University of Extrication: Pickup Truck & SUV Skills Refresher—Part 2

Topic: Pickup truck & SUV skills refresher

Objective: Rear-hinged rear doors update

Task: Given a late-model pickup truck to review and inspect, the rescue team will determine how to adapt their rescue techniques when a rear-hinged rear door is present on a crash-damaged vehicle.

In this University of Extrication column, we update rescuers on how to handle rear-hinged rear doors on pickup trucks. Our example is a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck with the extended cab feature and rear-hinged rear doors.

Unique approach

For a rescuer, it must be noted that all trucks with rear-hinged rear door designs have no B-pillar. Automotive engineers explain that what we think of as the B-pillar is actually inside the rear-hinged door. Because there is no B-pillar, the front door latches to the front edge of the rear-hinged rear door. For this reason, it is vital that the front door be opened first before any effort is made to open the rear-hinged rear door.

Once the front door is open, the rear-hinged rear door secures to the body of the truck cab with two latch mechanisms—one at the roof rail and the second along the rocker.

If the rear-hinged rear door is jammed, these two latch mechanisms must be attacked. The door can be forced off the roof rail latch, but this can be difficult because it is so high off the ground. An alternative is to leave the latch alone and cut through the window frame of the rear door in a manner that “disconnects” the door from this upper latch. You essentially leave the latch attached and cut the door away from it.

After that upper latch is handled, rescuers apply force to pry the rear-hinged rear door out and away from the rocker latch. This should be easy because everything is much lower and easier to access. A spreader is typically able to get inside of the door at this rocker latch to pry the door outward and away from the rocker.

With the rear-hinged rear door open, it can simply be widened fully by cutting the small door-stop retainer bar, or it can be completely removed by attacking the two hinges and the wiring harness on the C-pillar.

Final thoughts

Rear-hinged rear doors have been around as early as the 1930s. They are now a standard feature on several new models, including mid-size and full-size pickup trucks. Rescuers would be wise to visit a new vehicle dealership to ensure they are familiar with the design and function of these doors and have a plan for tactics to use at a real-world incident.

SIDEBAR:

How to Open a Jammed Rear-Hinged Rear Door

1. Open the front door normally or, if jammed, force open the front door and widen fully (180 degrees)
2. Attack the rear-hinged rear door at the upper roof rail latch by prying or detaching from rear-door window
3. Attack the rear-hinged rear door at the rocker latch by prying outward
4. Open the rear-hinged rear door fully (180 degrees)