6 Electric 5th Wheel Tailgates for Small Garages That Maximize Every Inch

You’ve measured it three times, but the numbers don’t lie: your new truck and 5th wheel hitch are six inches longer than your garage. For many, this is a dealbreaker, forcing them to pay for expensive off-site storage. But the problem often isn’t the truck; it’s the bulky, space-wasting factory tailgate.

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Solving Garage Space with Power Tailgates

That standard tailgate on your truck is a solid wall of steel and plastic. It adds anywhere from four to eight inches of unnecessary length when closed. When you’re trying to fit a three-quarter-ton truck into a standard suburban garage, those inches are everything. They’re the difference between the garage door closing or leaving your expensive vehicle exposed to the elements.

This is where electric 5th wheel tailgates change the game entirely. They aren’t just for making it easier to hook up your trailer. Their primary benefit for small-space living is their design—they are engineered to be slimmer, to fold, or to articulate in ways that reclaim those critical inches.

Think of it this way: you’re not just buying a new tailgate; you’re buying a bigger garage. A powered, space-efficient gate can effectively "shorten" your truck’s footprint, allowing it to fit where it otherwise couldn’t. This single modification can save you hundreds of dollars a month in storage fees and give you the peace of mind that comes with having your vehicle securely parked at home.

GateKing Power-Fold: A Top Space-Saving System

When pure space-saving is the number one priority, the GateKing is a beast. Its genius lies in its tri-fold design. Instead of just dropping down, the entire assembly electronically folds and stacks itself tightly against the rear of the truck bed.

This isn’t a minor difference. A standard tailgate might be four inches deep, but the GateKing, when fully folded, has a profile of less than two inches. You can gain back half a foot of garage space instantly. Imagine your garage door clearing the truck bumper with inches to spare, all because the tailgate essentially disappears.

The tradeoff is complexity. A multi-hinge folding system has more moving parts than a simple v-gate, which means more potential points of failure over the long term. However, for those of us measuring our clearance in fractions of an inch, the unparalleled space savings often make it the only logical choice. It solves the core problem better than almost anything else on the market.

Lippert PowerFlow V-Gate for Tight Spaces

Lippert’s PowerFlow V-Gate is designed primarily to make hooking up a 5th wheel easier, but it has a fantastic secondary benefit for tight garages. The distinctive "V" shape in the center means the tailgate’s deepest point is at the edges, not in the middle. This creates a pocket of space right where you might need it most.

Consider a garage with a built-in workbench, a support pillar, or a hot water heater at the back. A flat tailgate might hit that obstruction, preventing the truck from backing in all the way. The V-Gate’s cutout can fit around that object, letting you gain another precious foot of clearance. It’s a different way of thinking about space—not just shortening the truck, but making its shape work with the garage’s existing layout.

While it doesn’t fold down to the minimal profile of a GateKing, the V-Gate offers a robust, simple design with fewer moving parts. It’s a solid workhorse that provides both towing convenience and a unique spatial advantage. For oddly shaped garages, this can be a more effective solution than a gate that’s merely thin.

Stromberg Carlson E-Louver Electric Gate

The Stromberg Carlson E-Louver takes a completely different approach. Instead of folding or having a cutout, this gate is composed of electronically controlled louvers, much like a set of industrial window blinds. This design offers a slim profile and a unique advantage: variable clearance.

The louvers can be opened partially or fully, which is great for improving airflow and rear visibility. In a small garage, this also means you can angle them to avoid a specific obstacle. If a shelf bracket or a piece of protruding conduit is in the way, you can adjust the louvers to create a gap right where you need it.

This design is also incredibly lightweight compared to solid or folding gates, which helps with your truck’s overall payload capacity. The main consideration is security. A louvered design is inherently less secure than a solid steel gate, so it may not be the best choice if your truck bed often contains valuable tools or equipment.

Go Industries Electric Air-Gate for Easy Hookup

The "Air-Gate" name says it all. This style of tailgate is a tubular steel frame, creating a see-through design that dramatically improves visibility when backing up to your hitch. For garage parking, this translates into a very shallow profile and a significant weight reduction.

The open-frame design means it takes up minimal depth. While it doesn’t fold, its inherent thinness can still buy you a couple of crucial inches. More importantly, the ability to clearly see the back wall of your garage and any obstacles makes parking less of a stressful, white-knuckle experience. You can confidently back up until your tires hit the chalk marks without a spotter.

The downside is obvious: it offers zero security and no protection from the elements for anything in your truck bed. This is a purely functional choice for people who prioritize easy hookups and maximum visibility. If your truck is a dedicated tow vehicle and you don’t store things in the bed, the Air-Gate is a simple, effective space-saver.

Ranch Hand PowerLatch for Secure Parking

Ranch Hand is known for heavy-duty bumpers and guards, and their tailgate follows that philosophy. The PowerLatch system isn’t about folding or fancy articulation; it’s about providing a secure, slim, and powerful replacement for your factory gate. It’s built like a vault door.

For small garages, its advantage is a slightly slimmer profile than most OEM tailgates and an incredibly robust, electronically actuated latching mechanism. This is the choice for someone who needs to park in a shared garage or an area where security is a concern. The power latch provides a definitive, solid "clunk" that lets you know your bed is secure.

You won’t save as much space as you would with a GateKing, but you’re gaining immense peace of mind. It’s a tradeoff between maximizing every last inch and ensuring the contents of your truck bed are protected. For many, knowing their gear is locked down tight is worth sacrificing an inch or two of garage clearance.

Custom Flow Elite Series Power Tailgate

The Custom Flow Elite Series sits in a sweet spot, blending a streamlined design with modern features. It’s an excellent all-arounder for those who want to save some space without giving up the look and feel of a premium factory tailgate. It often includes integrated camera mounts and a paint-matched finish.

Its space-saving comes from a more contoured, less bulky design than the typical manufacturer’s gate. It shaves off an inch here and there, which can be just enough. The real appeal is that it doesn’t look like a purely functional, industrial piece of hardware. It integrates cleanly with the truck’s design.

This is the gate for the person who uses their truck as a daily driver as well as a tow vehicle. It provides a modest gain in garage space while retaining a polished, finished appearance. It’s less about radical space reclamation and more about optimizing the truck you have without making it look like a dedicated piece of farm equipment.

Key Features for Small Garage Compatibility

Choosing the right tailgate isn’t about finding the "best" one; it’s about finding the one that solves your specific problem. Forget the marketing hype and focus on the numbers and features that matter for fitting into a tight space. Before you buy, measure your garage, measure your truck, and assess your needs against these key points.

• Folded or Closed Depth: This is the most critical measurement. How many inches will you actually gain? Get the exact specs from the manufacturer and compare it to your current tailgate’s depth.
• Actuation Space: How does the gate move? A folding gate needs vertical clearance to operate, while a v-gate needs none. Make sure the opening mechanism itself doesn’t conflict with a low garage ceiling or overhead storage.
• Overall Shape: Is your garage a simple box, or does it have obstructions? A flat, thin gate is great for a clear space, but a v-gate might be the only solution for a garage with a pillar or workbench in the way.
• Security vs. Airflow: Be honest about how you use your truck bed. If you carry valuable tools, a louvered or air-gate design is a non-starter, no matter how much space it saves.
• Installation Complexity: Most of these are bolt-on replacements, but wiring in the electrics can be tricky. Factor in the potential cost of a professional installation if you’re not comfortable with vehicle wiring.

Ultimately, an electric 5th wheel tailgate is a strategic investment in space. It transforms a frustrating limitation into a solved problem, giving you back your garage and your peace of mind.