Drag - Tailgate Vs No Tailgate

[MacDR50]

Ever see that show "Myth Busters". They demonstrated that switching your stock tailgate for one of those net types actually decreases your mileage. It all has to do with an air bubble that forms over/in the truck behind the cab that allows air to flow over the back of the truck. I couldn't let this go since my neighbor just installed a mesh tailgate on his truck. I suggested he might want to consider taking it back. He showed me the literature that came with it which said "....may improve gas mileage". I then did some research and "Bingo".

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/highlights...uplands_e.html

Not yet finished I kept going and found this site.

http://www.4are.com/fuel.php

Add better mileage to cleaner bed, less weather on the hitch and protection for cargo, a bed cover will be on my purchase list for sure.

[rogue]

Some good info there, thanks

[ARJ]

One more reason not to modify our trucks.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Thanks MacDR50, That adds 2 more, had 3 already, links to the RV Related Links page to bust this myth.

This information has been out for years and yet there are still some so called home edgeekatid engineers out there that will dispute it till they are blue in the face.

[dscott]

You can always learn something new here.Thanks for the info.

[bigmurf]

Guess my tailgate will remain off. Too much of a pain to hook up.

[exav8tr]

It seems to me that it doesn't matter much when you are towing. Am I missing something here or what??? That big white thing hanging off the end of my truck has got to be producing a lot of drag.....

[mobrownies]

Our highway mileage without the trailer increased 1 to 2 mpg after adding our bed cover. Don't think that it makes any difference when towing the trailer, but we do leave it partially closed when towing.

[simonsrf]

Good information. Thanks!

[bsmeaton]

Interesting that the first link shows actual wind tunnel test photos with a smooth line over the top of the truck as delivered from the factory -

Yet - A.R.E. chose to make there own drawings showing a downward deflection in the airflow to make thier bed cover product look better and necessary. It should actually be criminal, but for now, skeptism helps me survive.

[Art]

I wonder what the results of a "fifth wheel", V-top, louvered tailgate would be? Good or bad?

[Delaine and Lindy]

We have had two TV and used the same V-notch tailgate. Then we went to the Chevy Kodiak 4500 with the hauler bed. Really loved the hauler bed much more storage than a pick-up bed. Now we are back into another Chevy 3500 DRW and have been towing without the tailgate. Which I really don't like to do, just not enough support for the side rails on the bed. However we have the Chevy Classic 2007 (Old body style) and just hate to spend $400.00 dollars for the Custom flow v-notch which is a well made tailgate. Because in 2009 we will get a new Chevy 3500 and the tailgate will not fit. Oh well just another bump in the road. GBY....

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Here are more sites on the same subject...

http://www.truckgadgets.com/aerodynamic_tailgate.htm

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/tailgate.html

http://www.truckgadgets.com/fuel.htm