As far as midgate operation....the round latches are nothing more than holders for the window and have nothing to do with midgate operation..
Further here is no separate actuator that checks to see if the midgate is down other than the spring loaded button in the window channel that pops up when the glass is removed.....removing the window is what signals the top cross bar whether the midgate is up or down......if the window is in, the bar remains in position and only the gate panel drops....if the window is removed the bar remains attached to top of the midgate panel and both are dropped together. If the midgate is already down and then the window is removed the spring loaded center button that checks to see if the window is in, is the safety device and what keeps the bar from releasing or not releasing if you turn the midgate drop lever. And that's a real heavy bar indeed once released....I just had to play with it........I first turned the lever and dropped the midgate with the window installed.....then removed the window........but once the window was out and the center button inside the bar is raised if you (AND I DO NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO DO IT!!!!!) experiment and turn the lever again to drop the already dropped midgate .........AND I REPEAT DON'T TRY IT!!!!!!......Because if you do, it will drop the 70 lb. or so bar in your lap or worse on something else....and then what a pain in the ass to hold the bar, turn the lever all at the same time while trying to re-engage both locking strikers on the ends of the bar onto the chassis striker plates to get it to lock in again.
Further here is no separate actuator that checks to see if the midgate is down other than the spring loaded button in the window channel that pops up when the glass is removed.....removing the window is what signals the top cross bar whether the midgate is up or down......if the window is in, the bar remains in position and only the gate panel drops....if the window is removed the bar remains attached to top of the midgate panel and both are dropped together. If the midgate is already down and then the window is removed the spring loaded center button that checks to see if the window is in, is the safety device and what keeps the bar from releasing or not releasing if you turn the midgate drop lever. And that's a real heavy bar indeed once released....I just had to play with it........I first turned the lever and dropped the midgate with the window installed.....then removed the window........but once the window was out and the center button inside the bar is raised if you (AND I DO NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO DO IT!!!!!) experiment and turn the lever again to drop the already dropped midgate .........AND I REPEAT DON'T TRY IT!!!!!!......Because if you do, it will drop the 70 lb. or so bar in your lap or worse on something else....and then what a pain in the ass to hold the bar, turn the lever all at the same time while trying to re-engage both locking strikers on the ends of the bar onto the chassis striker plates to get it to lock in again.