5th Wheel Tailgates

bpounds wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
If I’m not 100% straight with hooking up, my tailgate is scary close to the front of the fifth wheel. Being able to hook up with the gate up would be reel nice.

Ours is worse than that. It will definitely crush the TG into the trailer. That was my motivation to get one, I'm naturally cheap like some others here. But once I got it I discovered it was just plain nice to have.

And BTW, I also have a locking cover, and it works fine with the Vee gate. Even if I don't use the Vee insert, it would be difficult to get anything out of the bed through that opening.

When I had my 6'-6" bed I never had an issue with the tailgate down vs the the front of rig but now with my long bed, I have the scars on front of the the rig to prove that if not straight it will hit. I learned quickly to close the tailgate once the pinbox clears the tailgate.

Never had anything but a V tailgate. Bought the truck & trailer used as a package. Having the V gate does not mean that you never have to open the gate to hook up. It means that you have to know by looking in the mirror if the kingpin is high enough to clear it on upsloping sites.

I cannot see my hitch plate in the mirror properly, neither can I see the bottom of the tailgate notch at all, but I do know that as I get close to the kingpin, if I can see the whole kingpin it will not clear the notch.

Even with a notched tailgate you need to be familiar & careful. You learn stuff. In my case the leg buttons are under the 5er overhang left side. On level ground I know that if my nose touches the center of the marker light on the side above the leg switches, the trailer is just the right height to clear the V gate & pinbox hitting the center of the 5th wheel jaws.

I just want to thank all of you who provided the many opinions,stories and advisements. There was a lot of good information to consider.
I have decided that since I am a year from using my trailer full time that I will keep the factory gate for now.

Thank you all

Mike.

Super_Dave wrote:
If I’m not 100% straight with hooking up, my tailgate is scary close to the front of the fifth wheel. Being able to hook up with the gate up would be reel nice.

Ours is worse than that. It will definitely crush the TG into the trailer. That was my motivation to get one, I'm naturally cheap like some others here. But once I got it I discovered it was just plain nice to have.

And BTW, I also have a locking cover, and it works fine with the Vee gate. Even if I don't use the Vee insert, it would be difficult to get anything out of the bed through that opening.

If I’m not 100% straight with hooking up, my tailgate is scary close to the front of the fifth wheel. Being able to hook up with the gate up would be reel nice.

From the above stories our needs are not the same and is a normal deal. We use our truck for towing and driving in the winter so we have had the fifth tailgate since 2001 and also have the V-box at the rear of the bed. Also have a camera.

Nice for us to like what we have.

chevman

A fifth wheel tailgate is a great idea regardless of what anyone says. Yes, I have an older truck without a rear camera but you never have to worry about forgetting to lower your tailgate. I know everybody is going to think they’re more careful than that but you will quickly realize how easy it would be to forget...Either hooking or unhooking.
In addition, I have the blue ox bed saver system on my hitch and if the hitch would ever fail and the bed saver catches the king pin, your factory tailgate would be destroyed.
There have also been a few times ( I mean just a few) where I needed to hook up truck to trailer on a bit of an angle and it wouldn’t have worked due to clearance issues between tailgate and camper.
My factory tailgate has been safely stored away at home for many years of camping...

So true

donn0128 wrote:
13 years pulling a fifth wheel and never saw a need for one. Lower the tail gate hitch/unhitch, lock the hitch and raise the tail gate. I always had a hard cover on my trucks, so with the stock tailmgate I could always lock the bed for secure storage. No an option with a V notch tail gate.

Hmmmmmm - The "need" is for theft prevention of the tailgate!!

13 years puts your TG in the "gone in 20 seconds category".
(Be sure to use at least basic theft deterrent).

Check the cost for a replacement (factory/stock) TG. Plus 'wait time' to get it, paint match, etc. etc. Prob way more expense than what's in the bed!

Newer (factory) TGs have better theft prevention designs - but they
are still a "hot" item (no pun intended). Ask a LEO - difficult to trace and easy to "fence", in high demand due to: back-up damage (not just by 5th wheel folks), AND theft (vicious cycle).

Sure, your insurance covers it! - Deductible? - Premium increase?

The Hard Cover (have one):
It does keep your stuff out of sight when closed, but....
1. The locks on the cover are a joke.
2. However, you can add padlocks to your aftermarket TG, which will both prevent it being stolen - as well as opening the TG to access your treasures.

I did set up the TG locks, but have never bothered to use them - as
*nobody* wants to steal my $200. Northern Tool TG! LOL..:B

Never had anything stolen from my p/up bed whether covered or not.
Never had anything stolen (period!) in 48 years of "camping" with TTs and 5th wheels.
Yes, I *do* have friends who have had factory TGs stolen - as well as *20* from the L.A. Times p/ups (in their parking lot) in one fell swoop a few years ago.

BTW - Full or part time doesn't matter ....it's *NOT* where you live (perm or temp) - it's your travel *location/s*...:W

Unless you have a tall tool box (or?) in your p/up bed, the "V" notched TGs make hitching a breeze - no need to open the TG..:C

Happy tailgating!

~

Dry box tailgate, that way I can carry an extra 25 gallons of fuel and still have room to lock away other stuff like tools ect. fold down door's make it easy to get to the fuel can's also.