GA-1 Gate Grabber Tailgate Lift Assist. IMPORTANT MUST READ!!!

The GA-1 consists of four main parts, the "Upright", the "Spring", the "Safety Cable" and the "Gate Bracket". For most applications the Gate Grabber should be installed on the left side of the trailer. It is designed to "assist" when manually lifting and lowering the gate. It is not designed to lift or lower the gate entirely by itself. When properly installed it will greatly reduce the effort needed to lift and lower the gate yet not raise the gate without assistance. NOTE: Tremendous energy is stored in an extended spring. Never attempt to adjust or work on the Gate Grabber or any component to which it is attached when the Spring is extended. For general mounting locations of the Upright and Gate Bracket. See fig.1. For most tailgates these are the approximate mounting locations required. Because tailgates vary in weight and dimension the mounting locations will vary. Generally, mounting the Upright near the rear end of the upper trailer rail will be required. The amount of leverage (lift) will be determined by the position at which the Gate Bracket is attached. See figs. 2, 2a, 2b, 2c & 2d. These drawings represent four positions that the Gate Bracket can be attached. Each position provides a different setting for Spring tension yet uses the same two mounting holes. This feature allows adjustments in tension without the need to re-drill additional holes for the Gate Bracket. NEVER attempt to make any adjustments to Gate Grabber when the spring is under tension. Make certain the Gate Bracket does not interfere with the upper rail when the gate is raised. For most gates the Gate Bracket mounting point will need to be approx. 14" from the hinge point. The farther away from the hinge point that the Spring is attached, the greater the lift assist will be because the leverage is increased. However, to maximize Spring life the maximum extended length of the Spring body (not including loops) should not exceed 53 inches. See fig. 3 The Spring must not be stretched to a length of more than 53 inches when the tail gate is in the lowered position. When the gate is in the fully raised position the Spring should be at or close to it's fully retracted length with very slight tension on it. It might be necessary to move the Upright forward on the trailer to take up slack. The Upright and Gate Bracket must be attached to the trailer at mounting points that provide sufficient strength (such as the trailer frame) without excessive flexing of either bracket. The direction of pull on the Spring must be 90 degrees to the 5/8" bolts used to attach the Spring. If longer bolts are needed for attachment of the Upright and/or Gate Bracket the bolts must be of the same diameter and be grade "5" or "8". Attach the Upright to the upper trailer rail using all four 3/8" grade "5" bolts and lock nuts. Attach Gate Bracket to tailgate at the location chosen using the two ½" grade "5" bolts and lock nuts. See figs. 2, 5 & 6. Insert one end of the Cable inside the Spring and feed it through the Spring until it exits the other end of the Spring. One end of the Spring and Cable will attach to the Upright and the other end of the Spring and Cable will attach to the Gate Bracket. The Spring and Cable must be attached to the Gate Bracket and Upright exactly as shown in figs. 4 & 6. The Cable acts only as a safety device to contain the Spring should it break. To prevent damage to the Cable the Cable must not act as a "stop" for the tail gate when lowered. In other words, the Cable should have a small amount slack when the gate is fully lowered. With both ends of the Cable completely inserted into the Spring the Cable should bunch up inside the Spring as the Spring is retracted (gate is lifted).
NOTE: All nuts and bolts including the 5/8" bolts and nuts used to attach the Spring and Cable must have a minimum of three threads protruding from the lock nut after tightening. See "A" in fig. 6 This assures that the nylon element in the nut fully engages the bolts threads. Do not operate gate unless all fasteners are secure and immediately repair any loose or faulty hardware. Do not rely on the Gate Grabber to hold the gate in the up position. The device/s supplied with the trailer to secure the tail gate must be used. Re-check the complete installation before operating the gate. Always stand to the side of the spring when operating the gate. Never stand in line with the Spring when operating the gate or the Spring is extended. Never stand in a position where the gate could fall on you should the Gate Grabber fail. Check all components and hardware daily. Replace any worn or a damaged parts immediately.

Return to GA-1 Page

Home | All Products | Open Trailer | Enclosed Trailer | Sulkies | Blade Blocker
| Videos | Links | Instructions | Warranties | TT's Tips | E-mail Us