Thats true, what he said ^^^. I just can't believe that with it up saves more gas because I can FEEL my pedal takes less pressure to go the same speed. I drive on the highway at least 2 times everyday and so far, with it down I'm going faster? Plus, with it up, my truck is bumping all over the place when I'm drafting because of the swirling air hitting the sides of my bed compared to with it down it just spills out the back. I don't think MytyBusters did a very good job with this one and should go revisit it.

 

They also ran at a low speed, I think it was about 40mph. I bet they would get different results running at a honest highway speed.

Odd, mine is as steady as a shooting stand with the gate up. I can see where it might help keep it going straight though, the bedsides would act like to big vertical stabilizers. How long is the bed on your truck?

 

One thing to consider with the tailgate down - may get road debris kicked up, damaging the finish.

 

I've got the short bed. I think its 6.5' As for the road debris, I only drive on the hard-top with it down. If I go down dirt roads or do peel-outs in a friends drive-way, I'll pull it up. As for vertical stabilizers, the same principal is as for airplanes. It helps the plane fly straight and all, but when we have a cross wind, that wind hits that huge a$$ rudder, we're crabbing like a sonofabtich on landing! If your in a C172 behind a 747 (F-150 to a Frightliner w/ a 52') you are told to maintain seperation (usually 5-10 miles) until the vortices from the 747's wingtips die down. If those vortices hit your vertical stabilizer (wind peeling off of a semi and hitting the sides of your bed) your going upside down, or even worse, down to the ground.

 

I'm not driving anywhere with my tailgate down! Well, unless I have a load sticking out the bed!


I get a kick out of the guys at the drag strip with the gate down. Now, take it off and you eliminate weight, but down does nothing for you.

 

I try to keep inflation down, so $.02 is the price it will always be

 

well if they can afford to do drag strips i dont see why they dont do a tonneau cover. best aerodynamic thing for gas mileage + appearance all in one in my mind. plus, the added weight of the fiberglass models help traction by adding rear wheel weight?

 

mythbusters did do a road test tailgate up vs tailgate down they both had F-150s with toped off tanks and drove the 300 miles or w/e it takes for the gas to be completly gone and the tailgate up got 30 more miles out of a tank! keep tailgate up!

 

[QUOTE=02XLT4X4]They also ran at a low speed, I think it was about 40mph. I bet they would get different results running at a honest highway speed.QUOTE]

You mean 98MPH *for those with speed limters* and about 110+ for those with promgrammers/tuners? haha

 

300 miles on a topped off tank? That's it? What size were those tanks? What was the final miles per gallon calculation?

 

I can get 325 miles out of my 24 gallon tank with my V6.

Edit: 350-370 miles....so about 18-19 mpg....

 

Saw a report on tests made on dodge 1500

16 MPB base
16.16 with back down
18 w cap
19 with special designed cap by researchers.

Down or up why bother.

 

yeah, im going to save up some $$$ and get a hard-top.

 

Wind tunnel tests are conducted with the tailgate up, gas consumption is also measured with tail gate up, I suggest also installing a good quality, light-weight cover for the bed.

 

I just keep my bed full of dead cats that walk on my truck at night. They are light and keep the wind resistance down. Once the fur falls off they are real slick.