5th wheel lift gate?

We used this tailgate on our first truck, a 1996 F-250, and also bought one for our present truck.

http://www.etrailer.com/Truck-Bed-Accessories/Stromberg-Carlson/VGD-10-100.html?feed=npn&gclid=CJndz9v1jrcCFcuh4AodqXkAQg

We use our truck primarily for pulling our fifth so we take the tailgate that came with the truck and put it in a box and store it away. We leave the RV notched gate on all the time. We never have to worry about if the gate it up or down. I repaint it with black rustoleum spray enamel every year to keep it looking new.

rhagfo wrote:


Yes but tailgate up didn't have a fiver sitting in the bed either.

Mine is also strong enough to stand on, and sit the hitch on when changing out.

Our 1st 5er sat so close to the rear of the truck the Tailgate would not open with the 5er attached.

We had kind of the same problem with our old 5iver.
One reason I just started leaving the tailgate off.

The new trailer has gobs of room now.
Guess I can put the tailgate back on :)

Thats_Ok wrote:
Me just threw one of the webbed tail gate nets out.
I thought it was nice at first with the stainless pipe frame and all.

Got tired of fooling with it.
When we hook and go a lot I usually just leave the gate off anyway.

Anyone remember the "Mythbusters" where the tailgate up and tailgate down was compared for mileage?

Tailgate up won out.

Yes but tailgate up didn't have a fiver sitting in the bed either.

Mine is also strong enough to stand on, and sit the hitch on when changing out.

Our 1st 5er sat so close to the rear of the truck the Tailgate would not open with the 5er attached.

I've had a five-gate on every truck I've owned but one, the first one....
If you have a regular gate, the odds are, you will hit it with the king-pin as least once.

The current gate is metal, and rated for a load. But I still usually swap tailgates if I am hauling some loads. Like when I am hauling fire wood. The hitch comes out, the regular gate gets put on. A some time later the firewood is in and I swap back.

belairbrian wrote:
I've had them on my last two trucks.

Advantages: Can hitch up and not worry about the gate. And yes I did forget to lift my gate once and cut a huge gauge in the 5er on the first turn.

While it doesn't help mileage. it does decrease turbulence. With my solid gate I had a blue tote behind the hitch that floated. with the louvered v-gate no such floating.

disadvantages: Not intended for any type of load. You can't step on them and you can't slide anything of real weight over them while loading. Can't use a bed cover to secure cargo. According to Stromberg Carlson the plastic cannot be painted to match your truck.

If looking at used ones check that the latches are steel. early ones had plastic latches that failed. SC replaced them with steel to solve the problem.

X2
Less turbulence here also when towing, especially with the 13' box over the bed. I wish mythbusters had done their tests towing something.

I changed mine only because we full time......hitching/unhitching every week for past 6 yrs.

Otherwise I would NOT have changed.

They don't have any real big advantages IMO. I have one because it gives me one less thing to mess with when hooking/unhooking the 5er. And the OEM tailgate was damaged when I bought the truck because the original owner forgot to lower the tailgate when he unhooked his gooseneck trailer. Also I don't have to worry about digging the corner of the tailgate into the 5er if I have to hook up at a severe angle. It's also easier for me to step on the bumper and into the truck through the tailgate rather than stepping over. Just personal preference I think.

I had mine powdercoated to match the truck and I think it turned out pretty nice:



I couldn't remember recommended image size. Sorry. :?

I am looking at the aluminum ones. The factory gate is a nuisance when hooking up and unhooking as the trailer nose is short, I have already stoved in the propane compartment door with the corner.
Because our trailer is small we need to carry the lawn chairs, cooler and other necessary 'stuff' in the box while traveling.

I have an aluminum fifth wheel tailgate made by Husky (the liner & floor mat people). It's a little pricier than the plastic ones, but it is stronger and looks better. It also has an OEM style locking rotary latch. I got it because with my long bed, I didn't have a lot of room between the truck and the front of my trailer when the tailgate was down. Now I don't have to lower the tailgate to hook up. Do the vents help with mileage? Probably not, but they do make it lighter and easier to raise and lower.

Me just threw one of the webbed tail gate nets out.
I thought it was nice at first with the stainless pipe frame and all.

Got tired of fooling with it.
When we hook and go a lot I usually just leave the gate off anyway.

Anyone remember the "Mythbusters" where the tailgate up and tailgate down was compared for mileage?

Tailgate up won out.