I just joined the tailgate club

[jhenderson]

Had my routine interrupted while unhooking my GN. Pulled out with the tailgate shut. I now own a bright white 5ft horseshoe. Do I ever feel smart!

 

[B.G. Smith]

I could say don't feel bad it happens to the best but it's still hard not to feel bad. Been there, done similar. bg

 

[Bill Stockard]

Had my routine interrupted while unhooking my GN. Pulled out with the tailgate shut. I now own a bright white 5ft horseshoe. Do I ever feel smart!

If you tow a gooseneck or a fifth wheel trailer and leave the original tailgate in your truck, somewhere/sometime it's going happen... been there and done that too. I too was very upset with myself and learned the hard way... as usual.

Bill

 

[mwilson]

Sorry to hear that, not fun.

You mention routine and the interruption of said routine, that is my fear when setting up or taking down when camping. I have my way of doing it in the right sequence and the last time that someone pulled me away for something stupid I damn near ripped the power cord off.
So I have expressed in a somewhat strong fashion that unless someone is on fire please do not bother me until I am finished.
I'll belt the gate at some point, just trying to prolong it......

I hate to go with the mesh gate as I have a roll up cover and as soon as we are set up I close the cover and tail gate which makes a nice dry spot for firewood and other camping needs.

An inferno red woodshed.....

Mike.

 

[RustyJC]

Well, in 20+ years of pulling 5th wheels, I haven't done the tailgate thing.....yet! I have, however, ripped the trailer's umbilical out of the 7-pin connector in the bed of the truck. It was for the same reason - someone came over and wanted to talk as I was unhitching and setting up, so when I pulled the truck out from under the 5th wheel I didn't realize that I had missed the step of pulling the 7-pin plug from the receptacle. The result was an extra 2 hours of repairs before we could leave.

Rusty

 

[Bob V]

There are only two kids of people that use 5th wheel/gooseneck trailers. Those that have hit there tailgate, and those that haven't YET hit the tailgate

 

[BIGNASTY]

Sorry to hear that, not fun.

You mention routine and the interruption of said routine,

Mike.

You would have been a Good Gas Passer, At work we had SET IN STONE ROUTINES for reasons that many didn't know why it was done this way, It didn't matter as long as it was done step by step EVERYONE WENT HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY.

 

[Wingate]

Ive declined to install a receptacle in the bed of my truck to prevent me from ripping it out. I drape it over the tailgate and plug into the bumper plug. Its right there in my face when I get ready to open the gate. Sure hope I dont rip the tailgate off this truck, with the back up camera I bet its expensive.

 

[Jim W]

Sorry to hear that.

I nick my tailgate with the pin box when doing a brake check. I had high hitched when I was un-level site; did not catch it until the legs drop to the ground saving the bed and tailgate from too much damage. Can't even till until the bed cover is off and you look very close at the top of the tailgate. So after that I put on a bed saver from Blue Ox.I have never had to use the bed saver yet but the DW does make sure the pin is over the bed saver has I pull out. The only way she can see is if the tailgate is lowered to make sure the pin clears the bed saver.

I know this won't help with a GN but it will work on fifth wheel pin boxes.

Jim W.

 

[jhenderson]

Well , it's like failing to put the gear down before landing your plane. 90% of the time, it comes from something interrupting your routine. On the lighter side, alls well that ends well. I found a 5th wheel louvered tailgate on Craigslist. It's in decent shape and is even painted silver to match my homebuilt bumper and lower body color. For $100 I think I got a cheap lesson. It did take me about an hour with a come along and jack to spread the rear of the bed back into shape to fit the gate. Although I try to take reasonably good care of my truck, I'm glad it's not a prom queen. I'd really feel bad if it was.

 

[Bug Out]

I second mwilson. I have a routine. if interrupted, I go ape poo poo....Came close one time. Lowered 5th wheel legs and forgot wheel chocks, trailer started sliding in the gravel on the sloped RV spot and some how it stopped before it hit the tailgate...... My turn is coming..

 

[RVTRKN]

Well, I did it to my 04.5 CTD as well, but in sept of 2004. Lucky for me, it was minor, and the pin impression was easy to hide. When Dodge came out with the tail gate plastic cap, in the 05 MY, it gave it a nice flat top, so I installed that. I had completely forgot it when I sold it to my brother in 2010, the first chance he had, he bought a camper shell for it, and guess who I got a call from.

 

[GAmes]

I don't think my tailgate has 200 miles on it. I took it off when I first brought the truck home, reinstalled it for the Rhino lining, then it came off again. A year or two later I installed a short, rear mounted tool box which is one of the best add ons I have. It is really nice to be able to easily access my tools, even with a trailer attached.

 

[HHhuntitall]

BAHHH!! I hate the Dodge tailgates... any of the new truck's tailgates suck!! Dad had a brand new '07... 13k miles... I grabbed a feed tub, 250lbs, stepped out of the trailer carrying it, and stepped down on the gate... Instant TACO!! Pushed the tailgate down on the bumper and flattened a spot where they met!! And on top of that, I dumped the tub in the bed, and cratered the bed between two crossmembers!! I may or may not have ever hit one.... I plead the fifth...

 

[MMeier]

ok now...

... we all know how this works !

 

[SnoKing]

Well , it's like failing to put the gear down before landing your plane. 90% of the time, it comes from something interrupting your routine.

I believe they say that most of the time that happens is on a go around!!!!! Gear down, abort, gear up, go around, and belly it in!!!!!!

And our tailgate stays home when the 5th wheel is along!!

#ad

 

[RVTRKN]

Well , it's like failing to put the gear down before landing your plane.

LOL! Thats why I fly the little Cessna 170, I don't have to worry about the landing gear, LOL some more!

 

[BSeyler]

Well , it's like failing to put the gear down before landing your plane.

I don't remember how long ago this was - maybe 30 years or so. That's the old Frontier Airlines that went out of business many years ago. They came in to land at Casper, Wyoming and forgot to put the gear down. It was quite the event back then.

http://lamkins.tripod.com/FL_737CPR.jpg

 

[HHhuntitall]

I don't remember how long ago this was - maybe 30 years or so. That's the old Frontier Airlines that went out of business many years ago. They came in to land at Casper, Wyoming and forgot to put the gear down. It was quite the event back then.

http://lamkins.tripod.com/FL_737CPR.jpg

Happens all the time.... I came home from working cattle one day, and there's a car parked on the highway next to my pasture... as I pass it, I notice to my left the airplane laying upside down in my pasture.... Apparently, the guy is an AA pilot, flew his fully restored 1942 Piper Cub to a local airport for it's annual, and on the way back, he's jacking with his wife on the highway.... He didn't bother to notice the power lines that run through my pasture up to my house... Then he goes to get his brother to help him load it before it gets reported.... Then the state troopers show up, the FAA doesn't have anyone on staff, so ends up with the Texas RailRoad Commission investigating... Cluster.

And by the way, Frontier is alive and well. Their headquartered out of Denver, CO, actually. I had a nice ride to Costa Rica a few years back on an adjoining flight from Seattle..... Quick and simple, with no security, albiet that was before 9/11.... Also had some hardware and tools shipped with me that arrived undamaged and at the same time I did.... When I saw the plane, I thought they had gone belly-up, too. The cute stewardess was very informative on the flight.... Surprisingly, it was a brand new Airbus... 318, IIRC. They'd just gotten it and were very proud of it.....

 

[BSeyler]

And by the way, Frontier is alive and well. Their headquartered out of Denver, CO, actually. I had a nice ride to Costa Rica a few years back on an adjoining flight from Seattle..... Quick and simple, with no security, albiet that was before 9/11.... Also had some hardware and tools shipped with me that arrived undamaged and at the same time I did.... When I saw the plane, I thought they had gone belly-up, too. The cute stewardess was very informative on the flight.... Surprisingly, it was a brand new Airbus... 318, IIRC. They'd just gotten it and were very proud of it.....

Different animal. The "Old Frontier" ceased operations in 1986 and went belly up in 1990. I remember Convair 580 planes flying into several towns in Wyoming as a kid. It was kind of exciting to see the name brought back with the "New Frontier" though.

http://lamkins.tripod.com/OldFrontierAirlines.html

http://aviationphotographs.net/FrontierAirlines/frontierairlines.html

Costa Rica... hmm. I've been trying for several years to get my bride to agree to a little vacation there. I spent 5 weeks there in 2003. Great little country.