Tailgate up or down?

When I saw the title to this thread I thought it was asking about Bobtail (not hitched to a trailer)

And though it may seem odd the design of the truck gets you better MPG with the tail gate properly closed

drsteve wrote:
He is talking about when you are backing up to connect the truck and 5er. The tailgate must be down at that time or the fifth wheel's pin will not clear the tailgate.

A minute apart and you said that so much more clearly than I did. (thumbsup)


More just a story than anything as it isn't practical...

I had a delivery driver pickup my camper to take it back to the factory. His tailgate wasn't working (he said a new fifth wheel's landing gear gave out and dropped it onto his truck bed).

He had to raise the front end of the camper to get the pin up and over his tailgate. I was pretty impressed that the landing gear had that much travel! It took forever- that was with electric landing gear and it was soooooo slow.

Lexx wrote:

ependydad wrote:
Maybe this will help:
http://learntorv.com/hitching-my-fifth-wheel-a-pictorial/

Thank you for the link. That does help.

But now I'm worried about the comment that the king pin/pin box may hit the top of the tailgate when it's in the closed position.

He is talking about when you are backing up to connect the truck and 5er. The tailgate must be down at that time or the fifth wheel's pin will not clear the tailgate.

Lexx wrote:

ependydad wrote:
Maybe this will help:
http://learntorv.com/hitching-my-fifth-wheel-a-pictorial/

Thank you for the link. That does help.

But now I'm worried about the comment that the king pin/pin box may hit the top of the tailgate when it's in the closed position.

I assume that's simply *while* hitching up. I haven't heard of anyone ever having an issue with everything hitched up and ready to go.

ependydad wrote:
Maybe this will help:
http://learntorv.com/hitching-my-fifth-wheel-a-pictorial/

Thank you for the link. That does help.

But now I'm worried about the comment that the king pin/pin box may hit the top of the tailgate when it's in the closed position.

Up or down? Mine is removed when towing.

5th wheel overhang will clear truck bed rails/tailgate BUT the king pin/pin box will NOT clear a closed tailgate

First time you go to hitch up you will see WHY>

azdryheat wrote:
Try turning with the tailgate down.

Or Don't. My tailgate would hit the trailer very quickly if I tried to turn with the gate down. Raise the tailgate unless you know for sure it will not hit.

Try turning with the tailgate down.

Maybe this will help:
http://learntorv.com/hitching-my-fifth-wheel-a-pictorial/