Tongue jack interferes with tail gate

[us2kids]

Hello,
Just bought a 2017 Surveyor 243RBS. Like the layout allot.

I was annoyed that the power tongue jack interferes with fully opening the tail gate. I called Lippert, the mfg and they had no solution, go figure.

I solved the problem easily and have included a you-tube video link that details how to do it.

I hope Lippert views this video and make the fix themselves on all their power tongue jacks.

Its worth the time folks!

Hope it helps you.
Joe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmBLUGG5z1o

[SeaDog]

Welcome to the forum its a great place to get your questions answered. I watched your video and it is a good fix given the truck you use. this might be something I'll consider once my warranty time is over.

[Teamfour]

Great solution but the issue isn't with the jack, its with the distance between the jack and the hitch on the trailer. Not sure how LCI could "fix" the jack to overcome this issue.

[325BH]

Get a longer shank.

[Bama Rambler]

Not too bad, but you didn't show us how you actually rotated the head, nor did you show it hooked up and the tailgate down.

Even a before and after rotation shots would be nice.

[Terier]

I think this problem is common. I can't open my tailgate fully either and I have a different camper & electric tongue jack.

On one brand of trucks the tailgate can open normally like all tailgated do or it could be opened like a regular door. When I saw that TV commercial I wonder if it would make a different when hitched up or would it have the same outcome.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by 325BH

Get a longer shank.

Works every time.

[us2kids]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Not too bad, but you didn't show us how you actually rotated the head, nor did you show it hooked up and the tailgate down.

Even a before and after rotation shots would be nice.

Hello,
The head was facing forward, now its rotated 90 deg to the right, I'm sure you can visualize that. The tailgate clears with a couple inches to spare. Reason its to the right is not enough harness length to face left. I did not do the video till I was done, would have been better if I did it in process...oh well. If you do this upgrade then make an in process video...
Thanks

[itat]

I solved my problem, inadvertently, with a new pickup. I decided I had to upgrade to the 2016 F250 because I was way overweight with my 7300# TT connected to my 2009 F150 with all 5 of us onboard. I discovered the first time I hooked up the TT to the new F250 that the receiver on the F250 is positioned further back on the frame compared to the F150 and it puts my Equal-i-zer hitch head further away from the tailgate, so now the tailgate doesn't hit my Husky HB4500 electric jack.

The truck upgrade wasn't free but this was a pleasant bonus.

[cfleek]

Thank you!

I was going to look into a longer shank but now I may not have to.

[Wilco]

+1 for the longer shank for your hitch. With the tailgate down, I have ~4" between the tailgate and the power jack. I have even towed my trailer with the tailgate down (when I had the Goldwing in the bed of the truck).

[VTX Al]

It's a lot easier than shown in the video. Simply support the Aframe tongue, so that you can retract the jack off the ground (or leave it attached to the truck hitch), loosen and remove the three mounting bolts that attach the jack to the a-frame and rotate the entire jack 90 degrees in whichever direction you wish. The mounting holes are designed (usually) to be equidistant from each other so that the jack can be installed "sideways".

...VTX-Al

[Filterman]

Originally Posted by Teamfour

Great solution but the issue isn't with the jack, its with the distance between the jack and the hitch on the trailer. Not sure how LCI could "fix" the jack to overcome this issue.

Exactly! I have the same issue. It has nothing to do with the jack but everything to do with the length of the bar on your hitch where it enters the receiver.

[bikendan]

All I had to do on my Ultra Fab 3500 jack, was rotate the motor 180°.
Now I can drop the tailgate.

[Go RV-n]

Originally Posted by us2kids

Hello,
Just bought a 2017 Surveyor 243RBS. Like the layout allot.

I was annoyed that the power tongue jack interferes with fully opening the tail gate. I called Lippert, the mfg and they had no solution, go figure.

I solved the problem easily and have included a you-tube video link that details how to do it.

I hope Lippert views this video and make the fix themselves on all their power tongue jacks.

Its worth the time folks!

Hope it helps you.
Joe

Great post Joe. I have a Ram 1500 with the same problem. I spent 80 days on the road, what a pain in the *****. Before my next
Trip I will be doing your fix. Thanks again, d Espo

[Burnking]

I have the same problem with an SUV lift-gate. I think if you look at the base of his jack you will see it is not symmetrical so a simple 90 degree rotation won't work. I have the same type of base on my jack.

[Wildhog3213]

Originally Posted by us2kids

Hello,
Just bought a 2017 Surveyor 243RBS. Like the layout allot.

I was annoyed that the power tongue jack interferes with fully opening the tail gate. I called Lippert, the mfg and they had no solution, go figure.

I solved the problem easily and have included a you-tube video link that details how to do it.

I hope Lippert views this video and make the fix themselves on all their power tongue jacks.

Its worth the time folks!

Hope it helps you.
Joe

I have a longer L shape bracket on my Equalizer hitch and it allows for easy use of any tail gate on pickups or lift gates on SUV's such GMC Yukon XL, same as a Chevy Suburban.....

[Dodaman]

Originally Posted by bikendan

All I had to do on my Ultra Fab 3500 jack, was rotate the motor 180°.
Now I can drop the tailgate.

Cool idea. I tried rotating the entire unit, but the holes don't line up anyway but forward. I miss by about 2". I'll have to take it apart and check this out. Thanks.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Dodaman

Cool idea. I tried rotating the entire unit, but the holes don't line up anyway but forward. I miss by about 2". I'll have to take it apart and check this out. Thanks.

I also tried rotating the whole unit with the same problem.
So rotating the motor 180° worked perfectly.

[dmdomokos]

Originally Posted by Burnking

I have the same problem with an SUV lift-gate. I think if you look at the base of his jack you will see it is not symmetrical so a simple 90 degree rotation won't work. I have the same type of base on my jack.

Before upgrading to a truck, we towed with a Suburban and had the same issue. After breaking the LCI jack, I bought a Bull Dog 3500 to replace it and what I discovered is the Bull Dog is smaller, and thus my tailgate would open.