tail gate study

[slimjim2525]

I read on here somewhere that driving with the tail gate down got worse gas mileage than it being up. Does anybody have that study, and post it here?

[DEV1ST8R]

I saw it here a long time ago - that's exactly what it said. Basically. . .with the tail gate down the air flow has to flow all the way down, throughout the entire bed of the truck, whereas if the tailgate is up, a pocket of air sits in the bed and the airflow flows over the pocket - like a natural toneau cover if you will.

 

The study said that toneau cover's were the most efficient - but not super significantly, and that having the tailgate up was less restrictive that having it down or removed.

[Wingnut]

Yeah, it's weird.

 

Click here for an article on Cartalk.com about it.

 

Click here for a somewhat contradictory take on it (although it's on a Dodge, so I don't count it.)

 

Pace-Edwards quotes ^^ them, and translates some of that into english.

 

 

Click here for what I consider to be the definitive article on tailgaeronomics

 

Consensus amongst the fart-smellers....I mean smart-fellers...Is to leave it up. Or add a tononmomnoooeu (that doesn't look right no matter how you spell it).

[az'03Silverado]

I leave mine up regardless. I think it looks dumb down. Kinda like the driver forgot something. Just my opinion, though. For what it's worth.

[MS3DALE]

Yea,And I don't care what anybody says about a tonneau cover helping gas mileage,It has never helped my gas mileage at all,I get the same with or without it. So I don't buy that at all.

[redvett]

Here is one done by U of M http://sitemaker.umich.edu/um.gm.truck

[MS3DALE]

Good article redvett.

[mcreyaufmiller]

I leave mine up so my tanks don't fly out when I take off from a light. 3500 PSI will make one heck of a rocket when the valve is knocked off.

[asepgrad98]

i work with a guy who used to leave his down even after i informed him he wasnt savin gas. Well now he has no tailgate at all because he backed into a pole and destroyed it. Stupid Ford owners

[MrQuadrasteer]

I think it looks crappy drving around with it down, plus I always worry about the shock of hitting bumps and it bouncing around when there's no weight on it.

 

At least I got my new cables

[99-2door]

Have you ever been behind a truck with no tailgate and the bedsides are flopping like crazy??

That's what you get from running around with the gate down all the time. The gate is a part of the structure and support of the bed.

[redvett]

I think it looks crappy drving around with it down, plus I always worry about the shock of hitting bumps and it bouncing around when there's no weight on it.

 

Good point 99-2door i was going to mention that and also the fact that in most states its illegal to run without a tailgate since its a missing body part just like a fender.

[GnatGoSplat]

I leave mine up regardless.  I think it looks dumb down.  Kinda like the driver forgot something.  Just my opinion, though.  For what it's worth.

 

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I saw several trucks with no load in the bed and tailgate down when I took a 4hr road trip to St. Louis. Either way, they look either forgetful or stupid.

[DEV1ST8R]

i work with a guy who used to leave his down even after i informed him he wasnt savin gas. Well now he has no tailgate at all because he backed into a pole and destroyed it.    Stupid Ford owners 

 

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That's good!