Louvered Tailgates

[bigmurf]

I do not run a tailgate. I have a tool box about 9" high. While driving to the RGV in a head wind I had a 6x6x12" blow out of the bed and two others move.

[bsmeaton]

Yeppers - I need to tow the Monty every once in a while to clean all the beer cans out of the back

[quarrles]

I like the louvered gate because of the ease of lining up the truck when hitching, having that "target" for alignment aids me. This might not be so for everyone but works for me. Also I don't have to remember to adjust the full tailgate. As the old saying goes " of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most"

[wersqu]

I loved my louvered tailgate for ease of hooking up. I had one on my Dodge since 2003, now with the Chevy going back to the stock gate I find I miss the louvered gate. Personal preference, but I will be getting another one. The Dodge gate is for sale??

[simonsrf]

IMHO, the louvered gates are ugly and they do not keep prying eyes out of the bed of my truck. I have tools and supplies in there that I don't want to donate to the first person who walks by that decides that this is easy pickings.

With my toolbox, I can't even see the hitch or the pin. A dot on the back window lined up to the decal on the hitch hits the center every time. Lining up the truck to the hitch is a "no brainer" with the tailgate down.

If you are of the mind set that can't remember to put the tailgate up or down, maybe you should get a different vehicle and not worry about a tailgate; or better yet, waste your money on a security risk and ugly louvered tail gate. I see they make them in chrome to match your billet grill.

[ols1932]

As you see with this and other personal likes and dislikes, it seems that we get into a "mine is better than yours" or "what I have is better than yours." It all boils down to what I like and what you like and we're not ever going to ALL agree.

Orv

[dsprik]

No, No, Robbie... Tell us what you REALLY think...

[simonsrf]

quote:Originally posted by waldo238

I would like to know the pros and cons of having one of these tailgates, are there any real benefits?

Dave,
You are right, my reply was a bit brash, but it seems the camping industry has taken it upon themselves to profit and bilk us out of every last penny we own because of our own ignorance.

How in the world did someone come up with the idea of taking a perfectly good tailgate off of a perfectly good truck, and replace it with a louvered ugly, piece of angle iron. They have made us believe it is a necessity to use with a 5th wheel and make us believe by separating our green backs from our wallets we are improving our way of life? Really, how hard is it to lower the tailgate? Geesh! It really is just that simple.

Guess I got carried away with answering a very worhtwhile question from the original poster who asked people who had more experience than he had to give him an honest thought out answer. He was deserving of not 'what I have', or 'mine is better than yours' or whatever. He deserved someone to say that they had experienced using this particular product and they were proud that they had bought it and that it worked well for them, or we had one and should not have spent the money, or we can't imagine why anyone would want one, you don't need it! Geesh, again.

I hope no intelligent thinking people were offended by my comments; for the rest of the unthinking, I could REALLY care less; they waste my time.

You read my mind, Dave.

[dsprik]

Can you tell my wife??? She claims I don't understand her at all sometimes... At least I understand what you are saying about louvered tailgates. You do make alot of sense.

[simonsrf]

Whew!

Waldo238, Does that answer your question?

[8.1al]

Wow!! What it all boils down to is that the louvered tailgates have no useful function, BUT can be handy when hooking and unhooking they could be considered a form of insurance as some us do get distracted and or forget. I have had one before but not now, I have better things to spend my money on.

[waldo238]

My brain has developed a leak, ya gotta mop?

[bsmeaton]

hahahaha - Welcome to the MOC Waldo. Asking a question here is kind of like researching the web. You'll get your answer in the first couple of hits, then it turns into pure entertainment

[bncinwv]

Wonder what Robbie thinks about the louvered tail gates, should we dare to ask him????
Bingo

[padredw]

Probably ought to keep my mouth shut, but I noticed no one admits to towing WITHOUT the tailgate in place. Am I the only one who has yielded to that temptation? Of course, this only applies because we "take trips" in our RV, and do not "live" in it. I towed a Montana over 50,000 miles and almost all of them were towed with NO tailgate. I feel the shame, but I must confess! My tailgate rested in the garage when we left on a trip and was put back on when we returned.

I still feel ashamed, but confession has lessened my burden . Is there no one who shares my guilt????

[bsmeaton]

Only in my thoughts David - with a little hindsight!

I was jabbering with Dory one day backing up my white Ford in front of the camper after a nice day on the lake. I punched the pin box right through the outer skin of the tailgate. A that moment I wished two things:

Left tailgate at home

Dory stopped laughing at me

[osofine]

I read this topic about a month ago and decided to do my own test. I drove 70 miles per day back and forth to work through one tank of fuel with the louvered tailgate on. Then I put the stock tailgate on and drove the same route through one tank of fuel.
Conclusion: I wasted money buying the louvered tailgate. I will try to sell it on ebay. I got almost 2 miles (13.8 - 15.6) more per gallon with the standard tailgate on. I now have the hard cover on and for some reason my mileage looks really bad. I think the reason is that I am using my auto-start and warming up the truck a couple of times every day. Can't wait to get away from the ice, snow and cold here in the icebox of northern Illinois. They have the winter additive added to the diesel fuel now - and I know that lowers the mileage.

[richfaa]

Yet We saw no difference what so ever with or without the V tailgate, of course when we are not towing we have the soft cover over the bed so maybe that makes the difference.

[Dave e Victoria]

I think we have proved my theory -- The importance of an issue is inversely proportional to the number of responses -- case in point, louvered tailgates has six pages. And the guy that asked the question cried "uncle" after four. Think I will go back to polotics.
Dave

[Butch&Carol]

I have the v-tailgate made out of plactic (No Rust) When I'm not towing I have a full soft cover and for the V section I had a snap in cover to hide what is inside. When we are towing I unsnap the full cover and V insert and snap on a half cover that ends just in front of the 5th wheel hitch. When not in use it folds up to about the size of a towel. The half cover should help with airflow