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Tailgate down Indicator

DRAGRAM said:
Yes, 3 tailgates over 30+ years of towing racecars all over the country with my Pickup. There is likely a few times I got away with it too. You guys must not tow very much. Sometimes I go weeks on trips and I am costantly in the bed of my Truck grabbing DEF or Cokes and that tongue jack will get the tailgate if it is down and you make a turn. Once I am ready to go after a gas stop I hit the road. Many times I try and remember if I put the tailgate up and can't remember. I have actually pulled over to check a few times. I know I got one way back on my 1987 Chevy and I got one on my 2018 Ram 3500 and one on the current 21 Ram 3500. Then I just broke down and put the indicating light. I have not looked into displaying the reverse cam when underway and don't really want that anyways because the damage would already be done. I know the higher trims may have an indication and a remote release etc. But I don't.

I came on here to try and help the OP and gave my solution that works for me and gave the foundation as to why. Then all you berate me and make me feel bad. You call that Satire?So next time I have knowledge to share I might not. On another site I frequent I stopped posting and there are many times I can help when no one else is helping and I don't. I keep silent because I don't need to be attacked and made fun of by a bunch of knuckleheads that want to make themselves feel better somehow.

Now I am curious if my Truck has this Cam Tab. Hmmmm..........
Click to expand...

HD trucks (at least pre 24) do not have a tailgate indicator regardless of trim. Only the 1500 did and many of those required AlfaOBD to enable the alert.

Here's what I have gotten in the habit of doing.

Any time we stop and get out of the vehicle. I do a walk around and take a mental note/touch each important item. It takes only a minute and removes the second guessing. Hell, take 2 laps.

Mostly these are just beginning of trip and fuel stops.

From fuel door (driver side):​
rear truck tire​
hitch, locks, umbilical, e-brake cable​
tailgate and front cargo door​
propane and cargo doors​
front slide, windows​
ttpms repeater (are my running lights on?)​
kitchen slide​
front wheel/tire​
rear wheel/tire​
rear and back window​
lights​
rear hitch, boat tongue bow strap and safety chains/straps​
boat covers​
boat wheel/tire​
rear boat straps​
lights​
(moving to pax side)​
lights​
covers​
boat wheel/tire​
lights​
rear slide, windows​
rear wheel/tire​
front wheel/tire​
entry door, steps, handle​
propane and cargo doors​
tailgate​
truck tires R/F​
hood​
front tire​
back to fuel door​
mount up​

It looks like a long list, but only takes a hot minute.

Do this religiously and it becomes muscle memory and will save you from many avoidable emergencies.

One cautionary note: Do not, I repeat, Do not pull a spare tire across the ground wearing open toe sandals. Ask my missing left big toenail how I know.

In closing. Online participation is of but one thing in life that can be dangerous to your health. If you're not prepared to take some heat, best to avoid altogether. One has to understand that for every useful person, there are probably 10 useful idiots.
 
Brutal_HO said:
If towing a trailer, those would be disabled.
Click to expand...
The OP didn't mention towing at all in this thread....just a bed cover that seems to limit how he can view his tailgate.
I guess then I would use the backup camera selection from a custom homescreen or put that button in the upper left corner for easier access and see what it shows.....you would have full control over the tailgate investigation.
 
Brutal_HO said:
HD trucks (at least pre 24) do not have a tailgate indicator regardless of trim. Only the 1500 did and many of those required AlfaOBD to enable the alert.

Here's what I have gotten in the habit of doing.

Any time we stop and get out of the vehicle. I do a walk around and take a mental note/touch each important item. It takes only a minute and removes the second guessing. Hell, take 2 laps.

Mostly these are just beginning of trip and fuel stops.

From fuel door (driver side):​
rear truck tire​
hitch, locks, umbilical, e-brake cable​
tailgate and front cargo door​
propane and cargo doors​
front slide, windows​
ttpms repeater (are my running lights on?)​
kitchen slide​
front wheel/tire​
rear wheel/tire​
rear and back window​
lights​
rear hitch, boat tongue bow strap and safety chains/straps​
boat covers​
boat wheel/tire​
rear boat straps​
lights​
(moving to pax side)​
lights​
covers​
boat wheel/tire​
lights​
rear slide, windows​
rear wheel/tire​
front wheel/tire​
entry door, steps, handle​
propane and cargo doors​
tailgate​
truck tires R/F​
hood​
front tire​
back to fuel door​
mount up​

It looks like a long list, but only takes a hot minute.

Do this religiously and it becomes muscle memory and will save you from many avoidable emergencies.

One cautionary note: Do not, I repeat, Do not pull a spare tire across the ground wearing open toe sandals. Ask my missing left big toenail how I know.

In closing. Online participation is of but one thing in life that can be dangerous to your health. If you're not prepared to take some heat, best to avoid altogether. One has to understand that for every useful person, there are probably 10 useful idiots.
Click to expand...
I think my biggest problem is I always want to make time. So, I am itching to get going again. Yes I check certain things religiously but I still get sidetracked once in a while and that damn tongue jack! I have a new InTech on order and I paid $1800 to have a electric/hydraulic ram type tongue jack installed. It is inside the cabinet so it is way back and completely out of the way.
 
DRAGRAM said:
Tough crowd. No it is NOT popping open. It latches just fine.

I have crushed 3 tailgates since 1987. Probably 20,000 trips and only 3 times I have forgot it. If it's fogotten and you make any kind of turn it is going to crush the tailgate if it is down.

So, $15 worth of parts and an hour of my time to save $850 and a lot more time to get the tailgate replaced. I like my odds.

Lets see, if I wired this up from scratch, I think I can figure out how to include a toggle switch to disable it. Oh, in case I am using the truck for real truck things........
Now, if I can just remember to turn it back on..................
Click to expand...
If thats why you need the ajar indicator and its not poping open why not just stop the gear shift in reverse for an extra second on your way to drive? would save the the hassle of setting up a NC limit switch.
 
Tow 5th wheel, 18' landscape trailer, 2 up sled trailer and a 27' sled trailer.
 
ClawSS said:
The OP didn't mention towing at all in this thread....just a bed cover that seems to limit how he can view his tailgate.
I guess then I would use the backup camera selection from a custom homescreen or put that button in the upper left corner for easier access and see what it shows.....you would have full control over the tailgate investigation.
Click to expand...

No, the OP didn't but it was discussed in the thread prior to your reply.

I wasn't calling you out, just using your comment as the root basis for mine.
 
This isn,t a bad idea, maybe even a door ajar indicator, my 2021 tailgate actuators froze last year, they activated but the tailgate didn,t open , hit the door lock button but 10 minutes into my ride the gate opened ,hit the power jack when i made a turn and dented the top of the tailgate, lucky my dealer warrantied it , but all they did was replace the actuators to fix the problem. And yes they did the alignment recall, so for someone that pulls a cargo trailer everyday an idiot light like that are on suv,s would be a nice little option.
 
Anybody know if you could tap into the door ajar circuit and add a sensor or a trigger like the doors have and put one in the tailgate that would work for me. i assume the door ajar light should go off
Cheers
 
I have a 2024 and one problem I noticed is when the tailate is down the cargo and bed lights stay on until you put it in gear. It is a issued as I load my ATV
in the bed and drive with the tail gate down. If I pull into a gas station or stop for lunch along the way and open the door I have to remember to turn the light off with the lower switch on the round light light switch. Not a big deal but somewhat of a pain.
 
gheck said:
I have a 2024 and one problem I noticed is when the tailate is down the cargo and bed lights stay on until you put it in gear. It is a issued as I load my ATV
in the bed and drive with the tail gate down. If I pull into a gas station or stop for lunch along the way and open the door I have to remember to turn the light off with the lower switch on the round light light switch. Not a big deal but somewhat of a pain.
Click to expand...
Its on a timer aswell it would shut off in 10 mins but should also shut off when you lock the truck.
 
I undertand the timer but when it is dark like in the early morning and you go in to someplace that light stays on and it is just annoying.
 
CDNgoat said:
Yup That will work well when your at highway speed
Click to expand...
Obviously meant while at idle. Like you are about to drive off but worried you left tailgate down. Pop in reverse and see if it’s on the floor.

OTHERWISE if you are driving just hit the reverse camera button on the screen
 
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