Patent ID: 7213858

Claim:
A tailgate support structure comprising: a rear vehicle structure including generally upright spaced apart first and second side supports; a tailgate pivotally disposed between the first and second side supports to pivot about a pivot axis between an upright closed position and a horizontal open position; a first hinge assembly pivotally supporting a first end of the tailgate to the first side support, the first hinge assembly including a first side mounting part coupled to the first side support and a first tailgate mounting part coupled to the first end of the tailgate with one of the first side mounting part and the first tailgate mounting part having a first lateral adjuster arranged and configured to adjust a lateral position of the tailgate along the pivot axis between the first and second side supports, the first lateral adjuster including a threaded portion engaged within a threaded hole in one of the first side mounting part and the first tailgate mounting part; and a second hinge assembly pivotally supporting a second end of the tailgate to the second side support, the second hinge assembly including a second side mounting part coupled to the second side support and a second tailgate mounting part coupled to the second end of the tailgate with one of the second side mounting part and the second tailgate mounting part having a second lateral adjuster being arranged and configured to adjust the lateral position of the tailgate along the pivot axis between the first and second side supports.