Helping your spouse tow a trailer should earn you brownie points, not body shop bills. But when one woman forgot to lift the tailgate on her husband’s Dodge Ram, she got a crash course in clearance, and a viral moment that’s now a teachable one.
There’s plenty of regret and empathy stoked by a recent TikTok clip from creator Meggles (@meggles2446) that shows the crumpled aftereffects of her attempt to run an errand and help out her husband using his truck.
“I was doing my husband a great favor by pulling this trailer around. Didn’t realize his tailgate was down, and I done [expletive’d] it up,” she said in the clip that’s been viewed more than 440,000 times. Whether the trailer jackknifed or just made a tight turn, the top of the tailgate is crumpled.
The problem comes down to clearance and geometry. When you’re backing up or making a tight turn, the front corners of the trailer tend to swing inward toward the tow vehicle. A lowered tailgate sits exactly where the trailer’s tongue jack or A-frame wants to go, and the result is often an expensive collision. It’s a good idea to take a few minutes to refresh on the best tips for hauling with a pickup.
Many trailers include a vertical tongue jack designed to lift the coupler. It’s great for getting the trailer hitched, but terrible news for an open tailgate. Even a mild turn can cause the jack to punch directly into the gate, creasing it or worse. And unlike the heavy steel tailgates of older trucks, most modern models use lightweight aluminum construction that’s engineered for vertical strength but not horizontal impact. Trucks like the Ram 1500, Ford F-150, and GMC Sierra are particularly vulnerable, and a trailer tongue can fold an open tailgate like a paper plate.
The issue becomes even more acute when trailers include large front-mounted accessories like toolboxes, propane tanks, or spare tires, which reduce the already tight clearance. These elements sit high enough and far enough forward to make early contact with a tailgate that’s been left open, even if you’re being careful. In trailer math, inches matter. And a lowered tailgate eats up a lot of them.
Thankfully, it’s not hard to avoid this kind of damage with a few common-sense habits. It starts with a simple walkaround. Before towing anything—even across a driveway—it’s smart to check that the tailgate is closed and latched, the hitch pin is inserted, safety chains are crossed and secured, and the trailer lights are working properly. Physically touching each component helps avoid the kind of memory lapse that leads to viral regret. U-Haul offers a basic towing checklist that’s worth reviewing for new haulers or anyone stepping into a borrowed setup.
For those who don’t tow often, a printed cheat sheet or a digital checklist app like Checklist Wrangler can be a lifesaver. Visual reminders also help. Some owners slap warning stickers inside the tailgate or use bright clothes or magnets to prompt a last-minute check before driving off. More DIY-savvy owners even wire in custom tailgate sensors that display a dashboard warning if the gate’s still open when the vehicle moves.
And for people who tow regularly, there’s a more permanent fix. Fifth-wheel-style or “V-notch” tailgates—designed to allow clearance for gooseneck hitches—can also protect standard trailers from tailgate interference. These drop-in replacements often come with locking latches and powder-coated steel construction, and can be found from aftermarket suppliers like Buyers Products or etrailer.com.
Motor1 reached out to the creator via direct message and to Dodge/Stellantis via email. We’ll update if either responds.
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