Tailgate down

[jnharley]

Our neighbors in the campground were pulling out this morning and we noticed that their tailgate was down and they were ready to pull out. Went over to let them know and found out that they tow like that. We watched them pull out and make a gradual turn and the tailgate was very close to the RV. It looked like the tailgate would hit on a sharp turn. Any reason why a person would tow like this?

[partsman01]

powderman426 wrote:
I dont know about saving fuel, but I can tell you there is a large vacuum in the bed. I had a trolling motor in its box and put it against the tailgate. When I looked in the rear view mirror it was levitating. Thankfully I caught it before it got sucked out.

Yep, lost fuel containers, sewer hose, cooler, who knows what else, hard lesson to learn.

But I could never have tailgate down, mine would have hit on sharp turns.

[wilber1]

Had a folding chair sucked out of my truck and that was with a louvered gate.

[Atom_Ant]

ependydad wrote:

MFL wrote:
I have not heard of much tailgate theft in my area. My last two trucks have had factory locking gates. I rarely lock mine, but probably should. I'm not sure, but the factory gate lock does seem to be secure.

Jerry

One of the best additions to my truck was tying the tailgate lock into the power locks for the rest of the truck. When I lock my doors, my tailgate gets locked, too!

I want to do that. Which brand did you use? I've seen some as accessories with the rolling bed covers.

[Atom_Ant]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
Thanks for the warnings of objects flying out of the bed!! I was planning to carry the patio mat back there if it was wet - at least I'll know to tie it down!

Patio mats are especially vulnerable because they are so light.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Thanks for the warnings of objects flying out of the bed!! I was planning to carry the patio mat back there if it was wet - at least I'll know to tie it down!

[GoPackGo]

One time I was rolling down I-95 here in Florida and all of a sudden I saw the drop in bed liner of a pick-up about 1/4 mile in front of me go airborne just as he passed a semi. I've also seen 3-4 laying in the median of toll road highways down here that I'm pretty sure also got sucked out of pick-ups.

[ependydad]

MFL wrote:
I have not heard of much tailgate theft in my area. My last two trucks have had factory locking gates. I rarely lock mine, but probably should. I'm not sure, but the factory gate lock does seem to be secure.

Jerry

One of the best additions to my truck was tying the tailgate lock into the power locks for the rest of the truck. When I lock my doors, my tailgate gets locked, too!

[Atom_Ant]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

And it's not a vacuum it's a difference in pressure
A vacuum can't exist in open atmosphere

So why doesn't Kirby call it a "pressure differential cleaner"? The bed of the truck is just acting like a giant Hoover.

Lost a full rubber backed carpet out of mine, and it took my RV antenna wing with it on the way.

[MFL]

I have not heard of much tailgate theft in my area. My last two trucks have had factory locking gates. I rarely lock mine, but probably should. I'm not sure, but the factory gate lock does seem to be secure.

Jerry

[Old-Biscuit]

B.Sjulestad wrote:
Probably stopped and put it up after they were out of sight because they were just too embarrassed to admit their mistake

Hopefully that is the case.......:S

And it's not a vacuum it's a difference in pressure
A vacuum can't exist in open atmosphere

[MFL]

Years ago, before the roll up bed covers were popular, there were a lot of trucks towing FWs with the tailgate removed. I would consider it myself, but like to store things in the bed, after set up to camp. I keep it covered, and the gate closed.

I don't have as much bed turbulence, with the newer, more aerodynamic cap, as I had with the old FW, that had a more square front, which the bottom part sloped back.

Jerry

[ol_Bombero-JC]

thomasmnile wrote:

cdlaine wrote:
A couple of weeks ago I heard the dreaded crunch from
an Rv'er that forgot to put his tailgate down (backed
into the 5ver pin).
Charles

Hey, I did that when we had our fifth wheel. Put a helluva dent on the tailgate but didn't hurt the trailer a bit.

Now that we own a TT, that dent provides an excellent reference point for me to line the receiver up with the trailer tongue since the dent is dead center on the tailgate. :B

The two best reasons for an aftermarket "V" tailgate:

1. No need to put it down to hitch/unhitch = no dents.

2. Your factory tailgate will *not* "grow legs".

#2 applies to factory tailgates even if you never tow anything.

Tailgates are a "gone in ten seconds", un-traceable, high-demand, "viscous circle" theft item..:(

*If* you use a factory tailgate - use your best choice for securing it, even if it's just the "hose clamp trick" to block the slot on the bed 'receiver' post.

Check the replacement cost!..:W


~

[thomasmnile]

cdlaine wrote:
A couple of weeks ago I heard the dreaded crunch from
an Rv'er that forgot to put his tailgate down (backed
into the 5ver pin).
Charles

Hey, I did that when we had our fifth wheel. Put a helluva dent on the tailgate but didn't hurt the trailer a bit.

Now that we own a TT, that dent provides an excellent reference point for me to line the receiver up with the trailer tongue since the dent is dead center on the tailgate. :B

[SandSOrrell]

hermy wrote:
Once I had an aluminum box in the bed that levitated and stuck itself to the bottom of the 5ver. I started to play with the speed and found that at certain speeds I could make it float. Kinda fun. In my case the box could not escape out of the back of the truck so there was no danger. But there must be some serious vacuum back there!

I carry an extendable ramp in the bed of my TV. Ramp is for the dog who is old, arthritic, and has bad hips. If I put the ramp in face down, air will get under it and lift it up against the tailgate and hold it there. When I slow back down, it makes a very startling bang as it falls back down and hits the bed. I didn't even notice it until I heard that bang the first time. Scared the stuffing out of me. Now I put it face up in the bed and the air can't stay under it. The ramp rails hold the air under it when it is face down causing it to gain lift. The rails are flush to the underside of the ramp and can't dam the air when it is face up. Rosie (the aforementioned dog) uses the ramp for getting in and out of both the truck and the 5er.

[hermy]

Oh yeah, powderman- I have experienced that several times. Once I had an aluminum box in the bed that levitated and stuck itself to the bottom of the 5ver. I started to play with the speed and found that at certain speeds I could make it float. Kinda fun. In my case the box could not escape out of the back of the truck so there was no danger. But there must be some serious vacuum back there!