Need Help Please Tailgate Handle not fulling engaging the Latch.

[plumplum]

Thanks so much to the forums here for helping me figure out how to climb inside and pull the rear trim back far enough to depress the latch with a screwdriver to open the tailgate. The rod had actually come lose at the top where it connects to the handle. However the Latch has been sticky for a while now and I see why. It is possible there is supposed to be a plastic piece at the end of the rod, but now there is like over a quarter inch of space between the end of the rod and the receiving plastic piece. I will take photos. Some grease might help as well as the final push through the latch mechanism seems a little resistant. I tried getting a little piece of a plastic anchor over the metal rod to give it some more length. There must be a fix for this without having to replace the whole mechanism? I will try a little grease and see if that helps. I think I read somewhere something about someone building up the Spoon as they referred to it as. Does anyone know if there is supposed to be a plastic extended tip on the Trigger Rod?

[plumplum]

I am ready to replace something here but i do not know what I need: Do I need a new Handle, the rod assembly or the entire latch assembly? IT seems the Handle is not working with the rod to push the lever far enough to open the tailgate and un latch it?