Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate pivot release

In a pick-up truck having a pair of spaced, generally vertical side walls and a generally horizontal bed extending therebetween;

• a tailgate pivotally mounted between said side walls for movement between a generally vertical closed position and a generally horizontal open position, said tailgate having a peripheral edge defining a top portion of said tailgate frame when in said closed position;
• and a supplemental frame assembly supported within said tailgate to be selectively movable relative to said tailgate between a retracted position and an extended position, said supplemental frame assembly including a latch mechanism operable to restrain movement of said supplemental frame assembly relative to said tailgate, the improvement comprising:
• a molding member supported on said supplemental frame assembly at said peripheral edge of said tailgate and being pivotable relative to said supplemental frame assembly;
• and
• a latch release connected to said molding member and being operatively associated with said latch mechanism to affect a disengagement of said latch mechanism in response to a pivotal movement of said molding member to permit said supplemental frame assembly to be moved relative to said tailgate.

A supplemental tailgate assembly for use with a vehicle tailgate pivotally supported between a pair of transversely spaced side walls for movement between a generally vertical closed position and a generally horizontal open position, comprising:

• a frame assembly extendable from said tailgate and including a transversely extending cross member having a pair of transversely spaced pivot mounts thereon, said frame assembly being restrained within said tailgate by a latch mechanism which when disengaged permits said frame assembly to move from a retracted position into an extended position relative to said tailgate;
• a molding having a pair of pivot flanges operatively engaging said spaced pivot mounts for pivotally mounting said molding to said cross member;
• and
• a latch release operatively connected between said molding and said latch mechanism to affect disengagement of said latch mechanism in response to a pivoting of said molding relative to said cross member.