so i just got done replacing the tailgate handle assembly. what happened was when i forced my tailgate closed with some tires in the bed, the drivers side latched and the passenger side didnt. this caused the tailgate to not open or close all the way. simple fix thanks to some members that gave a few pointers.
step 1: take off the plastic molding peice around the handle with the 2 smaller torx bolts(top is held on by the 2 aforementioned bolts, bottom is held in place by 2 plastic studs that pull straight off with some gentle force)
step 2: with a set of needle nose pliers, grasp and pull inwards the rod for whichever side is latched. the tailgate should now open.
step 3: remove the 3 larger torx bolts and the handle assembly will come free. i wrapped a piece of electrical tape around the rods and up over the top of the tailgate to keep them from falling when i undid the two blue clips. the clips pop open with a flat head screwdriver on the top side.
step 4: i have read a few different ways to go about this step of getting the handle assembly out. the problem is that theres about a 4 inch wide tab sticking up getting in the way of a smooth removal. what i did using the few tools i had with me at work was break it away piece by piece with a set of pliers (its fiberglass, so wear gloves to avoid those pesky splinters). trimed it down about an inch in all and that was perfect. remove latch assembly and install the new one in the same fashion.
step 5: re-attach the rods into the clips, and work backwards to put it all back together.
step 6: before replacing the plastic molding piece, test the whole setup to make sure the rods are adjusted properly. step 7: re-install the molding and youre done.
hope this helps someone, if there are any questions feel free to ask.