Two people are needed for installing this product to your trailer.

Step 1, Attaching to the trailer side rail

1)      Place your tape measure at the rear edge of your side rail, the edge nearest your gate.  Measure along the top of the side rail and make marks in the center on the top of the side rail at the following measurements, 7/16-inch, 38 9/16-inches, 39 1/2-inches and 77 5/8-inches.  Drill 1/2-inch holes down through your side rail where you made your marks.

2)      Carefully, unfold and straighten the Backsaver Tailgate Assist, making sure, that the stickers are on the same side of the unit.  Place the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2 -inch mounting bolts through the holes at the ends, where the two pieces of the assist come together.  Place the BackSaver on the rail, while guiding the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2-inch mounting bolts through the 1/2-inch holes you just drilled.

3)      Make sure, the two sections of the BackSaver unit are straight, even and tight against each other and that the stickers are aligned on the same side of the assist.

4)      Insert the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2-inch mounting bolts through the mounting holes on each end of the Backsaver assist and the holes you just drilled into your side rails.  Then, put on and securely tighten the 5/16-inch flat washers and lock nuts, in that order, to all the mounting bolts.  Again making sure, that the two sections of the BackSaver unit are straight, even and tight against each other before securely tightening the bolts.

5)      Repeat steps 1 through 4 on the trailer’s other side rail.

Step 2, Attaching to the trailer tailgate

1)      Measure the height of your gate.  If you have a 4-ft. tall gate, measure up the gate 30-inches from the bottom and make a mark on the gate’s side support angle/tube.  If you have a 5-ft. tall gate, measure up the gate 35-inches from the bottom and make a mark on the gate’s side support angle/tube.  If you have a 6-ft. tall gate, measure up the gate 40-inches from the bottom and make a mark on the gate’s side support angle/tube.  You will make this mark on whichever side of the gate’s side support angle/tube, that when the cable is attached to the gate, will allow the cable to pull out of the housing and through the rollers in a straight line, will allow the cable to travel in the middle of the rollers and will not allow the cable to contact the steel housing as it operates.

2)      Drill a 1/2-inch hole through the gate’s side support angle/tube, where you made your mark.

3)      Slide the 1/2-inch x 5 1/2-inch gate attachment bolt through the end link in the chain.

4)      Put one of the 1/2-inch flanged locking nuts, smooth end first, onto the 1/2-inch x 5 1/2-inch gate attachment bolt and tighten the nut to the end of the threads.  Then, put on one of the 1/2-inch flat washers onto the bolt.

5)      Two people are required for steps 5 and 6.  Insert the gate attachment bolt into the hole that you just drilled through the gate’s side support angle/tube. 

6)      Put the other 1/2-inch flat washer onto the bolt.  Then, put on the other 1/2-inch flanged lock nut, flanged side first, and tighten securely to the gate.  The flanged locking side of the two nuts should now be in contact with the two flat washers, sandwiching your gate’s side support angle/tube between them.

7)      Repeat steps 1 through 6 on the tailgate’s other side support angle/tube.

The BackSaver 2-sided assist should now hold most tailgates stationary at any position, between completely up and completely down.  If it does not, you must increase the tension, by attaching your tailgate to the second or third link in the chain and/or raising the attachment points on your tailgate.

Trouble Shooting

If there is too much tension on your tailgate,

Ø      lower the point at which you have the chains attached to your tailgate a few inches, but never low enough to allow any slack in the cable.

If there is significantly too much tension on your tailgate and/or it will not lower all the way down or stay down,

Ø      put your tailgate in the upright position and lock, pin or latch it to secure it there.

Ø      disconnect the chains from the tailgate.

Ø      take the top front rollers off of each unit.

Ø      take the bolts which are connecting the springs to the steel housings loose and disconnect the smaller inner springs from these bolts.

Ø      reattach the larger spring to the bolts and place the bolts back into their original positions and tighten securely.

Ø      replace the rollers and then reattach the chains to the tailgate, tightening all bolts securely.

1)      Make sure, the cable is pulling out of the housing and through the rollers in a straight line, that it is traveling in the middle of the rollers, and that it is not contacting the steel housing as it operates.

2)      Inspect the cable for signs of damage or fraying.  Replace the cable, if either of these conditions exist.

3)      Make sure, all the bolts and hardware are tight, secure and in good condition.

4)      Make sure, the rollers are turning freely.  If they are not, clean them, inside and out, by wiping them with a clean rag.  Do not use chemical cleaners or alcohol to clean the rollers; this will damage them.  The rollers are made of a self-lubricating material; they do not need lubrication.  Do not lubricate the rollers; this will damage them.