Mythbusters

[korndogg]

Anyone else see Mythbusters tonight???

They said it is less efficient to drive with the tailgate down because the air actually pushes down on the tailgate. When the tailgate is up, there is a bubble of air that rotats in the bed of the truck and the rest of the air just passes over the bubble and past the truck....

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Originally Posted by korndogg

Anyone else see Mythbusters tonight???

They said it is less efficient to drive with the tailgate down because the air actually pushes down on the tailgate. When the tailgate is up, there is a bubble of air that rotats in the bed of the truck and the rest of the air just passes over the bubble and past the truck....

My local chevy dealer told me that too when I complained of MPG. It makes sense though. I wonder if you remove the tailgate all together and put a slotted one on? or none at all?

[Rollingbones]

I tested this one and found that with the gate off the truck, I lost about 1.5-2 mpg. Not gonna do that anymore!!

[jethro_3]

I can't find the study that Ford and NASA did with tonneau covers, same info. Nets and no gate give same disappointing results....

[BlenderWizard]

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/um.gm.truck

[Faze3]

I've seen the bubble in action. If I understand correctly, it hits the tailgate and bounces back on the bed to the cab and rotates back up. I had an empty coke can float in mid-air in the bed of a truck once because of this. I believe in the bubble. I can't comment on the MPG factor.

I wonder what effect, if any, my camper has on MPG.

[xpunter83]

When i have the tonneu cover off i loose 2-3mpg but thats with the tailgate up, so i think if you have a cover over the back it "should" give you better mileage rite?

[Ape0r]

Originally Posted by Faze3

I've seen the bubble in action. If I understand correctly, it hits the tailgate and bounces back on the bed to the cab and rotates back up. I had an empty coke can float in mid-air in the bed of a truck once because of this. I believe in the bubble. I can't comment on the MPG factor.

I wonder what effect, if any, my camper has on MPG.

I believe in the bubble! I believe in the bubble!!

Sorry.. I had to. But yeah, if you look at fuel economy numbers for the same drivetrain, a 'burb gets better mpg, despite being somewhat heavier. I would think that having the camper on would have a similar effect.

[twomorestrokes]

didn't we just talk about this a few weeks ago?

[BlenderWizard]

yep, see my link I posted earlier