Mythbusters

[Polak]

Mythbusters, on The Discovery Channel, busted the "Tailgate Down" myth a few nights ago.

 

They took two identical F#*ds, with the same amount of fuel and payload, and ran them down the highway to empty. One had the tailgate up, and the other down. The tailgate down truck ran out of fuel first, quite a bit sooner than the tailgate up truck. Something about loosing a designed "aero push" like in racing.

 

Anyone else believe the myth prior to it being busted?

 

I know my grandpa would always put the gate down if we were getting on the highway or going a long distance. In turn, I did the same thing prior to getting a bed cover.

 

Think of all the fuel, wasted!

[PaulieK]

Are you chittin me? I always thought leaving the gate down improved gas mileage. In fact I have seen adds for tailgate nets that let the air thru for better performance/ gas mileage. All I can say is it has to be that they used F**ds for the test! Heheheehe. The Mythbusters sometimes screw up you know

[busta]

Yeah I always believed that myth also...

[Wingnut]

Yeah, we've discussed it at length here on a few occasions. I've also tested it myself. I get better with it up.

 

This is the main study that comes up. Click here.

[WI_Dave]

I saw it and was kinda surprised. Did you see the one where

you get better milage with windows up and air on?

[asepgrad98]

The increase in drag caused by the removal of the tailgate was unexpected and seems counterintuitive. We believe when the tailgate is in the upright position, there is a bubble of slowly circulating air in the truck bed that forms a virtual bed cover of air and keeps most of the airflow around the truck from hitting the bed bottom and the inside of the tailgate. Removing the tailgate does not allow this bubble to form, which allows the faster moving air to interact aburptly with the bed bottom. This is very non-aerodynamic and causes the increase in drag. After testing was completed, we researched this phenomenon and found that results of a similar study confirm our hypothesis.

[PaulieK]

Whats next ?!?!? Next you guys will tell me that self gratification doesnt make you blind! Geeeeze!

[facn8me]

Yep I giggle(like a school girl) to myself when I see the down tailgaters running around.

[trever1t]

Hooray for Adam and Jaime!

 

I used to think that the tailgate down was better too, but somewhere, sometime ago i was informed differently! Glad to see there is documented study on the trivial things we deem important!

[Polak]

Next you guys will tell me that self gratification doesnt make you blind!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Well if that were true, they'd never have invinted the internet! Now where are my glasses?

[GnatGoSplat]

On all the truck forums I've been on, general concensus was it's better to keep the tailgate up, not just for fuel economy, but also for bedside strength and tailgate integrity. Some people have quoted official studies in those threads.

 

The Mythbusters results just pretty much proved what was already common knowledge on the forums. It was nice to see someone actually confirm it though.

 

I laugh when I see people driving around with their tailgates down too, and people who spent money to buy those "airgates".

 

BTW, Kari is hot!

[trever1t]

I'm for Kari ! Something about redheads!

[GnatGoSplat]

I only clicked the "Add Reply" button once, I swear!

The site was really bogging for some reason.

[DMAX Daddy]

My old truck was probably 2 or 3 MPG with the tailgate up, noone ever believed me.

[NVRENUF]

Still a few variables there. IIRC they used a crew cab truck with a 5ft. bed. What if it were a regular cab truck with a full 8ft. bed? Or anything in between for that matter? Also, many things could affect their "bubble", such as a toolbox, a spare tire, or anything else in the bed. Not arguing with their results, but there are too many different situations to rush a definite judgement. Just my 2cents.