alongnightsmuse@hotmail.com

Hi

Came across this web page on the effects of driving with the tail gate
up or down, as well as having a camper shell on or off. I figured the
camper shell on was bad for mileage, but according to this site the
most efficient way to travel is with the tail gate up.

Here's the link:
http://hoist.hrtc.net/~wbt/f150_camp...efficiency.htm

Guess I'll go back to keeping the gate up.

Muser

putt@webtv.net

>according to this site the most efficient
> way to travel is with the tail gate up.

A camper addition adds weight, so that will affect fuel consumption as
will the profile of the unit.....kind of a no-brainer. As to that
'test'; lol, I'm positive they meant well, but.....

Tailgate up/down/off? Here in Texas, I've been told it is against the
law to tool around with the thing down, probably the same in other
states as well. Common sense should tell us that the tailgate in the
up/closed position, and an open bed, will have air slamming against it.
But the effect on fuel mileage is infinitesimal...IMO anyway. Take it
off altogether....smooth airflow in that configuration!

Dave S(Texas)

pj

Just my 2 cents -- I gained 2 MPG by taking the tailgate OFF.
-- pj



In article <7639-4358EE66-316@storefull-3278.bay.webtv.net>, putt@webtv.net
wrote:
>according to this site the most efficient
> way to travel is with the tail gate up.

A camper addition adds weight, so that will affect fuel consumption as
will the profile of the unit.....kind of a no-brainer. As to that
'test'; lol, I'm positive they meant well, but.....

Tailgate up/down/off? Here in Texas, I've been told it is against the
law to tool around with the thing down, probably the same in other
states as well. Common sense should tell us that the tailgate in the
up/closed position, and an open bed, will have air slamming against it.
But the effect on fuel mileage is infinitesimal...IMO anyway. Take it
off altogether....smooth airflow in that configuration!

Dave S(Texas)

bradtx

In the 80's some friends and I tested three different trucks. Two
shortbeds and one longbed. One of the shortbed trucks had a toolbox
mounted across the bed, just behind the cab.

Using very technical tufts of yarn taped all over the bed we found:

The LB had the least difference WRT tailgate position, the shortbed
w/toolbox was almost identical, but the SB w/o the toolbox varied
greatly.

bradtx

robrjt

Actually there was a study done on this. Scientific research showed
that tailgates UP provided less drag and smoother airflow...

I. Care

In article <1129910603.147341.99970@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
b2723m@aol.com says...
> In the 80's some friends and I tested three different trucks. Two
> shortbeds and one longbed. One of the shortbed trucks had a toolbox
> mounted across the bed, just behind the cab.
>
> Using very technical tufts of yarn taped all over the bed we found:
>
> The LB had the least difference WRT tailgate position, the shortbed
> w/toolbox was almost identical, but the SB w/o the toolbox varied
> greatly.
>
> bradtx
>
>
Here are some explanations for you:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...ctober/05.html

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...05/ai_n9439015
Third para.

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

http://snipurl.com/itsq
Popular Mechanics

Hope that helps. I leave mine up because I don't want someone running
into it, or me backing into someone either, why take the chance?


--
I. Care
Address fake until the SPAM goes away ;-}

TheSnoMan

putt@webtv.net wrote:
>>according to this site the most efficient
>>way to travel is with the tail gate up.
>
>
> A camper addition adds weight, so that will affect fuel consumption as
> will the profile of the unit.....kind of a no-brainer. As to that
> 'test'; lol, I'm positive they meant well, but.....
>
> Tailgate up/down/off? Here in Texas, I've been told it is against the
> law to tool around with the thing down, probably the same in other
> states as well. Common sense should tell us that the tailgate in the
> up/closed position, and an open bed, will have air slamming against it.
> But the effect on fuel mileage is infinitesimal...IMO anyway. Take it
> off altogether....smooth airflow in that configuration!
>
> Dave S(Texas)
>


Years ago when I used to use a P/U almost all the time, I found that the
tailgate up would cost me 1 MPG or more on hiway

--

-----------------
www.thesnoman.com

bradtx

I. Care, Thanks for the info. I wonder how much more that imperical
data gathering cost vs. 'borrowed' yarn and masking tape!

bradtx

David Coleman

I always looked at the tailgate UP in the same frame of mind as a spoiler.
It has to add drag, but on the other hand, it also adds downforce to the
rearwheels. Not too important here in South Texas, but states that get snow,
that extra downforce might be important tooling down the snow covered
highway.


"robrjt" <robrjt@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1129927102.477247.129990@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Actually there was a study done on this. Scientific research showed
> that tailgates UP provided less drag and smoother airflow...
>
>

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego

On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 08:28:53 -0500, "David Coleman" <hickman@ktc.com>
wrote:

>I always looked at the tailgate UP in the same frame of mind as a spoiler.
>It has to add drag, but on the other hand, it also adds downforce to the
>rearwheels. Not too important here in South Texas, but states that get snow,
>that extra downforce might be important tooling down the snow covered
>highway.

The bed gets "pressurized" at speed and airflow is actually smoother
than with the gate down or removed. I saw somewhere on the web a few
years back some fluid dynamics studies done on this subject. Can't
recal where and a google seach nets me a big goose-egg..