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jpoutlaw
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
11:12:39
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 Subject: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
This is just a bit trivial but, here's the skinny:
I travel monthly in my Dak. I jump on the highway and travel 390 miles and then make the journey back after a couple of days. So, I'm looking at almost an extra 800 miles a month.
If I drop my tailgate down, will that make any difference on my fuel mileage? With all my other pickups in my life, all the engines were 460's or 351's and didn't matter if I was going up-hill, downhill, loaded or unloaded.
My last trip, I got 22 mpg. Each month, it seems to improve but then again, I'm not running my a/c any more. I've got 20,000+ miles on my '01 w/o any mods.
Thoughts? Lies? Thanks for the input.
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Dirkota
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
13:16:23
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
Doesn’t make a difference. The tail gate creates no drag.
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Jon
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
14:44:08
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
A while ago some engineers did some testing and found there was not much of a difference, but the milage was slightly better with the tailgate up (only by a couple tenths). Reason being the tailgate creates a bubble of pressurized air in the bed which the other air rides over top. With the tailgate down the air comes over the cab and slams down onto the bed.
-Jon
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jpoutlaw
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
14:53:30
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
I really didn't want to leave the tailgate down but thought I'd ask. There's alot of knowledge (and BS) on this site so I knew someone would have an idea. I really appreciate the info. I'll just keep on truckin like I have been.
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JIM
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
17:17:14
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
Jon is right. Your milage is slightly better with it up than down/off. However a tonneau cover will give you a nice gain.
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nate
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2002
20:37:33
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
thought I'd post too to re-iterate.
UP.
Air flows more efficiently over a series of smaller blocks
than over one big block. And, as a side note, it wasn't a
couple of engineers who got together. Its practically
every engineer, since we all have to take fluids (air is a
fluid) we all have the joy of working the proof.
The US wastes alot of gas every year on that one
misconception.
GaTech ME,
nate griggs
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kjdf
Dodge Dakota
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11/17/2002
09:46:16
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
the tailgate down creates a voticie that is to say air turbulance, from the bed sides as the air passes over the truck at speed. To create this effect takes energy. The tail gate itself being down is just like taking a sail out of the air stream. The total effect is that a vorticie takes slightly more energy to create then the reduction in drag caused by removing a 17 inch by 4 and a half foot sail, so the end result is slightly less fuel milage. The facts stated herin are from an article published in car and driver magazine many years ago.
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Eggman
GenIII
11/17/2002
20:07:09
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
And if you have a bed liner the tailgate piece WILL blow off!( Found out @ 80 mph on interstate with tailgate down)
Not one pair,TWO pair
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loon
Dodge Dakota
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11/19/2002
11:20:10
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
What the guy said about the air bubble is true plus without the talegate up you will create turbulence in the bed and make your rear end hop around badly at high speeds on bad roads. I suggest an easily removable bed cover.
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dmagoo24
Dodge Dakota
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11/19/2002
13:31:46
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
I had noticed a huge difference with tailgate down/off. I drive about 100 miles aday on I95... and noticed a huge difference. It's just that the road sucks so bad, that everytime I hit a bumb, my tailgate bouncing so much scares me that the cable holding the tailgate may weaken, and eventually brake.
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srfpir8
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/20/2002
23:30:51
| RE: Tailgate & Mileage
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Message:
i took my tailgate off completely for several months and noticed no real change in gas mileage. I don't see how a bedcover would be better than no tailgate complete because it would seem like the air would simply flow over the top of the truck and without obstructions flow down over and off the bed. But then i am no engineering major so it doesn't matter. Point is I never noticed any difference in the trucks handling, even on bumpy canyon roads. The tire and handling package was worth every dime, my truck handles soooo much better than my friends s-10 through the canyons.
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