Tailgate of Tahoe-interfere with power jack?

Bodro · 06-10-2016, 04:44 PM

I am thinking of purchasing a new Tahoe to pull my 24FBS and was wondering if it possible to open the rear tailgate while the vehicle is hooked up without hitting the power jack. Any feedback would be appreciated if you have this vehicle. Thanks.

homer1959 · 06-10-2016, 05:06 PM

Dont have the very same equipment but the tailgate of my f150 hit the jack on my 24rbs, our equipment must be very similar

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodro

I am thinking of purchasing a new Tahoe to pull my 24FBS and was wondering if it possible to open the rear tailgate while the vehicle is hooked up without hitting the power jack. Any feedback would be appreciated if you have this vehicle. Thanks.

mikew · 06-10-2016, 08:15 PM

Not sure if this would work for the Tahoe, but I turned my jack 90 degrees. Now have plenty of clearance. Tried to just turn it farther than that and use the existing tapped holes but only two holes would line up, must not be evenly spaced so had to drill / tap new holes. Not difficult to do. Light doesn't shine forward, but I don't work there in the dark.

DadRich · 06-20-2016, 01:29 PM

I have a 2010 Tahoe and a 2010 29BHS. When I had the original manual jack the tailgate would open no problem. I installed an Atwood 81070 (wish I had done it sooner) but now the tailgate doesn't open because it hits the motor head of the jack. It makes contact about midway on the motor housing.

mike837go · 06-20-2016, 01:50 PM

Pretty much a given with any travel trailer/pickup combination.

Only open the tailgate after hitching up if you want a dented tailgate.

Fire_Instructor · 06-20-2016, 01:55 PM

I bought a hitch bar with a longer shank for two reasons... It gave me a sharper turning ability in tight quarters, and it allowed me to open the tailgate on my RAM.

TxTwoSome · 06-20-2016, 02:00 PM

I had this problem on my Durango with the hatch when I towed my first trailer I was able to solve the problem by turning the jack sideways.

I had to drill one new hole but other then that not much of a problem to do.

mikew · 06-20-2016, 02:27 PM

On my previous trailer I bought and installed a Barker jack and it gives instructions on how to turn just the power head for clearance. Didn't see any way to do this with the new jack. Turning the whole thing worked just fine.

North of 49° · 06-20-2016, 06:36 PM

With our previous 2004 Silverado, the tailgate cleared the jack with a few inches to spare, but our "new" 2013 F-150, there's no room at all. I've been looking into this product, Jack-E-Up, which is a bracket to turn the jack into a removable one. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Hohenwald48 · 06-21-2016, 07:08 AM

Hey folks, a Tahoe ain't a pickup truck.

Camper_bob · 06-21-2016, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

I bought a hitch bar with a longer shank for two reasons... It gave me a sharper turning ability in tight quarters, and it allowed me to open the tailgate on my RAM.

This is my plan. It will be nice to be able to drop the tailgate while hitched, and a tighter turning ability will be nice too, I hadn't thought of that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hohenwald48

Hey folks, a Tahoe ain't a pickup truck.

I was wondering the same thing. What was the last model year Tahoe available with a drop tail gate instead of doors?

DocBrown · 06-21-2016, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hohenwald48

Hey folks, a Tahoe ain't a pickup truck.

No, but the principle of using a longer shank is the same. I guess you'd have to measure the swing of the tail gate and see how much clearance is actually needed.

Hohenwald48 · 06-21-2016, 02:31 PM

The OP mentioned that he was looking to buy a "new" Tahoe.

As far as I know, all new units have lift gates which are completely different from any pickups I've ever seen. I think they started with lift gates in like 2004. Before that they had "barn doors". I think it's been many many years since they put pick-up type tailgates on the Tahoe.

I suppose there are probably some after market exceptions.

Bill and Sue · 06-21-2016, 03:33 PM

No, actually, it's the other way around regarding doors. The doors (they called them barn-doors) were dropped somewhere around 2004. All you can get now is the pull-up rear door (tailgate). My '97 had the barn doors, and my 2006 has the lift-gate.

DocBrown · 06-21-2016, 03:34 PM

I understand that with the lift gate. I used to have a Chevy Trailblazer. It's the same deal. My lift gate cleared the tongue jack fine. But mine on my current and last trailer is not the electric one. I suspect that if I had the electric jack it may not have. There's a lot of bulk on the electric jack.

I'm suggesting that measuring the swing and seeing how much extra room it needs to clear the jack. If it's only an inch or so, a longer shank might be all that's needed. Of course that's not cheap either.

And I dearly miss the cargo doors. I've owned 3 Suburbans, 2 with cargo doors, one with a tailgate. The cargo doors were the bomb. I also had a '92 GMC Safari that had what was termed "Dutch doors". Best of both worlds.

Neo1130 · 06-21-2016, 08:34 PM

Consider yourself lucky... I am royally screwed when it comes to opening the rear of my Jeep Wrangler as it is a side swing door...

olyelr · 06-22-2016, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

This is my plan. It will be nice to be able to drop the tailgate while hitched, and a tighter turning ability will be nice too, I hadn't thought of that.

I was wondering the same thing. What was the last model year Tahoe available with a drop tail gate instead of doors?

Pretty sure the '99 and back models were the last of the drop tailgate. I had the barn doors on my 96. I kinda liked those.

olyelr · 06-22-2016, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodro

I am thinking of purchasing a new Tahoe to pull my 24FBS and was wondering if it possible to open the rear tailgate while the vehicle is hooked up without hitting the power jack. Any feedback would be appreciated if you have this vehicle. Thanks.

No, you cant open the gate. Not even sure it would be possible with an extended hitch.

But they do have the option of opening the upper window by itself. Problem is there is minimal access room with it.

olyelr · 06-22-2016, 06:09 AM

Also, a new/longer hitch will be a good thing to research to see if it will put you out far enough. You will have to get a new drop anyway, as the yukon/tahoe hitches are HIGH because they are hidden behind the rear bumper (not under it). My wifes '15 yukon hitch is the same height as my '16 Ram power wagon, which is 2" higher than a normal ram 2500. If i remember correctly, the bottom of the hitch hole is like 22" off the ground.

Hohenwald48 · 06-22-2016, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olyelr

No, you cant open the gate. Not even sure it would be possible with an extended hitch.

But they do have the option of opening the upper window by itself. Problem is there is minimal access room with it.

I guess it varies from one combination to another. I can open the power liftgate on my Armada and I have a Honda generator mounted on a Stromberg-Carlson rack too. Liftgate clears the jack by about 2" when straight and level. Clears the generator by 4" or so. I always watch carefully when opening for the first time as I'm not always straight and level.

Maybe the OP should consider an Armada. It has a higher towing capacity than the Tahoe anyway.

You may also like: