Anybody have any experience buying a hitch step that will fit in the 2" receiver on the back of the truck? I mean one that will work wiyh the tailgate down?

 

Yeah i have one, Got it from Advance Auto it'smade by Go Rhino. Bought it about 2 years ago.
http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Hit...y_go_rhino.htm

Hope this helps.

 

I have the Bully, bought it at Northern Tool Supply. I actually got it when I was married and the wife's daily driver was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. We had a hard cargo carrier for the roof and it made it easy to load/unload it. When she split an took the Jeep, I stuck it on the back of the truck mainly for a protective cover, but I do find I use it to step up in the bed when I have to get something out of the middle of the toolbox or wax the roof.

 

I am using the same model as HammerZ71 and it works very well - the lighted model works with the 4-ways, brake lights & stops***

 

The Debo step looks like a pretty good unit. You can find it at debostep.us. This one slides out from under the bed and locks so you can use it with the tailgate down.

 

Can you use this with the tailgate down?

 

The debo is made to be used with the tailgate down. I've come across one other unit that is used with the tailgate down but it lays up against the tailgate when the tailgate is up, or could lay on the tailgate if you dripped the tailgate to carry anything longer than your bed. Either way I just thought it seemed like a nuisance. The Debo on the other hand slides out of the way under the pickup bed when not in use. I believe it's rated to handle a 300 lbs person.

 

Ignore the bike....

Hitch step was $50 at AutoZone, tailgate clears it and it's easier to get up in the bed, via the bumper.

Best part is, I'd rather have the step-bumper hit something while backing up, then the $300+ truck bumper. The other light is an auxilary back-up lamp.

 

I need to be able to use the step with the tailgate down.

 

If you just need a step that works with the tailgate down -then maybe??? you could try to install and modify the swing-down step that is attached to the tailgate of thenew Ford trucks - 'I know' crossbreeding with a Ford is taboo for most of us but this could potentially work if the part is not too expensive and too much of a P-I-T-A!