Wind resistance of truck tailgate?

[pennwalk]

Does the tailgate of a fullsized pickup really make much wind resistance. I'm wondering if I can squeeze a couple more miles out of a gallon of gas.
I Know that the gas crisis is over But I feel that I may have been wasteful.

Chris

 

[1bush2hog]

I guess it would depend on make, model, etc. I remember seeing somewhere in my owners manual that removing tailgate, or traveling with TG down, would not help.

Might work for you though

 

[PhilNH5]

Pennwalk,
The gate supposedly adds wind resistance. They sell those ventilated tailgates just for that reason. I also see people who just leave them open. Don't know if that is legal.

I had my Dakota for 3 months before putting a cap on the bed. I assumed that my mileage would go up once I had the cap but it did not. Maybe the weight of the cap offsets any mpg gained from reduced drag. Or maybe the drag is not really an issue. Don't know for sure.

Phil

 

[BB_TX]

The makers of the net type tailgate replacements hype it, but that is probably just that, hype. Here is <font color="blue"> one link </font> dealing with it. Or if you really <font color="blue"> want to get into depth. </font>

 

[HGM]

I tried it years ago, didnt make a difference. The best thing you could do is drop 10-15MPH if you can. Either way, you'r looking at pennies.My current Ranger gets just shy of 23MPG traveling mostly highway in Atlanta at 80MPH. I tried bringing it down to 70 last tank and it went to 23.5. 1/2 MPG, it comes out to about 9 more miles per tank, about $1.50 per fill up for me...I'm sure if I took it to 55 there would be a greater increase, but for me the extra $5(maybe) per tank isnt worth the extra time on the road.

It depends on what your driving. Some will be effected more than others, try it and see what your results are. It wont hurt anything.

 

[bczoom]

Chris,

As best I can figure or find out, it doesn't change anything.

Some of the results I've heard of showed an increase of .1 mpg (with it down) using driving tests with accurate mileage testing equipment.

Other tests I've heard which were a bit more elaborate used a wind tunnel. With the tailgate up, a pocket of air is generated between the rear of the cab and the tailgate. When driving, the air coming over your truck then skim over this pocket of air so there's no drag. When the tailgate is down, you loose this pocket. If I recall, they didn't see any difference in mileage either way.

Brian

EDIT: My bad. I didn't read the links provided by BB_TX so all I did was kind of repeat what his links said.

 

[pennwalk]

I'm glad I asked. Doing nothing is my specialty. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Chris

 

[PhilNH5]

Bill,
Thanks for those links. Nice to see definitive data.

Phil

 

[thatguy]

there were many posts over on a Dodge Diesel discussion board a few years back over this subject.. Someone had data that with a short bed pickup it didnt make a difference.. The wind coming over the cab "landed" past the tail gate, not in the bed..

 

[dmccarty]

Pennwalk,

Years ago I had to drive to Savanah, GA and back in one day. Its a five hour one way trip. I drove down with the tailgate up and on the way back the gate was down. I used slightly more fuel with the tail gate up but that was due to the off highway driving I did before I refueld and headed home. It was something like a tenth of a mpg. I did quite a bit of driving once I arrived in GA since I did not know where I was going so that burned up some fuel.

Once that extra driving was taken into account there was not difference in the mpg with the tailgate up or down. This was on a 1995 K2500 Extended Cab 8' bed PU. Never bother trying on my new truck...

I just leave the tailgate up. Prevents people from backing into the tailgate when it is down.

Later,
Dan