Louvered Tailgates

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

Speaking of louvers;
I was wondering if maybe the tailgate louvers should be vertical rather than horizontal. Then if they are angled correctly the air flowing through could be directed away to the side, away from the front of the trailer. Of course it goes without saying that this would work better if it was chromed

You know, Charlie, the vertical louvers is not a bad idea, but how about if the louvers were curved, so the air passing through would create a vortex that might clean off the front of the Montana a bit better. And the swirling wind going under the Montana might lift it enough to make for a lighter footprint, thus increasing fuel mileage?

[bsmeaton]

Vertical louvers could overcome the turn pressure caused by torque!...or is that the boat...or the front wheel drive car....or whichever one it is that you have to hold onto the steering wheel to keep it going straight.

[bncinwv]

Fellow MOC contributors to the louvered tailgate thread:
My heartfelt congratulations are hereby extended to all respondents to this thread. It is the most thought-provoking, informative, ponderous, deep, wonderous thread that I have had the opportunity to opine and post my personal opinions about. Thank goodness, that reason and sanity prevailed since I was able to save thousands of dollars since Carol did not convince me to buy diamonds for either Christmas or Valentines Day. In addition, the total inanity of the responses to the original poster's question has proven a basic underlying fact about this forum. The only thing that matters is each individual's personal opinion since ultimately they will be the one that has to live with the choice. Therefore in the interest of not wandering off-topic, (thanks again Stiles), Waldo, I am keeping my original white, steel, non-louvered, Canadian-built (I think??) Chevrolet tailgate. In defense of my decision, I still like the turbulence influencing design that keeps the wood-chips from the firewood cleaned out of the truck bed while the Montana is being pulled!!! Whew, thanks to all for letting me get that off my chest!!!
Bingo

[jretz]

Louvers mounted verticaly with fans and a deicing system, how much weight is that? add the diamonds for Carol and chrome, as John said - Over weight limits, but if I add overload spings it might work. But then what if you went Gateless?

[Dave e Victoria]

You all don't seem to understand -- its the notch that does all the work -- not the louvers. Go ahead prove I'm wrong. (That will take at least 25 more pages)
Dave

[bncinwv]

Does the notch help in removing those blasted wood chips???? Inquiring minds (mine) definitely need to know!!!! (And you all have got to quit added artificial length to this thread by repeatedly posting your signatures). The only thing gained by this artificial thread-lengthening is we have to scroll more to get at the answers to the important questions that we have to know the answers to!!!
Bingo

[Dave e Victoria]

May not help with wood chips but sure does make a nice setting for diamonds. And heaven knows no one on this forum would even think about artificially lengthening a thread.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Notches???

Diamonds???

NOW we are talking!

what take my sig line out??

[bncinwv]

For those who do not know the usual nature of my posts, the signature comment was totally tongue-in-cheek. Saving the thousands on diamonds was a reality (sorry Carol!!!!). Now since I have not posted my signature in a very long while on this thread, I feel compelled to do so in the sole hope of taking this very informative thread to another page. Now I feel even better than before for getting all of that off of my chest. Ha Ha!!
Bingo

[ole dude]

If you went to dig for diamonds you could use the louvered tailgate as a strainer for the digs. However dont know if the slats need to be thisaway or thataway or if its chrome how well the gems will appear. Byjingo there seems to be more questions.

[bigmurf]

Just sitting here in AZ. watching the rain and this comes to mind. Will the rain rushing thru the tailgate help wash off the bottom of the trailer?

[Waynem]

Don't forget to put the Bounce squares on the inside of the tailgate when it is raining. The chemicals will clean the underside as you drive.

Editied: Yeah! I made an extra page, I made an extra page! Yeah!

[bncinwv]

Of course if you are driving through salt spray, that would be akin to the WV roads in winter. Salt is the enemy, salt is the enemy, salt is the enemy, therefore in order to preserve both the life of the rig's underside and the louvered tailgate, you still would have to spray everything with fresh water........or........drive through your nearest smooth-bottomed river to wash off the salt residue. Of course, I don't have the slightest clue as to why I am worried about salt damage, temperature was 72 degrees today in southern WV, that is not a mis-print. Take that Florida snowbirds!!!!!!! Wait a minute, rig is still winterized and at dealer for 2nd AC installation. I guess the Florida snowbirds are still one up on me!!!! Notice I have elected not to artificially lengthen this thread by affixing our signature.......or mentioning diamonds!!!!
Bingo

[Rondo]

Bingo, you can use water injection as they do with jet engines to get more power and kill two birds with one stone--- clean off that nasty salt and give you more power going down the hiways and byways!

[Dave e Victoria]

I thought page length was only affected by number of posts rather than by signature length as the signatures only show on your browser - not in the actual stored thread. As evidence of this fact note that if you change your signature, all of your previous posts will show the new signature. Now of course, hijacking the subject like this does ARTIFICIALLY lengthens the thread. So without talking about other stuff, let me just remind everyone that this topic is about serious stuff such as the efficacy of louvers, notches, diamonds and bounce(?) sheets and other such topics as can be attributed to tailgates.
Dave

[bncinwv]

Wow, Dave, I never knew that about the number of pages. Learn something new from a louvered tailgate thread, now imagine that!!!!
Bingo

[jretz]

If you use water injection then you need a water reservoir thus adding more weight and negating the perceived advantage of the louvered tailgate. As an after thought, if you mount the louvers up-side-down and drive through the rain and wet will it then throw the water up hitting the under side of the 5th wheels overhang causing the 5th wheel to lift leading to a reduction in the weight on the wheels and hitch pin lightening the overall load.?

[bncinwv]

But will hitting the underside of the fifth wheels overhang with water contribute to (that dreaded other thread topic of) FRAME FLEX???????? If it does then that really turns into one expensive louvered tailgate, that does not even have diamonds on it, but it well should since, they would have to be pawned to pay for the out-of-warranty, denied-by-dealer frame flex repair.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

LET ME TELL YOU

IF I EVER GET THOSE DIAMONDS

AIN'T NO ONE GONNA PAWN EM OFF TO FIX FRAME FLEX

NOPE

NADDA

AIN'T HAPPENING!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

(now, stick tongue in cheek, hold sides while you giggle for undetermined amount of time, gasp for air, and start again!)

[bncinwv]

Thanks Carol, that worked real well. I was obeying your orders, and stuck my tongue in my cheek (first part of order), in walks DW, thought I was chewing tobacco again, and slapped tongue out of cheek, or........ maybe the pearls for Christmas did not satisfy as well as the Carol suggested diamonds???? Women, PHEWWWW, can't live with them and definitely would not want to live without them (my DW anyway). (All kinds of SARCASM intended, not opinion, not fact, and definitely not to be taken as advice). Now THAT is a disclaimer!!! Ha!!
Bingo