tailgate question with 5th wheel behind

[twprigge]

did a search and could not find answers. the question is will a 06 gmc 3500/cc 4x4 get better mpg while towing a 32 ft 5th wheel with the tailgate up and locked or removed.

[DmaxMaverick]

Are you serious? This is a joke, right? Would a paratrooper fall slower with a hanky in his pocket?

Seriously......I tow a lot of miles with my 32' Mountaineer. Tailgate on or off, no difference I could tell, and I've done quit a bit both ways. If there were a chance it does effect mileage, there's just no way to know. I don't think JPL would let us use their wind tunnel to find out. In any case, any difference either way would probably be so minute it wouldn't matter.

[twprigge]

well i thought it might matter. was not sure about the air flow. oh well thanks for the answer.

[cowboywildbill]

The only difference that we have noticed is when the tailgate is on the truck and we have the fifth wheel on, any loose items in the bed tend to blow around or up more.
But we usually take the tail gate off because it is a lot easier to hook up and unhook our trailers. Plus you stand less of a chance wrecking it when and if you forget to put it up or down while unhooking or hooking up. We tow mostly goose neck trailers and our fifth wheel has a gooseneck adapter on it, so it hooks up like a goose neck. If we do use a tailgate, I put on an aftermarket fifth wheel type that we have. But to answer your question, I think that there is so much drag from a fifth wheel that a tailgate wouldn't make any measurable difference in mpg.