Tailgate Latch Adjustment

[Aubrey3]

This seems like it should be simple, but nay they way of the universe.
My tailgate doesn't latch. The bedside tailgate latch bracket is too tight on the tailgate latch and the latch pin won't go through.

I loosened the screws on the tailgate latch bracket on the bed and pushed them all the way in towards the center of the bed. (They were all the way in to begin with.)
I put a washer between the tailgate side and the tailgate latch to move it out just enough to allow the latch bracket to slide in, but it doesn't seem to get the tailgate shut enough (I don't have any rubber bumpers left).

Now maybe washers behind the latch bracket on the bedside to move it out some?
Anyone else have a tailgate alignment problem?

[tac]

Does the tailgate fit the bed with good gaps all around and does the top of the tailgate match the top of the bed? The bed sides could be bent out a little or the hinges could be loose or worn out.

[Southcoast Bump]

The tailgate on my '71 has a small amount of lateral movement, and at times it won't latch when closed; when this happens I can see a difference in tolerances between tailgate edges and the bed on either side....if I nudge the tailgate to even the gaps (tailgate edges to bed) it latches perfectly.