5th Wheel Tailgate or will the Stock Tailgate work? - Diesel Forum

DRDON · 11-30-2006, 01:15 PM

I just ordered a 2008 F350 Lariat CC PSD 2WD Long Bed and will be picking up a new 5th wheel trailer in April. Should I think about investing in a good 5th wheel tailgate or will the stock tailgate work? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

I am a first timer at towing a 5th wheel so your knowledge and experience will really help.

Thanks,

DRDON

2001 F250 Lariat CC PSD 2WD ARE Lid Chrome Tube CabSteps Premium Wheels True Blue/Arizona Beige 171,000 miles (FOR SALE)

Ordered: 2008 F350 Lariat CC PSD 2WD Long Bed Dark Blue Pearl Clearcoat Metallic/Pueblo Gold 5"Chrome CabSteps Camper Pkg. HD Alt. Tow Command Upfitter Switches, and more.

dieselfire · 11-30-2006, 01:35 PM

Your stock will work but just make sure you have your ice Chest tied down your gate will cause turbulance and lift stuff right out of your bed that is whe a 5er gate works better it lets air flow through

FloridaEd · 11-30-2006, 03:00 PM

Your regular tail gate will work just fine.....and you will eventually forget to drop it when hitching up or unhitching and bend it....and then go buy a 5'ver tail gate after you've ruined the factory tailgate.

And don't tell me you won't do it. EVERYBODY does it, sooner or later. If you don't want to spend the money on a 5'ver tailgate, buy a net to stretch across the opening and REMOVE your tailgate anytime you are towing.

In the campgrounds on 5th wheel haulers, there are two types of tailgates: 5'ver tailgates and bent factory tailgates.

Buy the 5'ver tailgate now and save the factory tailgate for for reinstallation when you trade on the next truck, or bend the factory tailgate and still buy a 5'ver tailgate, but have to buy a new factory tailgate for a trade.

Florida ED......bent two factory tailgates before I learned my lesson

mflores · 11-30-2006, 03:20 PM

Come on Ed. I dont think it is that bad. I tow everyday and never got mine, yet.

wingfoot · 11-30-2006, 04:08 PM

It's been my finding that there are two types of 5th wheel owners and their trucks...those that have bent their OEM tail-gate and those that are going too..LOL...JMHO..

Been there and done that..I now own a fifth-wheel accessible tail-gate.

Roger45 · 11-30-2006, 06:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
In the campgrounds on 5th wheel haulers, there are two types of tailgates: 5'ver tailgates and bent factory tailgates.

[/ QUOTE ]

I live in Alaska...have you been spying on me??? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
While can't disagree with you, I had a small booboo with my tailgate the first week I had my 5er and I have a small dent on my tail gate protector (I got real lucky). That said, I have never had another accident with my tailgate, and I keep the factory gate on at all times, towing or not.

The older I get, the more important I find that I have a list of *to do*...maybe best if hung from your rearview mirror every time you stop. Tailgate up/down, steps raised, antenna down, slideout locked in, electrical unplugged, dishes secured, all doors locked, items in truck bed secured, wife (not) left behind...stuff like that [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

short_stuff · 11-30-2006, 06:30 PM

LMAO...you guys are a hoot. And I only laugh because it reminds of the time I backed my 87 F150 up with the tailgate down and the boat trailer attached. I wasn't paying too much attention as I was backing the boat up, I turned sharper than I should've, and when I got out, my nice 2-month-old pickup tailgate had a nice 4 inch crease down the right side of the top from hitting the trailer jack. Talk about feeling stupid. Thank goodness the chrome tailgate lip cover I bought covered it up. Otherwise, I guess I would've been driving around with that crease showing like a badge of honor.

CaptRon · 11-30-2006, 06:55 PM

Bent tailgates, Please!!!

In the four years that I've been a fulltimer pulling 5th wheels I have only seen one person that forgot to lower his tailgate and bent it.

The only problem that I ever had with my tailgate is when the handle broke and I couldn't get the truck out from under the trailer. I had to remove the treadplate from the inside of the gate and remove the access plate to trip the latch.

To imply that everyone bends their tailgate is just spreading misinformation.

Cool_Canuck · 11-30-2006, 07:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I just ordered a 2008 F350 Lariat CC PSD 2WD Long Bed and will be picking up a new 5th wheel trailer in April. Should I think about investing in a good 5th wheel tailgate or will the stock tailgate work? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

I am a first timer at towing a 5th wheel so your knowledge and experience will really help.

Thanks,
DRDON

[/ QUOTE ]
First, put your sig in your profile so you don't need to type in every post.

I'm not a fan of those V gates. Figure I'll still bend it if I forget. Besides, I have a Truxedo tonnue cover. Without the trailer, I still lock the tail gate. Out of sight/out of mind.

Not everyone bends their tail gate. I haven't yet. Been close though. Some just drop their trailer on the box rails. (that wasn't me either)

pristine · 11-30-2006, 07:59 PM

I do believe that there has been a few studies done and it makes little difference as to which tailgate you have for drag effect. However, I have had both types and currently operate with a regular OEM gate. My experience with both types is that the 5th wheel gate causes MORE and not LESS turbulence in the box. I have the necessary blocks in the box, and they never move regardless of where I put them. On the 5er tailgate, I once had an oil drain pan pasted vertically to the tail gate with 15 quarts of oil in it.
PS- my gate ain't bent yet.
jgr

johnlennox · 12-01-2006, 12:31 AM

I've been pulling a 5th with 5th wheel gate since my truck was new, so I can't say which causes more turbulance. What I can say for sure is that at highway speeds with the vented 5th wheel gate there is a regular hurricane wind blowing between the underside of the 5th overhang and the truck bed. Other than blocks of wood, anything else that's lighter or has more surface area to catch the wind will disappear somewhere along the highway or plastered against the tailgate if its not tied down - I speak from experience.

P.S. That hurricane is only under the overhang. Anything from the hitch forward in the truck bed seems not effected by the high velocity breeze under the overhang.

That said, not having to worry about raising and lowering the tailgate to hitch or unhitch makes a 5th wheel gate a worthwhile convenience - to me.

John

Alan_Hepburn · 12-01-2006, 01:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]

In the campgrounds on 5th wheel haulers, there are two types of tailgates: 5'ver tailgates and bent factory tailgates.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can somebody tell me what I've been doing wrong? I've been pulling fifth wheels since 1989 and have yet to bend a tail gate, or bed side. I feel left out! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/phoney.gif[/img]

Black05 · 12-01-2006, 04:28 PM

Alan - Come on, you know what you are doing wrong! You are actually paying attention and remembering to lower your tailgate prior to driving under or away from the trailer's hitch. According to Ed, you can either continue this unorthodox method and be in the minority, or join the throngs of the bent tailgate club. As for me, I'm staying in the minority. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

CaptRon · 12-01-2006, 04:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

In the campgrounds on 5th wheel haulers, there are two types of tailgates: 5'ver tailgates and bent factory tailgates.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can somebody tell me what I've been doing wrong? I've been pulling fifth wheels since 1989 and have yet to bend a tail gate, or bed side. I feel left out! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/phoney.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Alan,
It's not what we're doing wrong...it's what we're doing right, like checking to see if the tailgate is down before pulling out from under a trailer and making sure that the hitch locks before moving the trailer. This falls right in line with checking the air in the tires, the wheel lugs, and plugging in the light pigtail.

There's two types of drivers who bend tailgates and crush bed rails, the one's in too big a hurry to catch a problem before it happens and those that are too old to be driving in the first place.
These people do need a v-gate since they lack the knowledge and experience to safely hitch and unhitch a trailer.

Also, I'd be afraid of staying in a campground with these types of people. Who knows what kind of damage they would cause to my camper with their inexperience.

Capt Ron

dteets · 12-01-2006, 07:33 PM

Knock on wood, I have yet to hit my tailgate in the 5+ years I've been towing a 5er. I'm in the minority among my friends, because every single one of them with a 5er has. I fear that now I have mentioned this, I will be back on this post in a few months (or weeks) to join the ugly tailgate club. By the way, good luck with your decision [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]