my 2007 tailgate hinge rusted off on the right side and i am unable to remove the tailgate on the left side. I don't know if the rubber bushing has expanded or what. Ive tried hammering it off but to no avail. Any suggestions?

 

soak in penetrating oil and try later

 

tried soaking it and still no luck. there is a rod that goes thru the bottom left side of the tailgate that has the bracket on it that fits over the rubber bushing. is there a way to disconnect this rod from the tail gate?

 

I had removed my tailgate from my 2004 and I had noticed the rod cannot be removed. If you angled the tailgate to 45 degrees and wiggle it a bit, it should come off. But soak it with WD-40 first...it's just a rubber bushing that holds the stud. Hope this helps...