Tailgate. Up or Down?

Interview With the Vampire!

 

If you would ACTUALLY take the time to read what I asked, it was what OTHER members do, just out of curiosity.
Not asking if driving with it up or down was better or worse for mileage, just what others do.
DO try to keep up...

 

I literally bolded where you asked what effect on MPG either option yielded and then bolded where you answered the same question you asked.

I'd say I'm reading pretty well, maybe too well.

 

I was asking about what effects it seems to have based on direct observation of other members by personal experience. Not gonna get into a back and forth about this.

 

I gotta confess, James is as quick witted and as sharp JJ

 

Soooo... think we'll ever switch to the metric system?

 

The metric system is for people that can't figure fractions.

 

It's 2016, why would anyone drive with their tailgate down anymore.
I haven't see anyone do it in years and years.

 

You'd be surprised at how many people around here still do it.
My theory is that some of the farmers around here use the truck so much for hauling feed, hay, lumber, firewood, Etc. so much that they just leave it down running around town because it's more convenient for loading and unloading.
Either that, or the tailgate is so bunged up, sprung and/or bent that it just WON'T latch any longer.

 

Leaving your tailgate down is a great way for it to become damaged. Probably why you see them down from damage lol

 

Could be, could be.

 

https://youtu.be/_ZI_aEalijE

 

A Prius doesn't have the cargo capacity that the T-100 has for long distance runs. This was the closest Prius truck I could find though...even though the gas mileage must be outstanding for that setup.

 

It all depends on what I'm putting back there. The trailer only gets attached when I'm driving long distances or doing some testing. I plan ahead if I'm picking up something that will require detaching the trailer or rasing the hatch or removing the hatch. Usually for big things that exceed the dimensions of the aero cap, I will either remove the hatch or pull the aero cap off completely but those are rare times.

 

Tailgate up allows the air to build up a high pressure bubble in the bed and it creates an opportunity for the air to flow over the bubble in a more aerodynamic way creating less drag.

 

I use to leave the tailgate down on my '73 Courier, after a few winters in snow country, it showed quite a bit of rust so a bad idea.
Duane