I have been searching the forums and cannot find assistance with regards to a longbed truck. I went from a sb truck to a lb truck and have the Reese Elite Pro 20k hitch. When I am hitching my camper my wife must raise the tailgate prior to setting the pin or the tailgate will hit the camper. When I had my sb truck I could hit and unhitch the camper all day long by myself and now it takes two people for this task. Is there a solution that I could purchase to allow me a little more room from the tailgate to the camper to make hitching and unhitching a little easier?Thanks in advance,2014 Ford F350 CCLB Platinum2008 XLR 30x12

Just throwing this out there.When they installed your hitch, could they possibly have positioned it too far forward in your bed? This would happen if they used the template for the short bed instead of the long bed.

Probably will have to get an extended pin box. Or get out and close gate when it's clear Wouldn't have wife hold it up.

get a v-notch flow thru tailgate then there is no raising and lowering

Hi,The way I have seen hitching up a fifth wheel is the driver backs up close, then gets out and puts up the tailgate, then gets back in to finish backing into position. I guess the extended pin box will also work, if it does not get to close to the sidewalls or tailgate while towing. Yet I have always seen the driver get out and fold up the tailgate mid-way through the hitching procedure. . .Fred.

Sounds like your hitch was installed too far behind the center of the axle. I've always had LBs and was always able to lower the tailgate. By having the hitch in the wrong place it can cause problems when towing (sway, not follow properly, jack knife..etc.) The hitch should be centered over the rear axle if possible.Just a caution- make sure your wife stands off to the side while hitching or unhitching. There have been cases where folks have been crushed if the pin slips off of the hitch plate and the trailer wasn't properly chocked to prevent movement.

Longbed tailgate will hit camper when hitching | Good Sam Community

BillB3857
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
I just remove my tailgate and lay it flat in the truck bed behind the hitch. When we get set up, tailgate goes back on and sliding cover covers the bed.
sdetweil
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
bpounds wrote:
shepstone wrote:
I had the same issue with my b&w patriot hitch and 2013 f250 longbed It turns out all i had to do was take the head of the hitch off pull the pins out take the hitch off the rails , turn it around 180 degrees on the rails put the pins back in , put the head back on , swap the spring that levels the head to the new location and now i have about 4" of clearance from tailgate to trailer when hitching up. In other words I guess i had it on back to front

After doing that, where is your pin relative to your rear axle? Seems like the pin might now be behind the axle. It should be forward of the axle, but I know some people get away with having it set back.

I think it WAS behind, now in front. If you have the base mounted 180 degrees from normal, then it could be behind the axle..
the base is 'supposed' to display the B&W logo from the rear.
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
Garry&Gayle wrote:
get a v-notch flow thru tailgate then there is no raising and lowering

X-? - easy, and inexpensive (see Northern Tool).

~
CabinetmakerII
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
rhagfo wrote:
Garry&Gayle wrote:
get a v-notch flow thru tailgate then there is no raising and lowering

Best solution!

Best solution providing there is no back up camera integrated into the tail gate as equipped on my F-450
bpounds
Nomad
Sep 06, 2014
shepstone wrote:
I had the same issue with my b&w patriot hitch and 2013 f250 longbed It turns out all i had to do was take the head of the hitch off pull the pins out take the hitch off the rails , turn it around 180 degrees on the rails put the pins back in , put the head back on , swap the spring that levels the head to the new location and now i have about 4" of clearance from tailgate to trailer when hitching up. In other words I guess i had it on back to front

After doing that, where is your pin relative to your rear axle? Seems like the pin might now be behind the axle. It should be forward of the axle, but I know some people get away with having it set back.
cpaulsen
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
My Ford was really close also....put a V-Gate on it......no problems.
Lantley
Nomad
Sep 06, 2014
shepstone wrote:
I had the same issue with my b&w patriot hitch and 2013 f250 longbed It turns out all i had to do was take the head of the hitch off pull the pins out take the hitch off the rails , turn it around 180 degrees on the rails put the pins back in , put the head back on , swap the spring that levels the head to the new location and now i have about 4" of clearance from tailgate to trailer when hitching up. In other words I guess i had it on back to front

Good idea. I also like using cable to partially lower the gate. V tail gate would be a last resort.
Personally I would have to find a permanent solution.
Dealing with the tailgate should not be a task in itself.
shepstone
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
I had the same issue with my b&w patriot hitch and 2013 f250 longbed It turns out all i had to do was take the head of the hitch off pull the pins out take the hitch off the rails , turn it around 180 degrees on the rails put the pins back in , put the head back on , swap the spring that levels the head to the new location and now i have about 4" of clearance from tailgate to trailer when hitching up. In other words I guess i had it on back to front
Tango__AE7UI
Explorer
Sep 05, 2014
I leave the tailgate off when using the fifth wheel.
M_GO_BLUE1
Explorer
Sep 05, 2014
Either take the tailgate off or purchase a V-notch tailgate