As continue to ponder my decision to get a new 5th gen 4R, I am wondering if anyone else has noticed that the tailgate gets dirtier quicker (especially in the rain), than the 4th gen. My old 4th gen SE with the spoiler didn't attract dirt nearly as much as the 5th gen. I could even drive in the rain and have the liftgate window down and not get the inside of the 4R soaked...not so in the 5th gen.
Tailgate / Lifegate dirt
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timothy9988
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I dunno - I have not really paid attention - it's an SUV, almost all get the dirt/water on the rear window. Actually, I really don't use the rear wiper if that's any indication of how much water gets on the window (not enough to block my view).
Still vote that I am quite happy with the 5th gen compared to the 4th gen that I owned.
From a 1971 Ford Country Squire Staionwagon, to Exploders, Trailblazers, Jeep Cherokee's etc, etc. If you do not have a vehicle with "trunk", but rather a hatch back or a tailgate with a rear window, dirt will kick up no matter what. Now, why you did not notice is at much with your 4th gen vs,. the 5th gen, it is my guess is that you had mud flaps on your 4th and none one your 5th. This is just a guess. If I am wrong, well, try getting different mud flaps on your 5th and see if it helps. It will not prevent all dirt, mud, rain kick up, but it should help.
snow&surf
New member
This! What amazes me is the dirt/dust doesn't come off when driving at highway speeds after some fun. Gotta go straight to the car wash.
ciaz
New member
You considered maxing out reverse? :guitar3:
Will733
New member
Hahaha... I thought about it! There was a big (peanut sized body) spider living under my rear spolier. Must have been there for a day or 2, just enough time to build a web covering half the rear windshield. I guess no wind gets to that part of the car, even at high speeds.:spider:
If you really want to have some fun with this issue, google wind or air vortex's with airplanes or cars and see what you find. Hopefully you will see a mpeg or utube of a wind tunnel which will show you what I am about to say.
When a vehicle, be it a car, bike, plane or train travels above certain speeds, it creates a "bit" of a vacuum right behind the vehicle. Because air abhors a vacuum, it will rush to fill that void. In the case of the back of your vehicle, as air rushes in to fill that vacuum, it will carry all sorts of particles with it. Water, dirt, oil etc. Those particles will then slam against the back of your vehicle and stick. Driving in reverse will indeed remove some of it, just like driving forward will remove some dust on the hood after your vehicle has been standing still for a period of time, but it will not "clean" the back of your rig in anyway shape or form. For those who remember the old station wagons of yor, you might remember the "spoiler" or plate that was attached to the back of the luggage rack on the roof. That plate was a wind deflector pointed directly to the rear window of the station-wagon. It was designed to help keep the rear window clean while driving because rear window wipers had not yet been invented! They did not work very well, but at the time it was better then nothing.
The "Spoiler" of the 5th, 4th, 3rd etc, was never designed to be a wind deflector as such, at best, it was designed for aesthetics and maybe kind of an "awning" to help cover the rear window from light rain or snow at slow speeds. But, I think it looks cool.
Egstyle
New member
If you leave your rear window down on a dirt road, dirt will blow back into your vehicle. It seems to be creating a low pressure zone behind, thus sucking air and particles back in towards where your rear window would be. Since it is open, it flies into the cabin. You will quickly start to see dust accumulate on everything, trust me. Whether other SUVs avoid this or not, I do not know, but the 5th Gen 4R certainly does create blowback onto and into the rear window. Keep that rear window up while driving unless your car is clean and you are on a clean road.
Fuzzylogic
New member
Every SUV I've had created the vortex dirt deposit issue. On clean roads during the rainy season in Florida is isn't really too much of an issue. However, if you go through a construction zone where lots of sand/dirt get pulled up into the mist, the rear window gets covered in a layer of grime.
Fortunately, in Florida, it rains so much in the summer, the roads are relatively clean. My rear window has been through 3 or 4 showers this week and is still pretty clean.
I typically lower the rear window for convenience loading, or while backing or loading the boat so I can hear comments from those around me.
Fortunately, in Florida, it rains so much in the summer, the roads are relatively clean. My rear window has been through 3 or 4 showers this week and is still pretty clean.
I typically lower the rear window for convenience loading, or while backing or loading the boat so I can hear comments from those around me.
