Patent ID: 8070207

Claim:
A method for positioning a tailgate of a vehicle, the method comprising: selecting a vehicle comprising a first side, second side, tailgate, and first tailgate support, the tailgate connected to pivot with respect to the first and second sides through a range of motion, the first tailgate support comprising a first end connected to the first side, a second end connected to the tailgate, and an adjustor located between the first and second ends, the first tailgate support, wherein the adjustor is selectively pivotable through a range of motion comprising at one end thereof a contracted position and at the other end thereof an expanded position, the first tailgate support, wherein the adjustor supports tensile loads in both the contracted position and the expanded position, and the first tailgate support having a tensioned length achieved by pulling the first and second ends away from one another; and pivoting the adjustor from the contracted position to the expanded position to transition the tensioned length from a first value to a second value, greater than the first value.