HITCH-UP DAMAGE

[artfuldodger]

Well I got a 2011 F350 long box last winter and just took it down to try the match-up. Everything looked great but when it didn't lock in I got out to take a look. The tailgate was down and had pushed against the cargo door. With the previous SB F350 I was able to hook up with the gate down. Live and learn I guess. Now I'm going to have to buy a new door(probably at the White Pigeon, Indiana surplus store)when we're down at the National rally in Goshen. Also I need to purchase one of those 5th wheel tailgates. Any suggestions about what to buy or stay away from? Thanks in advance.

[Irlpguy]

Both of my Dodge trucks I have been able to hook up with the tailgate down without any problems and they were both LB. Perhaps my pinbox is farther forward than yours, can't see the tailgates being all that much different.
I would not want to make any turns with it down but on both I was able to get between the tailgate and the front of the trailer to check the hookup before closing the gate.
You are right though we do live and hopefully learn...

[pineranch]

John,
I have a 2010 3605 and the same truck. I have perhaps 6" of clearance with the tailgate down. Is you hitch centered over the axle?
Mike

[artfuldodger]

The hitch is the same one I had in the last truck, a superglide and I had It installed by a medium-sized local dealer. The hitch has to be installed in the right spot to make use of the frame holes that are there. I know I don't need a slider hitch in a long box but it can't hurt.

[jjackflash]

Are you sure you didn't back in on a slight angle?

[artfuldodger]

Actually I did, maybe 5-7% and I might have missed the door if I were dead on, but that is just too close so I will be using a 5th wheel tailgate in the future.

[K0LCB]

I ordered one for mo 09 Dodge from J. C. Whitney

[BB_TX]

My 2012 F350 LB tailgate has no more than 6" clearance when backed straight in, no angle.

My Reese Elite hitch (with Ford factory hitch prep) can be adjusted slightly forward/backward by turning the base 180 degrees. The arms on the base that the top hitch plate sits on are slightly offset to the front (or rear if turned) giving maybe 4-5" difference between one direction and the other. I have it turned to give the extra inches to the rear.

[steelpony5555]

If you are that close are you sure you won't get into the trailer with the bumper/fender in a tight turn??? Never seen anyone's truck not able to back into a trailer with the tailgate down even at a slight angle. I still think there is something wrong. Maybe if you called the hitch manufacture they can tell you if this should happen or even give you exact measurements of where the hitch should line up at.

[vangoes]

When I had my 2008 F250 SB I only had about 4-5 inches clearance when backed in straight. Any angle at all on the backin would result in the tailgate hitting.

[rohrmann]

The kingpin on most trucks, should be directly over or slightly forward of vertical center of the rear axle. Even with a newer Chevy, with the taller box sides and tailgate, we don't even come close to the doors of the trailer. It sounds like something was not installed correctly.

[mtheo]

I couldn't open my tail gate with the trailer at much of an angle. When I got home with my new trailer I was shocked that I couldn't drop my tailgate in my ususal parking spot. Went straight to the shop and made myself a short trailer freindly tailgate. I use it for 7 years until a good MOC friend of mine gave me a V tailgate.
And YES my hitch is in the right place.

[F3fifty]

I have 2012 F350 long bed and with factory tailgate with about 8" of clearance. I have a very nice 5th wheel tailgate thats sitting in the shop because the factory gate takes two men and a boy to take it off the truck. I'm just extra careful and will use the good wife to monitor clearance with the factory gate in place. Yes the truck must be backed in straight and with any angle it's going to hit. My hitch is a Reese that's installed exactly to fit the factory holes in the frame. Since our trucks are the same body style your hitch must be set too far forward if you are backing in straight and hitting the cargo door.

[Phil P]

Hi

I have become an expert in fixing that problem. I now remove the tail gate before hooking up.


http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...archTerms=door


Phil P

[1retired06]

Same truck as you, and we have several inches to spare so long as straight in to the fiver.

[Fire5er]

My 2011 F350 has plenty of room to hitch up with tailgate down?

[The Oldguard]

Keystone has changed the length of the king pin over the years. Our 2003 Big Sky we could back up at a great angle and had a lot of room with the tailgate down. Then with the same truck and a 2005 3400RL we lost a lot of room and had to be very careful when backing at an angle. With the 2013 we now have a lot of room when backing at an angle.

Back in 2003/2004 time frame some members carried the egg barbeque mounted on a hitch behind the tailgate and I think one member had a bike rack mounted also.

[artfuldodger]

I checked the placement of the hitch and the kingpin is about 6 to 8 inches ahead of the axle(SRW). The supports on the frame are exactly where they should be. My conclusion, and I am going to call Pullrite, is that the auto slide hitch is intended for the SB trucks. If I can find a non-slide hitch that will fit the bed bars and if that hitch puts the kingpin closer to the axle then I will change the hitch. Because the hitch is now an auto slide, there is no chance that the fender will contact the trailer because on turns it slides back up to 14" to provide ample clearance, but I really don,t want to change the tailgate.

[richfaa]

If we back straight in we are good. If at a angle not good. We have the V gate so we do not have to drop the gate.

[Carl n Susan]

We have had three different Fords and two (2005 & 2012) Montanas. We have always had *LOTS* of room to back in with the tailgate extended. We have hooked up with the truck at a 45 degree angle (or more) to the trailer numerous times. There are two different sized pin boxes available on the Montana. We have always had the "extended" one (I forget the different model numbers). Perhaps the clearance issue is related to the shorter pin box?