What a coincidence...or perhaps not considering the questionable design.

I'm rewiring my tailgate at this very moment (I've completed the driver side & am taking a hot chocolate break to warm up before I finish the other side.)

To answer your question I have not removed the tailgate, merely propped it open with a 4 foot ladder. I believe this is sufficient however, I supplemented this support with two wooden crutches. (The crutches have nice rubber on both ends allows me to tightly wedge these without marring the paint.) With the proper support, you can completely remove 1 hinge at a time and leave the tailgate in an open position.

I also lined some thick fabric under the bottem lip of the gate to protect my paint as the gate may shift slightly.

Listen to what these guys have to say. There's also a FAQ for tailgates at: http://www.swedishbricks.net/faq/tailgate.html

Good Luck!!