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Old 11-23-2019, 04:30 AM   #21
Phil P
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Hi

I carry a sheet of ¾ plywood cut in to 2X4 foot pieces, a 3 foot ladder, and 14 2 foot 4X4s and 2 chains.

Under the back seat 1 3 ton bottle jack, one 20 ton bottle jack and torque wrench and associated sockets and extensions needed to change any tire on the truck and trailer.

I also do not tow or drive bobtail with tail gate installed unless I am hauling something that requires it.

No tailgate increases my fuel mileage by 2 MPH towing and 3 MPH bobtail.

Phil P
 
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Old 11-23-2019, 07:35 AM   #22
Theunz
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Before anyone runs out and removes their tailgate you might read this.
https://www.coloradofans.com/threads...mileage.99016/
This theory has been confirmed over and over.
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Old 11-23-2019, 08:07 AM   #23
bshgto
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gave up

I drove an 1 1/2 hours to work every day at one point in my life. I did a test for a full year 6 months with the tail gate down and 6 months with the tailgate up other than minor differences in mileage up or down I did not improve my fuel costs with the tailgate down. I did loose a couple of things out of the back when the tailgate was down when I forgot they were back there though.
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Old 11-24-2019, 09:55 AM   #24
Phil P
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Hi

The test drive mentioned above is total irrelevant the test must be performed on the same vehicle with the same driver in order to even be of any value.

I purchased this truck new and gave it to my wife for her birthday. She drove it as here primary driver for 2 years and decided she wanted a car. Now she has a car she can’t get a key made for without me and I have a truck I can’t get a key made for without her, LOL. At any rate I started driving this truck when it had about 40,000 miles on it.

The first time I noticed there mite be a difference in the way things would go without a tail gate we had departed a RV park out west somewhere and failed to put the garbage in the dumpster as we left. When we reached 60MPH towing the Montana with the tail gate closed the garbage bag went up in the air and over the side of the truck bed.

When we got home I did a simple test. I put a plastic bake with some gravel in it I would say it weighed about 1 pound. I then drove the truck without the trailer at 45 MPH I could see the bag blowing around in the bed of the truck. If I had driven 60 I am sure I would have lost it.

Went home removed the tail gate put the bag back where it was and drove 45 MPH the bag didn’t even wiggle so accelerated to 60 MPH still no movement.

It takes power to move air around like that.

I have now driven this truck another 225,000 miles I can put a handkerchief in the front of the bed and drive any speed without loosing it as long as there is not a tail gate on.

I now only put the tail gate on when I have a load in the truck that might move around when traveling like a 55galon drum of oil the tail gate would provide one more barrier if the straps holding the drum fail.

With the tailgate on bobtail I get 15.9 MPG average and with it off I get 17.9MPg average.

Towing the Montana with the tail gate on I get10.5MPG averages with it off I get 12.5MPGaverage.

This is all on level groung in Florida once you get in the mountains I don’t even ccheck milage.

Phil
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Old 11-24-2019, 03:52 PM   #25
TLightning
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Old 11-24-2019, 04:47 PM   #26
drjjj
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ATTA 45 gallon auxiliary fuel tank and two "pork chop" tool boxes that fit behind the wheel wells and tailgate, Retrax tonneau.
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Old 11-25-2019, 06:55 AM   #27
bshgto
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bshgto View Post
I drove an 1 1/2 hours to work every day at one point in my life. I did a test for a full year 6 months with the tail gate down and 6 months with the tailgate up other than minor differences in mileage up or down I did not improve my fuel costs with the tailgate down. I did loose a couple of things out of the back when the tailgate was down when I forgot they were back there though.

Phills comments on the above: "The test drive mentioned above is total irrelevant the test must be performed on the same vehicle with the same driver in order to even be of any value."

I guess this would have been obvious,but maybe not but my unofficial test was done (a daily commute to a job site and my time-pay started when I left my house in the company truck, truck and fuel paid by company) by the same driver over the same roads using the same truck going the same speed or close to it over a year and was done by me. The idea that your going to improve your mileage with the gate down has been debunked many times by an official test. This goes along with a waxed truck or boat gets better mileage. I own a large boat and never noticed b.etter fuel mileage running a 25 mile lake waxed bottom or not. YMMV LOL
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Old 11-25-2019, 09:24 AM   #28
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I have this thing for my sewer hose. I have 2 rino hoses in there. i mounted it under the front of my trailer. If I ever sell my trailer it comes off. It wasn't cheap but nicer than carrying it in my storage area.

I put a 5 gallon propane tank in the area where the generator would sit. I have one of those plastic things for the tank to sit in I got at C.W.
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Old 11-25-2019, 10:12 AM   #29
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Traveling thru Kansas on I70 with a head wind drained our main tank quicker than I ever want to experience again! After that trip we purchased an Aux tank from Fuelbox. The convenience and peace of mind is well worth the extra weight. We have traveled in and out of California and haven't had to buy that expensive diesel. Besides the fuelbox I also carry a honda EU2200i.

Fuelbox link: https://thefuelbox.com/product/ftc44t-40-gal/
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Old 11-27-2019, 01:12 PM   #30
Mtnquail
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Fuel tank

My brother has a similar pick up. He has a transfer flow fuel tank in the bed. It has a tool box on top of the tank which is handy. The most interesting thing is the aux tank automatically transfers fuel to the main tank. The two tanks total 60-65 gallons. A very sweet system. Helps economize space in the bed.
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:05 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by jcurtis934 View Post
I have my spare trailer wheel/tire in back of the hitch. Once you have to go under the monte in wet dirty ground to retrieve the spare from that drop down holder, you will probably do the same as i. It sucks to have to drive after lying in the mud and filth left beside the highway.
If only you had a place to keep some dry clothes and a place to change?!
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:14 PM   #32
E Rod
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Slowhand, sure I take breaks between fuel stops but I don't need to be hunting for a station at the same time. Dime a gal.? Heck there have been times it was as much as $.40 as I'm able to drive through the high fuel price areas. I use gas buddy and plan my fuel stops well in advance to take advantage of lower prices. I've had this tank since 03 so in the 16 yrs I've had it it has more than paid for itself money wise and convenience wise. If I didn't tow anywhere from 4-8K per year maybe it would be different. Also much of my towing is through the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana where stations are not every couple of miles

Just took a look at Gas Buddy for stations in my area. The closest to me is $3.07 and 11 mi. away it's $2.80 my math says that's a difference of $.27 almost 3X your dime estimate. Eighty gals at that lower price is $21.60 less
I agree with Hornet 28, i have an 60 gal. auxiliary fuel/ toolbox combo. I have so far transferred this tanks from 6 super duties to the DRW i have now. It has really come in handy . especially when traveling in areas where fuel prices are high.
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:19 PM   #33
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I have a short bed F350 and a sliding hitch, so space is limited, plus I don't want to overload the truck. I carry 5gal of diesel and occasionally a 3400 genset, with 5gal of gas. I put the bare minimum of tools in the FW.
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:32 PM   #34
drjjj
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The beauty of the ATTA auxiliary tank is it does transfer fuel in to the OEM fuel tank whenever the OEM tank gets below a certain level (on my truck it does it at below 3/4 full) which means your OEM fuel gauge is always accurate. On my truck there is no way I am going to run out of fuel in one driving day no matter how bad the winds, etc. are. I love having to never worry about fueling up while the trailer is attached, only after we have stopped for the day (or the next morning).
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:33 PM   #35
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Last2Die - what kind of hose did you use?
A compressor is mandatory. Also, tire pressure and temperature sensors on tow vehicle, camper and spare tires. They are not expensive and tell you what is going on with your tires and bearings.
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Old 11-27-2019, 03:30 PM   #36
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Ten gallons of diesel and 500# of fire wood.
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Old 11-27-2019, 04:09 PM   #37
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I have a 4 panel folding cover on the bed. I have a 43 gallon Dee Zee combination diesel tank/tool box. It fits under the cover, and there is about 2 inches clearance to the hitch base. I like carrying the extra fuel because I can go all day without fueling. It also allows me to buy fuel at places of my choosing other than the expensive truck stops. I try to get Costco tier 2 diesel. I don't carry anything else
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Old 11-27-2019, 06:48 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by allenclme View Post
I have a 4 panel folding cover on the bed. I have a 43 gallon Dee Zee combination diesel tank/tool box. It fits under the cover, and there is about 2 inches clearance to the hitch base. I like carrying the extra fuel because I can go all day without fueling. It also allows me to buy fuel at places of my choosing other than the expensive truck stops. I try to get Costco tier 2 diesel. I don't carry anything else
With the auxiliary tank I can go around 800 miles before I need to look for diesel. With the TDS card at Loves it is usually cheaper at the truck stops than local stations.
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Old 11-27-2019, 07:41 PM   #39
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I have a 30" wide tool box front and a 18" wide half height at the tailgate. I also carry a step ladder to get into the bed and boxes.



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Old 11-28-2019, 01:31 PM   #40
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Agree

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I carry nothing extra in my truck. Sure it would be nice to have 50 gallons more fuel but it will hurt some fuel millage. I suppose if you can carry 10,000# in the bed of the truck guys will do it. If you have a DRW than you may have that much payload but seriously do you not need a brake every 300 miles. I am sure that it makes it easier to look for cheaper fuel with 90 gallons of fuel but not sure of the fuel savings. Even at 10 cents a gallon cheaper fuel it's $1 is all the savings on 10 gallons. So you save a whole $9 on 90 gallons. Now with all the fuel how did it hurt the millage. I don't have any idea because I don't carry extra fuel. I am not sure how much diesel weighs but at 7# a gallon x50 = 350# extra fuel May not sound like much but some guys on here cringe if you tow that much over the yellow sticker. It's just my thoughts so take what I say as conversation.
Just gas up at the 3/4 mark. I say that, but have had a few close calls where the light is on that means "Hey stupid, are you trying to run out of gas?" My wife gives reminders at high volume when the light comes on.
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