Great point! Rough Country not being compatible with the Mopar tailgate reinforcement kit is a huge design flaw... and I don't like that the bottom is closed, which means it will collect junk and corrode over time. Love the feedback, think it just pushed me to Smittybilt + Mopar tailgate reinforcement kit.
Did you have any issues with tailgate alignment after? Mine seems higher than before looked with lines, but doesn’t close well.I'm running the Mopar kit, not just the relocation bracket. Reasons for selecting the Mopar kit include the fact that I needed the weight reinforcement with my setup, and there was limited to no availability of anything else at the time. I paid nowhere near retail, so my kit was only slightly more than other reinforcement kits. The relocation kit pricing for various brands continues to improve, and that's because of the increased competition and availaiblity.
Another reason the Mopar kit is an interesting buy, relates to the fact that it is expandable. Meaning, it comes with additional plates to accommodate wider tire sizes in the future. I don't know if the other kits include these plates, and I realize it's not a huge selling point, it was just nice to know that getting this kit offered flexibility on the original install and beyond.
That's just my perspective, which in no way makes it correct or right for anyone else.
No, everything went fine. Before the install, I opened the gate, inserted the cardboard shims, shut the gate, then removed the hinge bolts. On mine, the door never moved. It shouldn't be too tough to fix, though you're probably going to need to take the wheel/tire off of the gate to do so. Good luck!
Readjusted, seems fine without tire on it, but a little more load to latch with 37 heavy tire than before is this normal?
Yeah, it's slightly heavier in feel, but it shouldn't be too much different. Glad you got it adjusted.
I went with the Smitty Built. I looked at several. It also has solid steel wings to manage the side stops. I'm pretty sure that a couple of 5/16 or 3/8 dia SS bolts, some nuts and washers, and a pair of 2.5" tapered rubber trailer door stops, will give me fully adjustable side supports. The dealer also had a build on the lot with the SB holding heavy 35" Nitto's and I virtually HUNG on the thing. The entire body just moved on the rear springs. Seemed pretty solid. SB claims it will hold to 35 on its own, but 37's need the Mopar reinforcement @ $699 (yikes). Cool that it will accept the Mopar gate reinforcement, but I'm only planning on 35's for now because mine's a Sport with only the m186 front end. 37's are a said to be a big NO NO, if the m186 is anything like the Dana 30 it's replacing. Will it hold up without the gate reinforcement and not damage the gate and springs? Only time can tell.
Prepping for 37's... did Mopar tailgate reinforcement + Smittybilt bracket. Photo's with stock 33" Rubicon tire still. Smittybilt bracket fit perfectly with the Mopar tailgate reinforcement kit!
Yes it does!
I believe it did, because the holes are filled with plastic stoppers. Back when I checking the contents of the tire relocator shipment, I seem to remember the plugs in the plastic bag with the bolts.
Yes, it definitely does.
Of course it is always good to have the isolator. However i am referring to the Smittybuilt relocation kit has wings on the end where the isolator goes leaving 2 holes in the tailgate.
