Do you leave your tail gate on or take it off when pulling a 5th wheel. First two trips I took I left it on then decided it was a lot easier to hook up with it off. The first two trips to our lake lot I got 12 mpg, after that my mileage dropped to 10 mpg and the only diff is the tail gate. Is the tail gate making the diff? Just wondering what other guys do. Going to leave it on next trip and see.....Dave
Tail gate on or off
- Thread starter INDave
- Start date
pegmikef
Well-known member
I leave mine on and my MPG runs 10 to 13 (once 14) dependent on weather and terrain (I have same rig as you). When hooking up I just place a cone about 18 inches in front of the pin and then backup using the backup camera until I reach the cone. Then I open the tailgate and pickup the cone. The first item on the checklist for unhooking is to open the tailgate. Never have had a problem and I like the tailgate because I am always hauling stuff between it and the hitch when hooked up.
As for the affect on fuel mileage tests show that lowering tailgate does not help.
http://consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/pickup-truck-tailgates-and-fuel-economy/index.htm
http://www.trucktestdigest.com/TTDfeatures/FeatureTailgateUporDown.htm
http://consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/pickup-truck-tailgates-and-fuel-economy/index.htm
http://www.trucktestdigest.com/TTDfeatures/FeatureTailgateUporDown.htm
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
I leave mine off when towing. I have a rear mounted low profile tool box that pretty much keeps stuff in the bed and without the tailgate, access to the box is much easier too. If I'm not going to tow for a long period while we're either at home or down south I put the tailgate back on.
Tail gate on for me. First off, I have a backup camera in the tailgate that I don't use for the 5er but it definitely comes in handy other times. I also have a bed cover. Again not real handy for actual 5er movement, but handy any other time. When I'm not trailering I lock the tailgate and bedcover. It also covers the hitch when not in use (which looks better). I can't answer to the tailgate mileage concern, but I haven't seen much difference in having the bedcover open or shut. I imagine it does help (a little), but the difference is so small in comparison to everything else going on, that it's negligible. However, if I do ever have a tailgate incident, then I'll move to one of the RV gates (cheaper vs a new tailgate).
caissiel
Senior Member
This my 4 th truck in 22 years of trailering with a 5th wheel. I have always fabricated my own tailgates and stored the truck original tailgate. No way I have use of any other as mine are fully functionable and practical.
Never cover my stuff and never lost anything.
I do have a front and lower back boxes that I store my tools and kayak equipment. I seldom lock those neither. I use my truck alarm when I lock up the truck.
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Never cover my stuff and never lost anything.
I do have a front and lower back boxes that I store my tools and kayak equipment. I seldom lock those neither. I use my truck alarm when I lock up the truck.
Sent from my HUAWEI Y300-0151 using Tapatalk
I use the same concept.
Medic403
Member
For what it's worth, Mythbusters tested this a few years ago and found that you get better gas mileage by leaving the tail gate on. They found that the air comes over the cab and hits the tail gate then starts a circular motion between the tail gate and cab and allows the rest of the air to go over the tail gate. When the tail gate is off it causes more of a drag. When pulling a 5th wheel, there is a lot of air going down into the bed, I know this because I launched a 120 qt cooler (empty) out of the bed between the cab and front of the trailer. I don't know how high it went because I lost site of it in my side mirror until it finally came down. I just kept on going.
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