View Poll Results: Does MPG's imporve without Tailgate?
Yes - a lot 5% and More
7
16.67%
Yes - a little 1 - 5%
16
38.10%
No
18
42.86%
No Gets Worse MPG
1
2.38%
Voters: 42. You may not vote on this poll
Tailgates Up, Down, Doesn't Matter?
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Tailgates Up, Down, Doesn't Matter?
I've searched around this site, and my question is talked about, but not many share their experience. This is my first truck, and I want to know, does it help mpg's to have the tail gate down or not?
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
No. Haven't seen any on this for a while, but there was some reserch done on the tailgate v. the nets a while back. Don't remember exactly where it was, some truck mag I think. but there was no significant gain on running a net v. running a tailgate - at least not 10 or so years ago!! (maybe that's too long a time to still be correct).
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 41
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From: Wherever there's danger..
I constantly make trips from San Antonio, TX to Baton Rouge, La and San Antonio, TX to Ft Bragg, N.C.. I have always prefered the look of having my tailgate up in favor of down and never bothered to try putting it down to get better mileage. This is mainly because my bed looked so bad in comparison to the rest of the truck. A few months ago, I had a Rhino Liner installed and was so proud of the bed I started leaving the tailgate down to show it off. I was shocked to see how much better mileage I was getting just for having the tailgate down. If it wasn't for the amount of money I put in a paint job, I would leave the tailgate off permanently. I own a 1994 F-150 regular cab Flareside with a strong 302. What once costed me $90.00 in gas now costs me around $65.00. This difference is only on the highway from what I've seen. City driving isn't affected much. This is what I have found and will inevetably vary from vehicle to vehicle and driver to driver. Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,698
Likes: 4
From: Neenah, Wisconsin
my tailgate is above the ozone anyhow is one response i got from a female friend of mine. I guess acording to her all my wind drag comes from the axles, massive chrome bumper and tires. She's short and can't see the rest of the truck in my opnion...either that or she's just jealous of my truck.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
I remember reading something about how keeping the gate up somehow works better with the drag created behind the cab but I'm not sure about the proff behind that one.
Not sure if it is still true today but years ago there was some notion that running without a tailgate would allow the bed sides to flex more and cracks could start in the front where the sides connect to the front bedwall.
Not sure if it is still true today but years ago there was some notion that running without a tailgate would allow the bed sides to flex more and cracks could start in the front where the sides connect to the front bedwall.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 203
Likes: 1
I noticed an improvment on the highway and have gone one step further and built myself a hard toneau cover out of a couple of sheets of plywood to further smooth the airflow. I have a vac gauge fitted and notice a 2-3 inch/Hg less throttle required to maintain my usual highway speed ( ie 5mph over the limit)
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
It's illegal to drive with your tailgate down in the state of Michigan.
I know because I was was pulled over for that, actually I was doing 90 in a 55. The cop told me about the tailgate law when he handed me a ten over ticket, he even put the tailgate up for me on the way back to his car! A State cop no less!
I know because I was was pulled over for that, actually I was doing 90 in a 55. The cop told me about the tailgate law when he handed me a ten over ticket, he even put the tailgate up for me on the way back to his car! A State cop no less!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Copley, OH
Michigan Troopers have a reputation for being reasonable human beings; the enforced speedlimit north of Detroit/ann Arbor/Flint is somewhwere around 80 and they don't enforce it very hard unless you give them reason to. OTOH 90 in a 55 would get you jailed and towed (if not just shot in the back and left dead on the roadside) in Ohio.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,476
Likes: 2,009
From: North Texas
Well, I remember an online study done by a university talking about drag coefficients and such.
The tailgate up caused so much drag. A a camper top (one that is the same height of the cab) added around 12% more drag.
The tailgate down decresed drag by another 6% over a tailgate that is up. No tailgate increased drag by like 4%. A net also increased drag by a few %. A SungTop cover decreased drag by around 11%.
The tailgate up caused so much drag. A a camper top (one that is the same height of the cab) added around 12% more drag.
The tailgate down decresed drag by another 6% over a tailgate that is up. No tailgate increased drag by like 4%. A net also increased drag by a few %. A SungTop cover decreased drag by around 11%.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
I would like to see that university study. There is a web site ( I will try to find it again and post it ) that did long term comparisons. To sum it up, the nets and luverd gates are a joke and decrease mileage. The best mileage was with tailgate up and the worst was with tailgate down. Reason= tailgate up creates an air pocket and acts almost like a tonnea cover and helps with the coefficient drag. Tailgate down actually increases the surface area that creates drag as the air passes over it. Most people just naturally think gate down will increase, but not so and it looks stupid. Their results were if your after mileage then get a tonnea cover.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: West Virginia
Well, I don't know where you guys find these wacko studies and experiments, but in my experience, they are WRONG. I took my tailgate off a couple years ago, and my gas mileage has been better ever since. What used to take a quarter of a tank, now only takes an 1/8th. I do mixed city/country/highway driving, most of my time spent from 30mph to 90 mph, and it made a MASSIVE difference in the way my truck burns gas. Well, thats my .02, take it as you will.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: West Virginia
I know, it amazed me too. I know it sounds like bull, but it's true. Before, when I drove to my buddies, (about 1 hour drive from my house) it used to take about a quarter of a tank to get there and back. That drive only takes a little more than an 1/8th of a tank, now. I've even tried to make my truck burn a quarter of a tank on that drive, and it just wont do it. It doesn't make any sense to me either. I havn't built the motor any since I took the tailgate off, either. I had to help haul some stuff for his sister the other day, and I put my tailgate back on, and my miliage went back down to what it was before. Strange as hell, but true. My truck also handles alot better with the tailgate off, too.
Last edited by MustangGT221; Oct 14, 2003 at 07:07 PM.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 203
Likes: 1
The biggest loss as far as drag goes is caused by the partial vacuum behind the truck sucking you back. As far as lowering the tailgate increasing surface area I dont see how that works as the gate only changes position and doesnt expose more area to the airstream. I had an older truck that was so rusted out that if I drove with the gate down the side of the box wobbled so much the thing cracked and fell apart