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Trucks driving with the tailgate down....does it really help?

SHEP

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I saw a few today while driving to work and I kept thinking how much fuel it really saved. Any proof?


Thanks,

SHEP
 

Blubyu

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I saw a few today while driving to work and I kept thinking how much fuel it really saved. Any proof?


Thanks,

SHEP

No.. The box still fills with air, dropping the tail gate does noting.

A few years ago we were fucking around in the wind tunnel, the only that that helps is a Taneau cover. The savings doesn't pay for the Taneau cover.
 
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boat527

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Discovery Channels Mythbusters:

Finding: BUSTED

Explanation: If you drive a pickup, common sense might lead you to think that opening the tailgate on the road is the more fuel efficient way to go. In fact, the idea that tailgates block airflow and increase drag became widely circulated, and some truck owners intentionally drive with the tailgates down to ease up on gas consumption.

But when MythBusters Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage drove identical trucks under the same conditions across the desert ? one with the tailgate up and the other with it down ? Jamie's tailgate-closed pickup outlasted Adam's by more than 30 miles (48 kilometers).

Closing the tailgate actually improves fuel efficiency because it creates a type of airflow called a separated bubble within the bed of the truck. As wind rushes over the moving truck, that bubble of slow-moving air deflects it over the raised tailgate. By guiding surrounding air over and across the bed of the truck, that vortex effect prevents added drag.

However, driving with the tailgate open eliminates the bubble effect, pulling the air toward the truck bed and creating more drag rather than deflecting the wind. Some gas-conscious pickup drivers still swear by leaving their tailgates open, but science sides with leaving it up.
 

Tom Brown

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The only thing that method successfully does is make the driver look like a d-bag.

What if the driver has a legitimate reason, like the truck is lifted so high they can't reach to close the end gate?
 

TBI

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It's a great way to get rid of all your empties :thumbsup
 

TPC

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It draws the LEO's attention that you may be hiding expired tags.
 

Luvnlife

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No.. The box still fills with air, dropping the tail gate does noting.

A few years ago we were fucking around in the wind tunnel, the only that that helps is a Taneau cover. The savings doesn't pay for the Taneau cover.

Mythbusters proved it's not! Better with tailgate up actually!

The only thing that method successfully does is make the driver look like a d-bag.

Yes, yes and double yes:thumbsup
 

Yldboyz

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The only thing that method successfully does is make the driver look like a d-bag.

If that's the case, what were you if you had one of these?

bull_tr-02.jpg
 

Ziggy

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Guess I'm a dirt bag or DB for short;):) For years I drove with my tailgate removed completely. Of course some of the time it had a big camper on it......whatever........point is with my gate removed rather than just opened it got better mileage that way. Don't know why, it just did. Didn't seem to matter when my boat was in tow, bow was at bed level.

From my POS T-mobile thingie
 

DaytonaBabe

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What if the driver has a legitimate reason, like the truck is lifted so high they can't reach to close the end gate?

Well, uh, if you haven't noticed, I don't know anything about that problem. :D






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