US Patent 7533922 Vehicle endgate counterbalance

A vehicle having an endgate counter balance for use with an endgate of the vehicle, and a method of operating, is disclosed. The endgate counterbalance may include a hinge arm extending from the hinge, an energy storage device and a crank mechanism connected between the hinge arm and the energy storage device. The endgate counterbalance is configured to create a cross-over position for the endgate between closed and fully open where the endgate counterbalance does not exert a rotational bias on the endgate.