Fifthwheel hitch do I need to replace or remove my talegate????

[PSAJB1]

Purchasing a 32 foot brookside by sunnybrook and planning on using the 16k pullrite superglide fifth wheel hitch. Do I really need to remove the factory tail gate??



Thank in advance!

 

[B.G. Smith]

It's kinda like the dentist said, "only brush the teeth you want to keep". I replaced mine with the one with the cutout in the middle and still occasionally hit it. With the tailgate down you have to worry about going in at an angle and punching a hole in the trailer. On the truck I have now I bought the plastic gate and don't care for it, you can't even sit on it. bg

 

[Ram4Sam]

Purchasing a 32 foot brookside by sunnybrook and planning on using the 16k pullrite superglide fifth wheel hitch. Do I really need to remove the factory tail gate??



Thank in advance!

Only if you want it to stay straight It's really easy to forget to put it down before you drive off. Especially if you are a new fifth wheel owner. The convenience factor is huge with the notched tailgates, not having to get in and out of the truck several times when hitching/unhitching.



Sam

 

[ScottLewis]

I've towed fivers about 12 years now with damaging the tailgate (up). The notched gates are easier to use but I prefer the look of the original.



Dan

 

[Bovee]

I to like the look of the original tail gate. Not a fan of the steel "louvered" tailgates. So i am currently in the process of taking a stock tailgate and putting the V notch in it. It will look factory as the tailgate handle will be lowered and it will all be professionally bent and painted and everything. If it turns out good i am gonna see if theres a market out there and make some.

 

[EricBu12]

Look at this. . Stock tailgate but customized for a 5th wheel... scroll down a bit for the finished pics

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/towing-hauling-rv-forum/102638-custom-tailgate.html

 

[RClark]

BuiltRite makes a V tool box for the back of the bed.

 

[Jim W]

I guess I am in the minority. I like the look of the stock tailgate and use a bed cover when the hitch is not in the truck, so I am using the stock tailgate. My DW stands at the rear by the king pin when backing up. She watches the tailgate and camper to insure neither touches. She also there to insure that the king pin goes over the bed saver. She will then lower the king pin a little to insure we couple correctly after our incident in SD.

I am using a bed saver from Blue Ox that is mounted on my slider hitch, this has saved the bed and tailgate when I did high hitch once out in SD. Was doing a brake check and the 5er pulled out of the hitch was caught by the bed saver and landing legs.

Jim

 

[JeffJackson]

My in-bed trailer plug is at the back by the tailgate, so I can't even unplug without putting the tailgate down. I'm always looking out the back window when hitching up, so I can see if the tailgate is down or not. I'd vote against the 5th wheel tailgate.

 

[Bob Cochran]

I have used the v-tailgate for 5er and currently using the stock tailgate. I will say under certain situations you can hit the v-tailgate and bend them as well. Saving grace is it is cheaper to replace the v-tailgate than the OEM tailgate. I guess it is personnel preference depending on what you like the looks of or cost if you hitting your going to bend the OEM.

 

[HBarlow]

You may be lucky and never have a problem. If you do much towing you may regret retaining the OEM tailgate. It is easy to get tired and forgetful, particularly when hooking/unhooking in the dark, in the rain, or early in the morning when you might be a bit sleepy. It only takes one moment of inattention or forgetfullness to damage or destroy a very expensive tailgate.

 

[Barry]

Two kinds of 5er drivers. There are those that have jerked a kink in their tailgates and there are those that are going to... ... ... ... ... :-laf

 

[Ram4Sam]

Two kinds of 5er drivers. There are those that have jerked a kink in their tailgates and there are those that are going to... ... ... ... ... :-laf

Amen to that! Thank god I got mine out the way twenty years ago on an old POS Ford I had, before I saw the light and bought my first Cummins. I've had a fiver tailgate ever since.



Sam

 

[THerber]

I agree with Barry, same statement goes with dropping your 5er on the bed sides, I never have had a "V" shaped tailgate but I have dropped mine on the bed sides once, had the landing jacks up on about 8" of blocks and forgot to put my hitch in the auto latch position and when I backed into the hitch I hit it just a little to hard and knocked it off the blocks. "oops" The worst part was there about 50 people standing right there in the camp ground. Quite embarrassing.

 

[Grizzly]

I agree with Barry, same statement goes with dropping your 5er on the bed sides, I never have had a "V" shaped tailgate but I have dropped mine on the bed sides once, had the landing jacks up on about 8" of blocks and forgot to put my hitch in the auto latch position and when I backed into the hitch I hit it just a little to hard and knocked it off the blocks. "oops" The worst part was there about 50 people standing right there in the camp ground. Quite embarrassing.

S___ happens. Eventually to all of us. That's why I now use a check list. My wife reads it while I check things.



george

 

[Ram4Sam]

Having done this and a number of other knucklehead mishaps involving rv's, trucks, etc, I have learned one thing. The likely hood of any mishap happening is directly proportional to the number of friends/people standing around to watch it happen.



Sam

 

[SOLER]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...ssion-discussions/222362-vented-tailgate.html



follow that link and see the link I posted in this thread. That's the one I'm getting. But to answer your question, no, you don't need another gate. Just be careful with the one you have.

 

[Matt400]

I use the stock gate, don't like the look of the V's.

 

[HBarlow]

Everyone who pulls a fifth wheel with a pickup long enough will be removing his tailgate.

The choice owners make is whether it will be before or after it was modifed by the trailer kingpin.

 

[fmj]

i have had the stock tailgate since i've had a 5er. since i use the truck once its unhooked i have a roll top and lockable bed to keep stuff in it. towing i pull the roll top back to where the kingpin clears and can still keep items tucked back under top. here is the disavantage. if you have a stock tailgate (roll top or not) on a 5er while towing, any item in the bed weights less than the hitch, its going to come out . there is a giant vacuum created. supposedly the louvered v gate doesn't do this. i'll still keep the stock tailgate.