Product Manual

2
Always make sure that the trailer’s tailgate is pinned, latched or locked when in its upright position.
IMPORTANT: If the top of your trailer’s side rail is made of ROUND TUBING LARGER THAN 2-INCHES IN DIAMETER,
you will either need longer carriage bolts before beginning installation or you can spot-weld the Gorilla-Lift™ on the side
rails instead of drilling holes and using carriage bolts.
STEP 1, ATTACHING TO THE TOP OF THE TRAILER’S SIDE RAILS:
1) Begin with the driver’s side of the trailer.
2) Place and align housing A (the one with a website sticker) & housing B (the one with a Gorilla-Lift™ sticker) on
top of the trailer’s side rail. Square and align the bottom edge of Housing A’s angled end 1/4-inch back from the
rear edge of the trailer’s side rail. Make sure that the stickers are lined up on the same side and facing to the
outside of the trailer; that the housings are straight and tight against each other; and that you are working on the
driver’s side of the trailer.
3) Remove housing A from the side rail without disturbing the placement of housing B. Mark the center of housing
B’s mounting holes. Replace housing A onto your side rail without disturbing the placement of housing B.
Remove housing B without disturbing the placement of housing A. Mark the center of housing A’s mounting
holes. Drill 1/2-inch holes (which are oversized) down through the side rail where you made your marks.
4) Insert the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2 -inch mounting bolts through the mounting holes at the ends of housings A & B where
they come together. Place the housings back on the rail, while guiding the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2-inch mounting bolts
through the appropriate 1/2-inch holes you just drilled into the side rail. You must make sure that the mounting
bolts are seated all the way down into their square holes and that they remain seated when connecting
and tightening to the side rail; the oversized 1/2-inch holes that you drilled will allow you to do this. If you
do not follow this step, springs will catch on the bolts not allowing the tailgate to go all the way to ground
and damage will occur to the springs.
5) Make sure, that housings A & B are straight, even and tight against each other and that the stickers are still
aligned on the same side and facing to the outside of the trailer.
6) Insert the 5/16-inch x 2 1/2-inch mounting bolts through the mounting holes on the other ends of housings A & B
and through the 1/2-holes you just drilled into your side rails. Then, put on and securely tighten the 5/16-inch flat
washers and 5/16-inch flanged lock nuts, in that order, to all the mounting bolts. Again making sure that
housings A & B are straight, even and tight against each other and the mounting bolts are
seated all the way down into their square holes before securely tightening all the mounting
bolts.
7) We recommend putting a very thin bead of clear silicone caulk where housings A & B connect.
8) Repeat #2 through #7 to mount the Gorilla-Lift™ housings on the trailer’s other side rail.
STEP 2, INSTALLING THE SPRING/CABLE ASSEMBLIES:
See figure 1 on page 5 and figure 3 on page 6.
1) Slide a spring/cable assembly into housings A & B, so that the springs are at the end of housing B and the cable
is coming out Housing A’s angled end.
2) Insert a 1/2-inch clevis pin into the rear hole of housing B; then run it through the looped ends of both the inner
and outer springs and out the other side of the housing. Be sure you run the pin through the looped ends of
both the inner and outer springs. Slide a 1/2-inch flat washer onto the clevis pin; then by using the needle
nose pliers and a gentle rocking motion secure the clevis pin with a 1/2-inch locking ring. See figure 2 on page 5.
3) Repeat #1 and #2 to install the other spring/cable assembly.
STEP 3, INSTALLING THE ROLLERS:
See figure 1 and figure 2 on page 5.
1) Insert a 1/4-inch clevis pin into the top hole at Housing A’s angled end; then run it through a roller and out the side
of the housing. Make sure the cable is lying under this roller.
2) Slide TWO 1/4-inch flat washers (smallest holes) onto the clevis pin; then, using the needle nose pliers, secure
the clevis pin in place with a 1/4-inch locking ring. You must use two flat washers on this clevis pin to secure it
properly.