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07-07-2010, 05:06 PM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Pine Island
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #9822
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Tailgate Clearance
Hate to start another tailgate thread, but here goes.
If I back up at any angle to hitch with the tailgate down, it will end up hitting the 5er. So the DW has had to hold it part way up a time or two - not a fun job for her and it looks like an accident waiting to happen to me. Once after I told her to put it up while I finished hooking up, I had to line up a little better and put a little ding on the inside of the gate with the back of the pin box. So now we've resorted to just taking the tailgate off when towing/camping. I thought the Montana was supposed to have this tailgate-friendly design, but it only seems to work when hooking up straight on or close to it. So far the only time that's happened is when we picked it up from the dealer...
Didn't really want to for both security and appearance, but now I'm leaning towards going to a V gate. Otherwise I think it's only a matter of time before the stock one is wrecked or someone gets hurt.
From what I can gather most use their stock tailgate, and I'm wondering how you all deal with this? Or do you all hook up straight on all the time?
Thanks in advance,
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07-07-2010, 05:21 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Greg, I still have my OEM tailgate, but I mostly back up straight under it. Are you saying the top corner of the tailgate hits the lower front portion of the 5er? I can see where that might be a problem but I have not had that problem due to how I back up. I have thought of buying a V shaped tailgate and having it painted the same color as the truck (white). Not sure how that would look........
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07-07-2010, 05:26 PM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: North Vernon
Posts: 261
M.O.C. #9087
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We have a Montana model 2955 and I can hook up at any angle with the tailgate down and still have room to the 5er. I have a 8' bed and standard Reese select series hitch. The Mountaineer Model must be different than Other Montana models.
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07-07-2010, 05:42 PM
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#4
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Pine Island
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #9822
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr
Are you saying the top corner of the tailgate hits the lower front portion of the 5er?
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Yep, that's the problem when the tailgate is laying down.
I was looking at it trying to think of some way to hold it up part way with a cable or something, but it would take some engineering. Better yet a remote-controlled motorized pulley would be really cool!
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07-07-2010, 05:43 PM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Pine Island
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #9822
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by farmboy
We have a Montana model 2955 and I can hook up at any angle with the tailgate down and still have room to the 5er. I have a 8' bed and standard Reese select series hitch. The Mountaineer Model must be different than Other Montana models.
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Must be something different. I'm jealous!
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07-07-2010, 06:21 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Indian Land
Posts: 1,142
M.O.C. #9808
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I have a V tail gate, and love it. Also makes getting into and out of the back of the truck easier.
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07-08-2010, 01:36 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,372
M.O.C. #8728
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Greg,
Your signature shows that you have a long bed pick up. I don't lower my tailgate until the trailer is in position to be disconnected and have never had any problems.
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07-08-2010, 01:50 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Belvidere
Posts: 1,834
M.O.C. #185
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Keystone made changes to the front caps of the later model Montanas. My 05 3400, I could hook-up with the tail gate down at any angle. When I bought my 09 BS - the 1st time I hooked up, I almost put my tail gate into the front storage compartment. You now have to be almost straight on to hook-up with out hitting the front with your tailgate. This is something that you need to be aware of and be very careful each time you re-hook to the rig. A V tailgate would eliminate the problem but I don't want the V tailgate when I'm not pulling the Montana.
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07-08-2010, 01:52 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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I guess I don't understand why you're having to back up to the rig at an angle. I've never heard of anyone doing that, unless of course, you have to do that because of where you parked. Everyone I know backs straight on.
Orv
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07-08-2010, 02:54 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Belvidere
Posts: 1,834
M.O.C. #185
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Sometimes at campgrounds you have to come in at an angle because of space or other obstacles (truck, trees, etc) which dictates your approach to the rig. Whatever the resaon....unless you are basically straight on you have to be careful of the tailgate. As I said in my previous post with my 05 this was not a concern but with the newer rigs you need to be careful or you could easily end up damaging the rig and truck.
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07-08-2010, 04:44 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,166
M.O.C. #6433
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We just got back from a trip and it was the first time I have ever had a problem with the tailgate clearance. I always knew it could be a problem because if I am at much of an angle, the corner of the tailgate will contact the front of the trailer. Where I parked, I had to go in at an angle and had to manuever a little to get the truck straight enough to completely drop the gate to unhook. Then had to do the same to get hooked back up to leave.
As a side note, I am now considering a V gate. While trying to get situated and level in the site, I was blocking the road. A truck was waiting to get by. I got in a hurry and got out of my routine. Forgot to lower the tailgate. Oops! Now I am in the market for a new gate. I want a stock gate as I have a locking roll type tonneau cover, but may buy a V gate to put on when towing. After many trips and over 100 nights in the camper, I finally made that mistake.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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07-08-2010, 04:47 PM
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#12
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Pine Island
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #9822
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Here at my house things are tight and I can't really get straight on to either of my parking spots. It doesn't take much of an angle at all for the tailgate to be in the way.
So, guess I'm going to be in the market for a V gate. Murphy follows me around too close most of the time to take the chance. It's pricey, but I'll probably spring for a Custom Flow with the insert for the V so I can have my cake and eat it too.
Thanks all for the replies and advice.
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07-09-2010, 04:22 AM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: North Vernon
Posts: 261
M.O.C. #9087
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by gregdan24
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by farmboy
We have a Montana model 2955 and I can hook up at any angle with the tailgate down and still have room to the 5er. I have a 8' bed and standard Reese select series hitch. The Mountaineer Model must be different than Other Montana models.
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Must be something different. I'm jealous!
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Yip, I just checked the distance from my pin to the trailer at tailgate level and it is 7'. It has a 2' extended pin box standard from factory and it drops 10 " from original pin box. I kinda worry about box hitting side of truck box in turns that are at odd angles. Wish I could get my pics. from picasa to here. It would show it real well. John
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07-11-2010, 11:51 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: merced
Posts: 983
M.O.C. #6171
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I found out about your problem on my first unhook from the dealer, have to back in at an angle at home and could not let the tailgate down to unhook. Had to pull out and remove gate to park. I went straight to my shop and built a new tailgate.
Good luck.
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07-28-2010, 03:43 AM
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#15
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Monrovia
Posts: 5
M.O.C. #10245
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I have two small dings in my front compartment. If I am perfectly lined up my tail gate down has about 1/2 inch clearance. Last week I thought I was in line but not quite and that is where the second ding came from. I have an 08 F350 long bed crew cab and an Air Ride pin box.
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07-29-2010, 05:50 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas City
Posts: 5,736
M.O.C. #7673
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Greg,
Don't you have a cable on each side that you can remove by un-clipping and then remove the tailgate?
My thought process is that you mentioned a "rig" to raise the tail gate a little for backing. So, I thought, what about going to a salvage yard, getting two tailgate cables, cut out a section of length, clip the two ends together with a good fence cable clip or similar, throw the OEM under the seat for when you want the gate down all the way, or some other modification to the cables.
Beats the heck out of a price for a V tail gate.
Just a thought. Sometimes I'm way outside the box.
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07-29-2010, 06:04 AM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Kamloops
Posts: 337
M.O.C. #9238
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I came so close to denting the factory tailgate with it up a few times, or the fiver front storage when backing up at and angle with the gate down, so I looked at V-gate prices versus factory tailgates.....decision made, plus it was one thing less to think about hooking up or unhooking.
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07-31-2010, 04:22 PM
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#18
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: merced
Posts: 983
M.O.C. #6171
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Jamie. If you want to rig the tailgate part way down and easy way is to take the tailgate cables and hook them over the latching pin. I do this on my chevy when I can't close the gate completely. Not sure if it would work for hooking up or not.
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