Topless???

which is better for MPG, cover for the bed or tailgate down with a bed extender???

 

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/pickup-truck-tailgates-and-fuel-economy/index.htm

Might be different for your Tacama, I don't know.

 

Wow, I would thought the opposite

 

rats, I was hoping to see some titties on this thread

 

Ask and ye shall receive

 

The tailgate up creates an area of cyclical airflow that basically forces the air coming over the hood and body to flow straight over the pickup area of the truck. That's why you see better fuel economy on trucks without the cover and with the stock tailgate.

 

Read the consumer reports article. IIRC, that is not at all what the "Mythbusters" show came up with. Just the opposite. Tailgate up caused air cavitation that decreased gas mileage compared to a tonneau or cap. Cap was actually most efficient.

 

I thought the Gator net turned out to be the most efficient?

 

It actually seems that after i put my topper bakflip on kine, my mileage improved slightly. I have always heard a shell or topper helped. This is also the first truck i have ever owned so, i dont have anything else to go by on it.

 

I'm sure that compared to tonneau or cap, an open bed is worse. With the tailgate open or closed, closed should be the better of those two options. The ideal situation is a wedge-shaped cap. That provides a smooth transition and better aero. I would think too, that those effects are really pretty dwarfed compared to the flow on the leading edge of the truck, a pretty high drag coefficient from a big, relatively flat body coursing through the air.

Don't forget the weight of the tonneau or cap. That'll work against you.

 

I think you recall incorrectly. Mythbusters found that the mileage was better with the tail gate up than with it down or removed. The air circulation in the bed created a cushion for the main flow to ride over the top of.

 

ok, I'm ready to see the debate on who's right...roll em!

 

Mythbusters proved mpg was better with gate up.

My theory is the mpg will be best with a stock truck, gate up. Think about it, auto manufacturers do tons of wind tunnel tests and do their best to design a vehicle that creates the least amount of drag and I am willing to bet theyre not testing the truck with the gate down considering most people won't drive with it down.

 

Wrong. Mythbusters in the retest found a modified tail gate was the most efficient followed by the stock tail gate. The cap and no tail gate were less efficient. The real test was on a highway too instead of a closed course.

The story could be different at different speeds and with different trucks however the statements you made about Mythbusters results are incorrect like @Mobtown Offroad said.

 

Mythbusters needs to be taken with a grain of salt. They are clueless about DOE (Design of Experiments), but may still wind up with a reasonable result in a lot of cases. However, I don't know of anyone mainstream who has done a well-designed comprehensive test. I would go to the hypermiler's forums as some of those guys are mad scientists (many are actual scientists in RL) who will track data for months on a configuration. Honestly though, it is a pickup and not a Geo Metro. 1 mpg shouldn't be anything to lose sleep over.

 

full cab height cap is best for drag and fuel efficiency. just like minivans and station wagons... (i know, but its true.)

gate up or down and tonneau or no tonneau doesn't make a difference or justifying the cost if the only reason for the tonneau is to save gas.

just drive it.

 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...39BFE98DC162F87C5B1D39BFE98DC162F&FORM=VRDGAR

 

I am disappoint.

 

In the tailgate thing or the lack of titties?

If it's titties....I can fix that.

 

Modified tailgate? Like those tail gates that you can electronically adjust up and down and set to an angle like a spoiler?