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Fifth Wheel Tailgates

eldee
Explorer
Explorer
Wanting to put a louvered fifth wheel tailgate on my '14 Duramax.
Looked at several online, not sure which to use. Carlson makes a nice one and is reasonably priced, any thoughts or suggestions from those of you using these kind of tailgates?
Thanks in advance, Larry
25 REPLIES 25

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
I bought one of the cheaper steel ones and had it powder coated to match the truck. Looks very good IMO, and works a treat.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

RockyMt
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have a chrome tail gate that is pipe and wire mesh, I bought it when truck was new. Really like it and has served me well. Maker was in Oklahoma somewhere.

Fisher_Bill
Explorer
Explorer
I use a board in the bed to keep stuff in and I just remove the stock gate, I like the idea but don't think it's needed
2006 Chevy 3500 Dually 6.6 Duramax Diesel & Allison Transmission
2010 Northshore 28RK by Dutchmen
Our first fifth wheel!!!

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Explorer II
I've thought about them, but don't want to give up the backup camera and tailgate assist (step with handle that both retract into the tailgate) integrated into the OEM tailgate. Wind turbulence in the bed has more to do with the aerodynamics of the front cap of your fiver than with the tailgate, anyway. So far I've been lucky regarding pulling away with the tailgate up...

Rob
U.S. Army retired
2020 Solitude 310GK-R
MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
(Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
2012 F350 CC DRW Lariat 6.7
Full-time since 8/2015

eldee
Explorer
Explorer
I had one of those high dollar aluminum ones on my previous truck and really liked it! Cut WAY down on wind turbulence and greatly improved hitching and unhitching.
Wouldn't mind paying the price for another aluminum one, but it wouldn't match my truck at all and I can't see painting aluminum, kinda defeats the purpose of having aluminum!

the_bear_II
Explorer
Explorer
On my first truck I had a louvered tailgate with the V notch cutout. I found that even with it I would still have to raise the front of the 5th wheel to clear the tailgate depending on how un-level a site was front to back. So I would usually just put the louvered tailgate down when hitching or unhitching.

With my current truck I stayed with the original tailgate. Hopefully as I get older I won't forget to put it down when hitching or unhitching.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
I use the Custom Flow since my '03 Dodge/Cummins was new. I spray painted it with a rattle can the same color as the truck. Looks great .
Best part of using one for me was eliminating in the bed wind turbulence. Now I don't have to tie everything in the bed down when I pull the 5er....and the ease and simplicity of hooking and unhooking my 5th wheel and GN trailers.
Great investment for my use.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

ChuckV1
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Owned 5er's for about 20 years, thought about a louvered tailgate. Thought was as far as it went! IMHO a complete waste of money.


Till you pull away an forget to lower your tailgate, then you think "why didn't I buy that louvered tailgate " Ops now you have to spend another $350 for another tailgate plus another $200 or more for paint to match your truck ...

Say it won't happen to you, well after 20 years of pulling goose neck trailers an 5th wheels it happened to me !!! So don't say its a waste of money when you bend your tailgate so badly you have to replace one ...Ugh

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Owned 5er's for about 20 years, thought about a louvered tailgate. Thought was as far as it went! IMHO a complete waste of money.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

eldee
Explorer
Explorer
I certainly wouldn't want to see it sun faded, but I wonder how long, how well they would hold up in the sun? I do have the advantage of keeping my truck inside most of the time, and only put 5000 miles or so a year on it, so sun exposure is minimal. I did like the fact the plastic ones are already black, matches my black truck without painting!
Anybody have sun fading issues with the black plastic ones?

RollandB
Explorer
Explorer
I have an older Custom Flow I got from. Friend that changed trucks, it has worked well. I would favor the metal ones over plastic just for the fact of easy paining when plastic gets sun beaten from age.
2013 Yukon

2021 Coachmen Spirit 1943RB