Tow Travel Trailer with Truck Gate Open? Anyone done this?

[95jersey]

I only have a 5' 7" bed and in order to fit my motorcycles in the back, I need to leave the tailgate down. Has anyone done this? Are there clearance issues? If so are there any feasible options?

[Rangerman40]

I can't open my tailgate hooked to my TT more than a few inches before the jack gets in the way

[wecamp04]

Both tt I've had the tail gate would hit something if left down tongue jack propane tank, I think you will have to come up with someway to haul your bikes with the tailgate removed

[hellfirehydra]

If only they made trucks with long beds.....

I would get the right tool for the job and get a 3/4 ton long bed and do it right the first time.

[mkirsch]

Tongue jacks on travel trailers are almost universally at the point where the two main beams of the tongue come together in a "V" directly behind the coupler.

They are almost always either in the way of the tailgate, or VERY close when the truck and trailer are in a straight line. As soon as you turn a little, *CRUNCH*!

If you've got room you can install a different kind of jack off to one side, but the WD brackets, propane tanks and/or battery may be in the way. Then you still may contact the propane tanks or battery box in sharper turns.

Believe me, you do not want to have to constantly worry if you are turning too short, because eventually, you will turn too short and damage something. It is not fun.

A hitch extension long enough to clear the tailgate would derate your receiver too much. It is probably already pushing its limits with a normal length shank.

Do you even have payload capacity for one or two bikes in the back of your truck? With a 5' bed it is an F150 or 1500 series truck with a payload of 1500lbs at most. 2/3 of that is used up on the trailer tongue, and most of the rest is people in the cab. So no, there are not really any feasible options with what you have.

You need an F250 or 2500 series truck with enough payload capacity for the bikes, and a bed long enough to load the bikes with the tailgate up. I'm sure you probably use the current truck as your daily driver and you don't want a bigger truck, but then you don't get to bring the bikes with you on camping trips. It's that simple. You have to decide what's more important to you and make a compromise.

[atwowheelguy]

Moderator edit to re-size pictures to forum recommended limit of 640px maximum width.

[nineoaks2004]

I would be afraid the trailer (or part of it) would hit my tailgate during a sharp turn or when backing up.

[Hank85713]

You could fab up a setup like for bicycles where you remove the front tire and just hook up to a tubular setup for the axle. Put the bike in backwards remove the tire, maybe run a axle substitute from side to side of bed, or till a 2d showes up turn sideways with the wheel cocked to side and bike on diagonal in bed. As to towing with TG down, no dont think so.

Had another thought, if no crossbed tool box maybe the axle substitute could run across top front of bed would pull bike in a couplpe of inches more, but actuall would have same thing if facing to rear with the axle sub over top of tail gate and it would be easier to remove and reattach.

[BarneyS]

3oaks wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Hitch up trailer
Open tailgate
Have someone watch as you turn truck

Ask them WHAT HIT?

Fix tailgate and what ever it hit///

:S

The idea to have someone watch at you turn the truck is to stop you BEFORE the tailgate hits something.

Ya think? :B
Barney

[2manytoyz]

downtheroad wrote:
On ours I had to turn the electric jack head so the gate would open all the way...

But, I never towed with it down...just too close for tight turns and tight backing situations.

Also what truck? There is always the dreaded 'payload' issue when loading lots if weight (motorcycle) in your truck bed along with the tongue weight of the trailer.

Found this picture. Easy to see that if the tailgate was all the way open there would certainly be turning problems..

Hey, that's MY truck and trailer! :B

The Ford trucks have a deep bed, which makes for a long tailgate. As you can tell by the picture, it's way too close in a tight turn.

If I haul the golf cart, I remove the tailgate.





I did move the trailer tongue jack further back, allowing the tailgate to drop completely when hitched up, but it doesn't help during tight turns.

To remove my tailgate, I have to unplug the factory backup camera, unlatch both cables, and lift up on one side. Comes right off, no tools.

The downside is the bed is about 2' shorter. Not sure if you can put a motorcycle in diagonally, or turn the forks. Mine is a 6.5' bed, and the golf cart takes up every inch. The reason I haven't added a lift kit and tires to the cart is the lift kits actually extend the wheelbase, and then it wouldn't fit.

[3oaks]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Hitch up trailer
Open tailgate
Have someone watch as you turn truck

Ask them WHAT HIT?

Fix tailgate and what ever it hit///

:S

The idea to have someone watch at you turn the truck is to stop you BEFORE the tailgate hits something.

[eichacsj]

Before you buy the TT hook up and drop the gate and see how close it is. Without any other info, no you can't be hooked up with tailgate down.

Edit (add) they do sell bike/quad racks that will allow you to put the the bikes vertical to the truck, that is a alternative I have seen.
Example; http://ffcustoms.com/truck-boss-sledatvutv-decks/ and http://www.diamondbackcovers.com/atv-carrier/

[fj12ryder]

Can you just remove the tailgate and use some strong channel iron to put the bike in so the rear tire is supported in the channel iron? Not much of an issue if you're just talking dirt bikes.

[95jersey]

I have not bought a trailer. It is a concern I have before making a purchase. For now it is only 1 dirt bike (220lbs), but could be 2. Trailer I am looking at is small KZ sportsman (20ft & 2840lbs). Hitch weight is 370lbs. I have 2 trucks to choose (Ram 1500 or 2500). With 2 dirt bikes and hitch, I am looking at payload of 810lbs. So nothing that either truck could not handle and I have loaded both bikes on tailgate with no issues.

I thought about removing tailgate but the rear tire of the bike sits far enough back that it would hang off the rear of the truck. I can angle one bike, but not two. I would hate to damage a new travel trailer or my truck.

Can one use some kind of hitch extension? Given the light weight of the travel trailer, would this be feasible?

[Old-Biscuit]

Hitch up trailer
Open tailgate
Have someone watch as you turn truck

Ask them WHAT HIT?

Fix tailgate and what ever it hit///