Aerodynamics question

[MavStangVa]

Glen, I think on your advice I'll get the seal kit anyway. I can always seal at least a couple of areas better then they are now. Thanks again.

I ordered the ESI extruded kit of Amazon. It greatly reduces water getting in along the top side near the latch. And dust from the bottom between the tailgate and bed. We have a long #57 gravel driveway. I noticed after putting my cover on how much gravel dust would be in the bed when I opened the tailgate. I know some gets in still but it isn't noticeable until I get the leaf blower out from a routine blowout.

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[Randorita]

I grew up in Odessa, TX, and dust gets everywhere, especially during sandstorms! All you can do is try to seal the worst places. My Mav gets a bit of water in the back when it rains or gets washed. I turned on the bed light and closed the tailgate and can see light on both sides at the back of the cover and the side edge of the tailgate.

 

[ListedGuru]

Jerry,
If you don't have a tailgate damper.
You can use a tailgate seal kit.

Good Luck
Link

Where is this seal kit from? I know some have mentioned the ESI kit that can be purchased on Amazon. Just curious

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Where is this seal kit from? I know some have mentioned the ESI kit that can be purchased on Amazon. Just curious

Rough Country click on the word link.

 

[JTBII]

I’m not an off roader by any means, but the other day my wife and I took the Maverick on a day trip off the I-17 to Crown King AZ. It is a 25 mile trip up to the Bradshaw Mountains and it is 25 miles of Washboard Dirt Road. At the top, at about 6200 feet, we went into a saloon and I did a look back at the truck. My normal grey truck’s tailgate was completely brown from dust. I could not even read the letters on the gate. When we got home I opened the gate and was astonished to see how much dust was able to infiltrate into the bed. I do have a soft cover that until now I thought was sealed pretty well. I’m now thinking about those tailgate spoilers. Has anyone who is a regular off roader experienced this, and do you have any suggestions? Not complaining, just kind of surprised.

I put a tailgate seal kit on my XLT and added to the seal toward the rear window on my MX4 Tri-fold and get no perceptible dust in my bed and only a couple of ounces of water. It has worked really well, the ounces of water only show up when I use my pressure washer not from any rain.
JTBII

 

[ListedGuru]

Rough Country click on the word link.

Well shame on me for not wearing my glasses. Thanks for pointing out the link

 

[Nw_adventure]

Glen, I think on your advice I'll get the seal kit anyway. I can always seal at least a couple of areas better then they are now. Thanks again.

The seal kit at least for the Maverick was a fail for me- The Maverick tail-gate junction has some very odd groves that the seal kit had no answer for- I spent two hours trying to fix mine and dust/dirt still gets in -

 

[Tbone289]

The ESI kit works great, and is made in the US.

 

[gjallen3]

The seal kit at least for the Maverick was a fail for me- The Maverick tail-gate junction has some very odd groves that the seal kit had no answer for- I spent two hours trying to fix mine and dust/dirt still gets in -

I know I'm going to improvise because the gap between the back tail gate and the bed frame is too wide and it won't seal. The other problem is most directions and videos for these seal kits have you sticking the weather strip on the painted metal on the two sides and the bottom of the bed frame. My drop in hard plastic liner prevents me from using the weather strip because I know it won't stick well to the grained texture of the liner. So I have a couple of solutions. 1) Stick the weather strip to the two sides of the tail gate and the long piece along the bottom of the bed frame. Not ideal because the weather strip is exposed on the sides of the gate and subject to damage. 2) Stick a long piece of the weather strip along the bottom of the frame as instructed and then put a length of that U shaped black door edge protecter that comes in rolls on both sides of the gate like you would to one of the doors. The gap between the tail lights and the gate when closed is just enough to close it up. Not exactly air or water tight, but it should be an improvement. So long as you don't mind two black strips visible on the tailgate from the outside.

 

[Nw_adventure]

I know I'm going to improvise because the gap between the back tail gate and the bed frame is too wide and it won't seal. The other problem is most directions and videos for these seal kits have you sticking the weather strip on the painted metal on the two sides and the bottom of the bed frame. My drop in hard plastic liner prevents me from using the weather strip because I know it won't stick well to the grained texture of the liner. So I have a couple of solutions. 1) Stick the weather strip to the two sides of the tail gate and the long piece along the bottom of the bed frame. Not ideal because the weather strip is exposed on the sides of the gate and subject to damage. 2) Stick a long piece of the weather strip along the bottom of the frame as instructed and then put a length of that U shaped black door edge protecter that comes in rolls on both sides of the gate like you would to one of the doors. The gap between the tail lights and the gate when closed is just enough to close it up. Not exactly air or water tight, but it should be an improvement. So long as you don't mind two black strips visible on the tailgate from the outside.

Cool post up some pictures once you get it sorted

 

[MavStangVa]

I know I'm going to improvise because the gap between the back tail gate and the bed frame is too wide and it won't seal. The other problem is most directions and videos for these seal kits have you sticking the weather strip on the painted metal on the two sides and the bottom of the bed frame. My drop in hard plastic liner prevents me from using the weather strip because I know it won't stick well to the grained texture of the liner. So I have a couple of solutions. 1) Stick the weather strip to the two sides of the tail gate and the long piece along the bottom of the bed frame. Not ideal because the weather strip is exposed on the sides of the gate and subject to damage. 2) Stick a long piece of the weather strip along the bottom of the frame as instructed and then put a length of that U shaped black door edge protecter that comes in rolls on both sides of the gate like you would to one of the doors. The gap between the tail lights and the gate when closed is just enough to close it up. Not exactly air or water tight, but it should be an improvement. So long as you don't mind two black strips visible on the tailgate from the outside.

Here's some pictures of the ESI seals on mine. Hope you find a good solution. If so please post pictures.

 

[HeyBales]

That video caused me to notice better the lip on the back edge of the tailgate.

So IF the Maverick was designed as nicely as the example truck - and at whatever speed the airflow goes past the tailgate - fine.
But go slower, now it's actually catching a lip.
Seems like a bad idea for air flow.

Know I've seen the tailgate pieces to provide a different result.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Here's some pictures of the ESI seals on mine. Hope you find a good solution. If so please post pictures.

Outstanding
Judging by the cleanliness of the bed. The seals do a pretty good job.

 

[HeyBales]

That video caused me to notice better the lip on the back edge of the tailgate.

So IF the Maverick was designed as nicely as the example truck - and at whatever speed the airflow goes past the tailgate - fine.
But go slower, now it's actually catching a lip.
Seems like a bad idea for air flow.

Know I've seen the tailgate pieces to provide a different result.

Perhaps they do test the Mav and lip is there for a reason.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...yth-and-tonneau-cover-aerodynamics-mpg.37901/

 

[MavStangVa]

Outstanding
Judging by the cleanliness of the bed. The seals do a pretty good job.

haven't hosed it out since fall. 50 bags of mulch and 20 bags of garden soil hauled this spring. Just blow it out with the leaf blower. I'm happy with the ESI seal kit. Plan on ordering some GCI cover rail clamps from ESI. GCI was kind enough to send me several different styles to try since they don;t list any for Mavericks. Found one that with minor alterations will work with the Rough Country rails and allow the use of the Ford Flex bed rail tie down anchors.

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