Tailgate open = Better Gas Mileage?

Was wondering if anyone drives on the highway with there tailgate open for better MPGs. My friend told me that this actually works?

 

+1

 

tailgate up was better gas mileage tailgate down was worse

 

correct young paddawan.
“When the tailgate is raised, a “separated bubble” of stagnant air is formed in the bed of the pickup. Wind tends to swoosh over this bubble as though it were part of the truck. Lower the tailgate, and the bubble disappears, which leads to increased wind resistance.”

 

What!
I think that show allows you to look at previous aired shows on their website. Give that a shot. I naturally would assume down is better, but because I love my Taco and appearance is everything, well then the tail gate stays up. I wish I still had my bed cover! Oh well.

 

here is a pdf all about this subject.
http://ecow.engr.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/getbig/me/363/ghandhi1/pickup.pdf

 

Yeah, what they said.

 

This is correct. Have you ever seen a leaf or paper cup in your truck bed kinda float around in the air right behind the cab of the truck? That's that "bubble" of stagnant air that is trapped almost acts like a solid part of the car making it appear more aerodynamic than it really is.

 

yes!!! i knew i was right all those years back when people would tell me to lower my tailgate....i never did it....always kept it up...yessssss!!!!!!

 

yupp. mythbusters did it... tailgate net was the best IIRC.
tailgate down ftl!

 

The one thing Mythbusters didn't do....was test a SOFT tonneau cover.

They tested a 'hard' one - which would've weighed more than a soft. It wasn't as impressive as I would've thought.

 

I guess my friend is full of S__T then. Thanks guys for the replies.

 

I always wondered it if really made a difference. Good to know

 

i believe there is a thread some where here in t.w. with some actual tests done that show absolutely no improvement on mpg's (with,without,caps,tonneau's) etc.

 

Tailgate down blocks your license plate from speed cameras.
You can buy a lot of fuel with what one speeding ticket costs you.

 

Or you can just not speed and you won't worry about tickets and you can save a few bones on gas...

 

Used to roll with my tg down about two years. Then switched to rolling with it up. Pretty much the same. Just keep it up that way you won't get it dinged up.

 

My friend - In Phoenix... as in many cities ... that would be suicidal!

I remember driving in Detroit once - the traffic was bumper to bumper, but every vehicle was going 80 mph! Nerve wracking.

 

I saw this too. Then put it to the test myself. I definitely get better gas mileage with tailgate UP. Apparently it creates some sort of "vacuum" which decreases wind resistance. Leaving the tailgate DOWN, or taking it completely off in fact hurt the mileage. I was very surprised.

There are a ton of posts on this here.