Slider tailgate clearance?

[bsmith0404]

I think you’ll be fine once you raise the hitch head. It’s rare that the pin box needs to be moved. In most cases if you have the hitch raised and if you move the pin box, you will be very nose high. I’d rather change hitches than tow nose high, but I’m not a fan of sliders anyway.

[Camp CA]

Raise the hitch height and verify clearance between the pickup bed rails and the trailer cab bottom. Should be a minimum of 5 1/2". My hitch height is at the maximum height, since my truck is a 4 x 2 and sits 6 inches lower than a 4 x 4, and clearance is 7 inches. If you need more clearance then adjust the pin box.

[travelin texans]

If it's that close to the tailgate when straight how close will it be to the bed sides in a tight turn in the rearward position?
It appears the rear of that pin box is very low so raising the hitch head may be all that's needed, I'd try that 1st.

[Pathman]

Copy that guys, I’ll do the hitch height adj and report results.

Thanks.

[jasin1]

i’m probably missing something here but why do you need the tailgate up when the slider is all the way back? i had a shortbed ram 2500 with a reese slider…i only used the slider when parking the trailer and i believe i had the tailgate down while doing so..it didn’t hit the trailer backing up if i remember correctly

[bsmith0404]

If you leave the tailgate down going forward or backward, the corner of the tailgate will punch a hole in the front of the RV when you turn

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

If you leave the tailgate down going forward or backward, the corner of the tailgate will punch a hole in the front of the RV when you turn

i must be mistaken then because i thought i had mine down and there was clearance backing up

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by jasin1

i must be mistaken then because i thought i had mine down and there was clearance backing up

You can probably get away with it with the slider to the rear in a short bed. Definitely can’t with it forward, and definitely can’t on a long bed. I just would want to try/make it a habit. That’s one of those things that I call a bad habit that eventually bites you.

[GaryUT]

I have the same slider in a short bed GMC. The tailgate will not close when the hitch is in the rearmost position. Have plenty of clearance in the forward position. Someone suggested using short lengths of chain to hold the tailgate open slightly when using the slider. I have enough room that the tailgate will not hit the trailer so I have never bothered.

Raising the pinbox and the hitch will not get you any more clearance. Its the pinbox mount on the trailer that extends behind the pinbox that's hitting the tailgate. Moving the pinbox up into the frame will not help.

[notanlines]

Gary, I'm afraid you aren't looking closely at OP's pin box closely. Yours is obviously different. The original advice is sound.

[GaryUT]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Gary, I'm afraid you aren't looking closely at OP's pin box closely. Yours is obviously different. The original advice is sound.

Exact same pinbox, slightly different mount. The flange marked by the arrow is part of the trailer frame. The only way to get that to have enough clearance with the tailgate is to lower the pinbox to the bottom holes and/or raise the hitch. Resulting in a drastic nose high condition.

I already went through the same thing.

[Pathman]

Originally Posted by GaryUT

I have the same slider in a short bed GMC. The tailgate will not close when the hitch is in the rearmost position. Have plenty of clearance in the forward position. Someone suggested using short lengths of chain to hold the tailgate open slightly when using the slider. I have enough room that the tailgate will not hit the trailer so I have never bothered.

Raising the pinbox and the hitch will not get you any more clearance. Its the pinbox mount on the trailer that extends behind the pinbox that's hitting the tailgate. Moving the pinbox up into the frame will not help.

I realize you have a GMC Gary, but my tailgate does close with slide rearward, as you’ve seen in my pic.
I’m not sure I understand how lifting the pin box higher in the pin box frame, would not give me more clearance.
What then are the bolt adjustments for?

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by Pathman

I realize you have a GMC Gary, but my tailgate does close with slide rearward, as you’ve seen in my pic.
I’m not sure I understand how lifting the pin box higher in the pin box frame, would not give me more clearance.
What then are the bolt adjustments for?

What he’s saying, and I see why, is that the clearance problem is the frame that the pin box bolts into not the pin box itself. Moving the pin box up, doesn’t change the frame portion, but getting more clearance will move everything up

[Pathman]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

What he’s saying, and I see why, is that the clearance problem is the frame that the pin box bolts into not the pin box itself. Moving the pin box up, doesn’t change the frame portion, but getting more clearance will move everything up

But wouldn’t I actually be moving the frame up higher? If the pin stays in the same position when hitched, and I move the frame up by using the upper mounting holes, that would then provide additional clearance no?

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by Pathman

But wouldn’t I actually be moving the frame up higher? If the pin stays in the same position when hitched, and I move the frame up by using the upper mounting holes, that would then provide additional clearance no?

You actually need to move the pin box down to the lower mounting holes to move the frame higher. Yes, doesn’t matter if you move the pin down or the hitch up (or both), both actions will create more clearance between the truck and the RV frame.

[Pathman]

I think that’s what I was trying to say!LOL