Tailgate down towing on a T@B 320 - with a dirt bike in the bed

Bill_F

Photo deleted due to excessive size.  Please resize.  Moderator.

Denny16

Just to clarify this issue, the trailer tongue weight adds to the payload of the TV, in this case a mid size pick up truck.  So a 200lbs tongue weight will be 200 lbs added to the truck’s cargo limit, add in a 250 lbs bike, and you are at 450 lbs, which is under the max payload of the Tacoma, or any mid size truck TV.  But you do need to keep track the total weight loaded in the TV, which includes passengers, not just what is in the bed.  

Most mid size trucks only have a 5-foot bed, so the tailgate becomes part of the bed when lowered down, which ends up supporting the rear tire Pd the trail bike.  My Jeep Gladiator I setup to hold two dirt bikes (motorcycle), and still be able to pull a trailer, as long as the lowered tailgate does not hit the trailer. 

On my Meep Gladiator, the TaB400 tongue jack would hit my tailgate before it can be lowered all the way down.  It has a 1/2 down position, which clears the tailgate, which is how I set the tailgate when towing the trailer, so I do not inadvertently hit the jack when lowering the tailgate.
cheers