Tailgate nets
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 51
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From: Manassas Park, VA
Tailgate nets
Are tailgate nets worth it? Im taking a long trip to find out. With out it I expect to use 46.15 gallons of feul (13 mpg/ 600 Mi). With a 1 mpg increase, I expect to use 42.8 gal over 600 miles. Its a saving of $11.20 @ 3.60 per gal of reg. The cost of the unit was $31. We shall see if it was worth it....
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 463
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From: San Marcos, TX
The question of the tailgate disrupting air flow over the truck has been disputed for 30 years. You will not see an improvement by leaving the tailgate down, taking it off or using a net. It would be nice, but it doesn't help.
If I remember correctly, an air bubble forms behind the cab and air flows over the truck just as easily as if the gate is down.
If I remember correctly, an air bubble forms behind the cab and air flows over the truck just as easily as if the gate is down.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Check out the link below from myth busters
The end of the video shows the results with the net... Which gave the best mileage by 5% over the tailgate up, tailgate down or no tailgate at all. The tailgate down gave the worst results. Tailgate up and a hard cover gave the same results being middle of the pack for mileage.
Surprising to me. Keep us posted on what you find on your trip MJC!
Insert from MythBusters - Tailgate Up or Down 2 (from More Myths Revisited) fuel consumption test - YouTube
The end of the video shows the results with the net... Which gave the best mileage by 5% over the tailgate up, tailgate down or no tailgate at all. The tailgate down gave the worst results. Tailgate up and a hard cover gave the same results being middle of the pack for mileage.
Surprising to me. Keep us posted on what you find on your trip MJC!
Insert from MythBusters - Tailgate Up or Down 2 (from More Myths Revisited) fuel consumption test - YouTube
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
From: Southwest Desert, AZ
Don't waste your money. I've got an expanded metal tailgate/ramp on my quad hauler. Acts like a drag chute. Did cut it down by 2 feet. Little steep to load quads but still works. Made a big difference getting it down below the top of the quads.
3rd post this am. Time to get off the soap box.
3rd post this am. Time to get off the soap box.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 293
Likes: 25
From: Central Illinois
I did some calculating and found that if you have a truck getting an average of 15 MPG and you add 5% to that it would figure out to be 15.75 MPG on average.
So, at today's fuel prices you would save something over $1700.00 over the course of 150,000 miles of driving.
The variable is speed. Probably 10-15%, or possibly more, of the miles I put on our F-250 SD are slow enough that there is no aerodynamic effects on fuel consumption.
If your driving miles is 95% or above at highway speeds and you can get by with just a mesh tailgate which costs less that $50.00 your saving a decent amount over the life of the truck. I however, need to have the factory tailgate in place for the work that our truck does accept for when we pull the 5th wheel RV.
I've often wondered what effect no tailgate, or a mesh flow thru has on mileage if you're pulling a 5th wheel RV. There is a tremendous amount of air flow between the box floor and the underside of the nose of the RV on a 5th wheel trailer.
So, at today's fuel prices you would save something over $1700.00 over the course of 150,000 miles of driving.
The variable is speed. Probably 10-15%, or possibly more, of the miles I put on our F-250 SD are slow enough that there is no aerodynamic effects on fuel consumption.
If your driving miles is 95% or above at highway speeds and you can get by with just a mesh tailgate which costs less that $50.00 your saving a decent amount over the life of the truck. I however, need to have the factory tailgate in place for the work that our truck does accept for when we pull the 5th wheel RV.
I've often wondered what effect no tailgate, or a mesh flow thru has on mileage if you're pulling a 5th wheel RV. There is a tremendous amount of air flow between the box floor and the underside of the nose of the RV on a 5th wheel trailer.
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Manassas Park, VA
As it sits I have done 300 miles. My previous best mileage was 13.5 coming from tionesta pa to manassas va. Keep in mind. Mostly down hill. Kept truck at 70 whole time.
Today's trip was from Manassas to Carnegie pa. Mostly up hill. Sat in 1.5 miles tort of traffic and 3 mountain climbs.
Both were unloaded only difference was the net. I avg 14.5 mpg. 250 miles 17.3 gal used. Myth busters Tested. 6 ft bed. I have an 8 ft adding to the resistance.
Today's trip was from Manassas to Carnegie pa. Mostly up hill. Sat in 1.5 miles tort of traffic and 3 mountain climbs.
Both were unloaded only difference was the net. I avg 14.5 mpg. 250 miles 17.3 gal used. Myth busters Tested. 6 ft bed. I have an 8 ft adding to the resistance.
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Junior User
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From: Manassas Park, VA
Final report
Final report-
At least in the case of the 8ft bed, over a long haul, it is worth purchasing a net. On the way back I was roped into towing a 16ft 500 lb boat. My previous best observed towing mileage was on flat land from Manassas Va to Bowie, MD back to Manassas- no traffic (miracle in DC). My trailer is a 14ft open trailer with a lawn tractor, push mower and 2 weed wacker. Over all weight 550 lbs. I observed 11.8 mpg. Coming from Pittsburgh, sitting in 30 min of stop and go traffic in Maryland, going the same route home, I observed 12.8 mph home- an increase of 8.48%.
The trip averaged 1 mpg better in all scenarios. The control stayed at 68 mph- 2 grand on tach.
* I did have to hammer down twice- between idiots and swerving rigs, an accident isn't worth it.
At least in the case of the 8ft bed, over a long haul, it is worth purchasing a net. On the way back I was roped into towing a 16ft 500 lb boat. My previous best observed towing mileage was on flat land from Manassas Va to Bowie, MD back to Manassas- no traffic (miracle in DC). My trailer is a 14ft open trailer with a lawn tractor, push mower and 2 weed wacker. Over all weight 550 lbs. I observed 11.8 mpg. Coming from Pittsburgh, sitting in 30 min of stop and go traffic in Maryland, going the same route home, I observed 12.8 mph home- an increase of 8.48%.
The trip averaged 1 mpg better in all scenarios. The control stayed at 68 mph- 2 grand on tach.
* I did have to hammer down twice- between idiots and swerving rigs, an accident isn't worth it.
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