Custom Flow Tail Gate Installed

[SSage]

I should have gotten one of these years ago. I can see so much better when running without a trailer too. I really didn't realize how much I would like it. I carry light weight stuff in the bed and occasionally a generator. But mostly just small stuff. Its nice not having to drop the tailgate to hook up, so far I just leave it up and locked. Happy Camper.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Nice gate, I had the PVC one and it finally disintegrated, it wasn't much to start with.

 

[SSage]

I like the look better than no tail gate at all. I just gotta remember not to let anything very heavy slide around the bed. I bet a bucket of Sheetrock mud or something like that sliding back would kill it. Most of the time I will have a 5th wheel hitch back there, not much room left anyway.

 

[AH64ID]

Do you pull the plastic bed liner for the 5th wheel hitch?

 

[SSage]

It stays in, thats the OEM bed liner. I think most of the weight is on the turn over ball hitch. The base has rubber it sits on and it doesn't crush the liner. I had the 3000 Companion at first, gave it to my uncle when he started hauling RV's. I think its called the 3500 now, its a little different at the feet I think. I haven't had one in the bed for a while. I'm shopping for a used 30' 5th wheel. I need to get it back on there soon.

 

[AH64ID]

There is actually not supposed to be any weight on the turn over ball hitch, it gets torqued up to suck the hitch into the bed and that keeps the weight off the hitch, unlike using a GN hitch . The weight is supposed to be on the two legs, and the hitch deals with the longitudinal forces. B&W says not to use any removable bed liner with the companion hitch. The feet on the 3500 are designed to get the weight between the bed ribs.

I’ve never seen an OEM bed liner like that. Didn’t even know it was an option.

 

[SSage]

Thats interesting, I would think the liner would have been crushed by now. The 3000 sat on top for years.

 

[SSage]

I searched old Companion hitch install threads with a bed liner. I found a couple threads online describing a socket post with two holes, one for a thick mat or plastic bedliner and one for bare metal and flat beds. But, the 3500 install manual doesn't show that at all, it says to put nothing between the base and the bed. I don't have my original 3000 manual anymore. So I guess I better follow the directions for the 3500 and be safe.

I read some really old RV discussions talking about the hold down bolt striping out from the rubber mats giving too much movement up and down. It was back when the hitch just came out. I think I had one of the first ones. Oh well, that old one was mounted on a Chevy and had around 150K miles on it, I guess we did something right, it never had any issues. I'll get the 3500 on per the directions.

Thanks for the head up. I had Tom Johnson or whatever their name is in NC put the companion in the bed. I missed the bed liner part in the manual. i guess I thought I knew what I was doing already!

 

[JR]

I have the B&W Companion with a LineX spray in bed liner and a rubber bed mat. It is roughly 1/8" thick and have had no problems. I did take the teflon runners off the bottom. I measured off the side of the bed the first few times I installed the hitch. It sits down in there pretty square.

One mistake I made when I first started using the hitch was in torquing the bolt down. The first time I torqued it down dry I did not like the feel of it so the next time I used a little engine oil on the threads. It felt much better drawing down but the reduced resistance resulted in a higher torque and bent the pin that locks the 5th wheel hitch or GN ball in place. Being the Companion is slotted it wasn't an issue but when I hooked to a GN it became obvious when the pin would not go through the ball.
After some research B&W website says to torque dry, I disagree with this method but have been following it and have not had a bent pin since.

 

[AH64ID]

On my dads 06 the company that set the 3500 up just placed the hitch on the rubber bed mat and didn’t install the skids. When we realized this we got skid and notched the bed mad to the contact was on the bed itself (well spray in liner) and it gave it a much more solid connection to the truck.

 

[JR]

When we realized this we got skid and notched the bed mad to the contact was on the bed itself (well spray in liner) and it gave it a much more solid connection to the truck.

Was it moving around in the bed prior to installing the runners?

 

[SnoKing]

I like the look better than no tail gate at all. I just gotta remember not to let anything very heavy slide around the bed. I bet a bucket of Sheetrock mud or something like that sliding back would kill it. Most of the time I will have a 5th wheel hitch back there, not much room left anyway.

So what is wrong with no tail gate????? I tow the 5th wheels for many years without a tail gate.

View attachment 128002

 

[AH64ID]

Was it moving around in the bed prior to installing the runners?

Couldn't feel it by grabbing it or even hitched up, it just felt better after.

So what is wrong with no tail gate????? I tow the 5th wheels for many years without a tail gate.

For me it would be looks.

 

[SnoKing]

It stays in, thats the OEM bed liner. I think most of the weight is on the turn over ball hitch. The base has rubber it sits on and it doesn't crush the liner. I had the 3000 Companion at first, gave it to my uncle when he started hauling RV's. I think its called the 3500 now, its a little different at the feet I think. I haven't had one in the bed for a while. I'm shopping for a used 30' 5th wheel. I need to get it back on there soon.

When you draw down the Companion hitch with the goose neck attachment, it is not holding "anything up", pin weight load is on the Companion base that rest on the bed floor. Early ones did not had the spacers for the valleys in the bed and the raised ribs were getting crushed. So B&W add the spacers.

 

[SnoKing]

For me it would be looks.

You do not like the diamond plate look?

That front "Truck Trunk" box was in all three on my RAMs and now it is a friends 2007.5.

 

[AH64ID]

You do not like the diamond plate look?

Not without a tailgate, to me it looks unfinished.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Never felt the need for a 5er Tailgate.

My dad had the Highway Products tailgate box. He didn't like not having good access to in when hitched so he sold it.

I am more than happy with my Highway Products bed height and 30" deep tool box. Have used it in my 98, 11 and 15.

 

[SSage]

I never liked the no tail gate look, so far the custom flow gate is a winner. It keeps the stinky slinky from blowing out. I usually put my old Blue Rhino sewer hose in a heavy duty plastic bag and just lay it in the bed. I'll just cut the plastic bed liner out for the companion base to be safe, I guess the thick plastic didn't compress enough to cause an issue, but its getting really old now. All the other plastic on the truck is getting more fragile everyday! I had a bad shoulder injury and lifting the tail gate has gotten really old fast. I like the V notch, I can put stuff in the bed easier through the notch. I'm probably going to put a generator on the trailer, less hassle. I want to do more short trips, more boondocking!

 

[SnoKing]

I never liked the no tail gate look, so far the custom flow gate is a winner. It keeps the stinky slinky from blowing out. I usually put my old Blue Rhino sewer hose in a heavy duty plastic bag and just lay it in the bed. I'll just cut the plastic bed liner out for the companion base to be safe, I guess the thick plastic didn't compress enough to cause an issue, but its getting really old now. All the other plastic on the truck is getting more fragile everyday! I had a bad shoulder injury and lifting the tail gate has gotten really old fast. I like the V notch, I can put stuff in the bed easier through the notch. I'm probably going to put a generator on the trailer, less hassle. I want to do more short trips, more boondocking!

Don't kid yourself, towing a 5th wheel stuff will blow our of the bed if it is not weighted down. I would not trust a flow through tailgate to insure that does not happen.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I had a basketball and lawn chair come shooting out from under the 5er when the wife was following in the Suburban.. She was not thrilled!