Tailgate Down= Rock Chips?

[cokingcat]

I have an old 04 Duramax that I put my sled in the back of. I can’t tell if for years that my tail gate is chipped up from doing this or because my truck is just old? My friend that has a newer truck swears that he gets micro rock chips on his tail gate from driving around with his tail gate down.

If he is correct, what does everyone do to prevent these rock chips? Does buying a bike carry mat that goes over the tailgating work when you load up? Do the wear bars snag the mat even if you don’t have carbides?

Thx in advance-

 

[IDspud]

I’ve done a lot of tailgate down with no chips.
I do get chips if I pull my trailer without flaps on my truck, rocks bounce off trailer and hit tailgate.

 

[cokingcat]

I’ve done a lot of tailgate down with no chips.
I do get chips if I pull my trailer without flaps on my truck, rocks bounce off trailer and hit tailgate.

I trailer a bit as well. I never thought about rocks coming back off my diamond plate thats on trailer. Perhaps I will cover the tailgate either way.

 

[Archie]

I’ve done a lot of tailgate down with no chips.
I do get chips if I pull my trailer without flaps on my truck, rocks bounce off trailer and hit tailgate.

Same, I’ve had rocks land on top of my sled deck when pulling a trailer, can’t say if I’ve gotten rock chips when leaving tailgate down.

 

[steenso]

Have used a Marlon single loader and sled in the back of the pickup truck box- no rock chips but wasn’t pulling anything behind. I did take the truck in to have the tailgate plasticized with 3M or equivalent to protect the tailgate for this exact reason.

 

[Sage Crusher]

I have a lot of rock chips on my 2019 Duramax-from pulling enclosed snow/ camper trailers- it seems the rocks bounce back off the trailer and hit the tailgate-
I even have tried the rock tamer flap system- and varied the heights and vertical direction on them- Nothing works really well

I guess next step is getting it repainted and put the clear bra on like I do the front- but it still has rock pimples in that too

 

[bnorth]

I haven't used my deck for a couple seasons so have been running sled in box tailgate down and I am definitely seeing a lot of small rock chips.