OOPS! My 5th wheel pin box ate my tailgate!

[JimBob24]

Hi guys. New guy here. I like to read all the outstanding wisdom out there but hate to add my ignorance! I learn the hard way, so maybe someone else can benefit from my mistakes. I decided on a SB this time when I traded in my '97 Dodge CTD so I immediately added a slider to my Reese 15K, especially with the now shorter clearance between the rear of the cab and the 5th wheel kingpin. Did not even think to check the back of the pin box to tailgate clearance with the slider positioned aft. Well, on my Jayco 281RLS IT WASN'T ENOUGH! Apparently while backing over a hill while turning sharply the back edge of the pin box came down on top of the tailgate and cut an ugly arc in the inside top edge of the tailgate, approx. a foot long, on my brand new truck with about 1000 miles on it! Fortunately it did not bow the tailgate out and it did not damage the outside edge of the tailgate. The inside of the tailgate was already Line-X'ed so a good body shop had it fixed quickly. Anyway I now have a new Husky alum. fifth-wheel tailgate installed so I do not have to worry about this again. BTW, the Husky (by Huskyliner) is a very nice tailgate. A little pricey but fits great and looks good. The bright aluminum is a good match to my silver truck.



Jim Robertson

 

[JoelCool]

Sorry about the mishap, and welcome aboard!

 

[JimBob24]

Thanks, JoelCool. I really enjoy reading all the good stuff but have been hesitant to jump in with my . 02 worth. Sure is a lot of wisdom and experience out there. Nice not to have to "re-invent the wheel".

 

[JRMora]

I remember someone on this forum saying, "there are two kinds of guys out there - those who have hit their tailgate with their hitch pin and those who are going to".



When it happens to me I'll buy me a new tailgate!



Sorry about the oops!.



And welcome to the TDR!



Juan

 

[B.G. Smith]

Welcome JimBob

Better do some measuring to make sure the pin box cant get to the side rails in a sharp turn over a hump. I have a long bed and mine ate one of those over the wheel well tool boxes that came up flush with the top of the bed, won't quiet reach the side rails but it wasted the tool box. The "Two kind of guys" story reminds me of an old hunting buddy who locked his keys in his truck at the deer camp. Everyone was razzing him about locking his keys inside. I helped him get in the truck and he said "You know Smith, there are two kinds of people, them that lock their keys in their truck and them that lie about it. " Have a good one. Bg

 

[JimBob24]

Thanks for the welcome, Juan. I had read about the dangers of hitting the tailgate with the kingpin ... . and I assumed that I would be one of those someday, so I had planned to get a "V" notch tailgate sooner or later, but I never expected to hit the tailgate with the other end - the pin box mount assembly! The pin itself never got near the tailgate! Anyway, the repaired original tailgate looks as good as new, and is now safely resting on brackets on the garage wall. I think I will just leave the new 5th wheel louvered tailgate on and not worry about it.

 

[JimBob24]

Hello B. G. I think I learned my lesson about checking those clearances. I probably will add an auxillary fuel tank just behind the cab, but it will not be near the pin box. If I turned sharp enough to get the back of the pin box near the side rails the front corner of the trailer probably would be in the cab. BTW, I have locked my keys inside enough times that I now have an alternate "secret" means of getting inside my truck. Nothing is worse than calling the wife and asking (begging) her to bring a spare key, especially if you are at deer camp!

 

[Tony T.]

Hi guys. New guy here. I like to read all the outstanding wisdom out there but hate to add my ignorance! I learn the hard way, so maybe someone else can benefit from my mistakes. I decided on a SB this time when I traded in my '97 Dodge CTD so I immediately added a slider to my Reese 15K, especially with the now shorter clearance between the rear of the cab and the 5th wheel kingpin. Did not even think to check the back of the pin box to tailgate clearance with the slider positioned aft. Well, on my Jayco 281RLS IT WASN'T ENOUGH! Apparently while backing over a hill while turning sharply the back edge of the pin box came down on top of the tailgate and cut an ugly arc in the inside top edge of the tailgate, approx. a foot long, on my brand new truck with about 1000 miles on it! Fortunately it did not bow the tailgate out and it did not damage the outside edge of the tailgate. The inside of the tailgate was already Line-X'ed so a good body shop had it fixed quickly. Anyway I now have a new Husky alum. fifth-wheel tailgate installed so I do not have to worry about this again. BTW, the Husky (by Huskyliner) is a very nice tailgate. A little pricey but fits great and looks good. The bright aluminum is a good match to my silver truck.



Jim Robertson

JimBob,your not a new member according to your join date. Voice your opinion or ask your question on the TDR. I usually try to locate through the search fourm for some questions I have, but either I'm typing the wrong phrase of words, or something an don't get the results I wanted sometimes. Everybody can not be a mechanic, I know I'm not, I can do some things, but not like some people on here can. That's why we have this fourm to ask questions. There should not be a stupid question ask, an members should not be made to feel their ignorant either. Every one has a field of work there good at, weather your a bicycle mechanic or a brain surgeon or both.



Sorry to here about your mishap with the tailgate, crap does happen at times.





Tony

 

[Ed]

Tailgate vs side of bed

:{



If you have hit the tailgate then the next step is to turn partially on uneven surface and damage the top of the bed fender in the back. It will happen ! I changed to a Reese 16K hitch and gained enough height to avoid a repeat performance but the damage is done.



Ed

 

[JimBob24]

Yep, I've done that too, Ed. My previous truck was a '97 Ram 2500 CTD long bed. I think I was backing out the same place I did this time, and the rear corner of the truck got into the sheet metal beside the pin box. That time it just put a slight crease in the metal on the RV. I had bed rail protectors on the truck and no damage was done to it. There are a few drawbacks to towing with a SB truck, but maybe one advantage is the shorter distance between the hitch and rear of the truck might help prevent the corners of the truck from getting as high under the trailer when backing and turning on uneven surfaces.

 

[JRMora]

The "Two kind of guys" story reminds me of an old hunting buddy who locked his keys in his truck at the deer camp. Everyone was razzing him about locking his keys inside. I helped him get in the truck and he said "You know Smith, there are two kinds of people, them that lock their keys in their truck and them that lie about it. " Have a good one. Bg

I called my wife from the hardware store once because I locked the keys in my truck. After I hung up, I walked back to the truck and found the passenger window was down. What did I do?



I rolled up the passenger window and locked the keys in the truck.



If only my wife knew what she was getting into!



:-laf



Juan

 

[OTRPU]

Primm, NV, hasn't been a year. Stopped at McDonalds for a burger, left the truck running. Returned with burger only to find I'd locked the truck. I carry three (3) sets of keys. . . all of them hangin from the ignition. Gal dishwasher at Mack's gave me a coat hanger, she said, "ought to carry a spare set". I said, "I did have 3 sets". She said, "where they at?" I said, "all in the truck. " She said, "that's stupid. " Well, she was right.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[Turbo Thom]

That happens. My last fifth wheel RV ate the sides of my bed. Sometimes those things just get hungery. Now I feed it just to be left alone.



. . Preston. .

 

[EricBu12]

I have a clip on my belt and the remote is on that, the regular key with the fuel cap key and the key for the rear shell door is together so if I do lock the key in the truck, I have the remote to get in...