'll need to pull the rods in from each side, a pair of 10R's (Vise Grips) and a helper are handy here in order to release the tailgate. A replacement is available in the "Help" section at your favorite auto parts store.
Have a great one!
Bush
I have a '96 Chevy S-10 Blazer. The latch on the rear window was
>loose and I removed the interior panel to tighten it. One of the
>parts fell inside the "tailgate" and I removed the metal panel inside
>the tailgate to retrieve it.
>
>Got everything all tixed and tightened up and reassembled and shut the
>tailgate. When I did, the rod that that connects the "opener" handle
>to the opener mechanism popped out of its seat. Now, I can't open the >tailgate.
>
>Is there another way to unlatch the tailgate so I can open it and get
>back down into the mechanism?
>
>TIA
>
>Chuck - jurgens at bellsouth dot net