Jump to content

Tailgate up or down

tmf6902

By tmf6902
in The Off-Topic Bar

Recommended Posts

tmf6902 Senior Enthusiast

tmf6902

Posted
Posted

I found this on the web...supposedly it's from some GM techs.....

 

I for one never drive with it down, unless I have to, I don't like it bouncing around back there, and I think it looks dumb....and let's face it, what's an extra .1-.3 miles per gallon. Just my opinion though.

 

Better milage with tailgate UP!!!

 

The physics of that sound pretty solid to me....especially when you have leaves in the back....they just tumble around back there.

 

TMF :withstupid:

bummed-n-Md Enthusiast

bummed-n-Md

Posted
Posted

Very interesting....

 

After a similar debate with some co-workers about 10 years ago, we did an experiment.

 

I used my old ('92) S-10, it was a regular cab with the S-10 version of a 'long' bed. If I ran with the tailgate up, my mileage went down unless I had something in the bed that would 'fill the space' (like the air bubble that was mentioned) . If I ran with the tailgate down, (empty bed) my mileage would go up.

 

A friend of mine with the same truck, except a short bed, had exactly the opposite results: gate up, mileage up, gate down, mileage down. A third co-worker with the same truck had the long bed but with the extended cab, the effects on his mileage fell in between the two of ours.

 

It was not scientific, but was observable.

 

In my current truck, it is exactly the opposite, best mileage is with the tailgate up.

 

bummed.

General Lee 01 Senior Enthusiast

General Lee 01

Posted
Posted

This is another one of my pet peeves.

 

 

IMO, Pickups look kinda half-a$$ed (sorry for the pun) without the tailgate up (Or if the tailgate's missing for that matter. Plus, it's kinda dangerous to drive around with the tailgate down for no reason. Hazard to other motorists. :jester:

Jpshostr Senior Enthusiast

Jpshostr

Posted
Posted

You mean I don't get optimal mileage driving around like this? d**n!

 

P8210002.JPG

 

I leave it up not because of mileage reasons, but to add support to the bed sides. We've all seen the old ones with the sides flapping in the breeze due to busted welds.

pacodiablo Senior Enthusiast

pacodiablo

Posted
Posted

The Ranger gets 20 +/- MPG, so I can't complain about MPG anyway, but no, I don't leave the tail gate down unless there is something there too big to close it.

ugeesta Enthusiast

ugeesta

Posted
Posted

Hmmm. Think there's a connection to the tailgate issue in teh Light Duty forum? :jester:

 

Maybe leaving the tailgate down is bad for the cables also.

silverado man Senior Enthusiast

silverado man

Posted
Posted
You mean I don't get optimal mileage driving around like this? d**n!

 

P8210002.JPG

 

I leave it up not because of mileage reasons, but to add support to the bed sides. We've all seen the old ones with the sides flapping in the breeze due to busted welds.

:jester::lol::D Yes that is giving you to best milage. :puke::puke::puke:

scooter70 Enthusiast

scooter70

Posted
Posted

I remember reading a study that was done at an east coast engineering school (don't remember which one, but it wasn't my alma mater, RPI). Anyway, they tried a bunch of configurations on a Dodge 1/2 ton and I believe that this is how it came out:

Best............................................................................

........................ Worst

Triangluar shaped cap > standard cap > hard tonneau > soft tonneau > gate down> gate up

 

I may have read it somewhere linked from a post here, but it was probably two years ago....

 

YMMV

robsawatsky Enthusiast

robsawatsky

Posted
Posted

I don't doubt that university study at all, but it will be valid for that particular vehicle only. Aerodynamics is much more complex than people thought back in the 30's when the art-deco and swoopy vehicle craze was big. Things that look streamlined aren't necessarily aerodynamically efficient and suble alterations around edges and the length and curve of surfaces can have dramatic effects.

MCourson Senior Enthusiast

MCourson

Posted
Posted
Aerodynamics is much more complex than people thought back in the 30's when the art-deco and swoopy vehicle craze was big.  Things that look streamlined aren't necessarily aerodynamically efficient and suble alterations around edges and the length and curve of surfaces can have dramatic effects.

How true. I just finished building a kart to race on a 2.02 miles track. With a 3000' straight aerodynamics is key. All my friends can understand how this thing is aerodynamic with that huge nose.

 

Picture%20234.jpg

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,965
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    DaleB
    Newest Member
    DaleB
    Joined

  • Who's Online   1 Member, 0 Anonymous, 1,242 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      Common Sense Assembly   Your driveline is forgiving of the occasional mistake. It will even often forgive the random serious blunder. But it will not forgive a continuous bad habit.      What? Not everything needs to be a five thousand word essay.       
    • Grumpy Bear
      Gas Prices

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      We drove about 15 minute east today to visit a friend and saw a steep increase in price in the same county. About 50 cents a gallon steepper. 
    • Grumpy Bear
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      Sure about that? A degree wheel and a dial indicator would lower your degree of assurance in that statement. 😉    It why we have offset keys and dialable timing sprockets. Just say'n.... I've built a few and have never seen one "On the money". 
    • Chuck FB
      Tire psi

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I will admit I haven't experimented much with pressure drops beyond the numbers I put in and part of that is that the numbers I used are fairly low and then found out it would trigger regardless at that 35 psi. Having said that I had tried before had changed the placard pressures and being that I have a 1 ton set to 80 on the placard for the rear I believe it triggered close to 60, the front I don't recall now for sure but thought maybe it could get close to 45 from that factory 60 placard pressure. So I never did figure out if it was a number of psi from placard pressure to the alarm or a percentage of the total placard number as some figured it was like a 25% drop from placard pressure would trigger it. So as to try and answer your question, I believe I set the placard pressure on the front to 47 or so and while I run the front tires at 40, they have dipped below that some if its colder and I haven't put "winter air" in yet and never once have had the front alarm go off. I would say that the answer your looking for is no, that if you set your placard pressure to 45, you have a certain amount of room to drop below that pressure before the alarm will go off.    The pressures you decide to run in your truck, that ends up being what makes sense to you based on what your carrying in your truck or if towing, then have to bump them back up to something that will carry the load in the rear and the fronts typically left at the same pressure. It all comes down to that chart I put the link to and using an accurate roadside scale to be your guide, both unloaded and then loaded to know your minimum safe pressures.    I just wish GM would allow a person to change the readings for the tire pressures to the English system of pounds as I have to look at that goofy metric reading that will never ever jive in my head and will go over and change it just to figure out what they are if need be and then change it back. 
    • TrueBlue
      No Software Updates - Old Build

      By TrueBlue · Posted

      That part I understand, that the dealer can do it. But I'm not understanding why updates that were available to the truck since it left the factory, or the dealership originally, would not still be available to it without dealer intervention.   I'm thinking along the lines of recalls. They stay available until they are completed, regardless of whether they are in warranty or not, or in the hands of the original owner or not. Why not updates as well, especially since some of those can be safety related also?

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...