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Gas Hog
Dodge Dakota
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4/03/2003
20:01:03
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 Subject: ?about the tailgate
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if i were to take the tailgate off my dak when i am not using the bed, which is most of the time, will it increase my gas mileage since there won't be any drag from the tailgate?
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afi360
R/T
 
4/03/2003
20:05:10
|  RE: ?about the tailgate
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theoretically it will, but youre not going to notice a huge difference. if youre on the highway a lot though, it might make a big difference.
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jeremiah2360
Dodge Dakota
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4/03/2003
20:11:43
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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someone at work said he saw something somewhere that said lowering tail gate increases drag! something about the air swirling creates a pressure dome that gives truck less drag than with it down. if i remember i will ask him where he heard this to verify it and post.
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Gas Hog
Dodge Dakota
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4/03/2003
23:11:18
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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I have heard teh same thing about swirling air, but i don;'t remeber it from being the tailgate down, but this is only temporary until i can get my tonneau cover. My friend said he went on a triop in hois 91 dak that on teh way was mostly up hill, he said he lowered his tailgate for he trip and noticed a big improvement in gas mileage.
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jeremiah2360
Dodge Dakota
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4/04/2003
17:46:40
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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i asked my co-worker today where he heard this. he said he was somewhere with a bunch of auto mags on table and read it in one of em, doesnt remember which one it was. he said he remembered it said basicly it didnt make much of a difference with tailgate down. so i guess you try it and if it works you got your answer. effect would be same with tailgate down or removed i would assume.
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
4/04/2003
18:14:52
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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i have heard that it is better to lower it then to take it off... but i dont remember the link to that post
Turbocharged V6
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Daker777
Dodge Dakota
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4/04/2003
20:49:09
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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Yes, the results in that test- I also cant remember where it was- showed that taking it off increased drag, and lowering it helped a little.
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afi360
R/T
4/05/2003
00:31:40
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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if it helps, running with a soft tonneau (even with it flapping around) and the tailgate up took off .2 seconds from my time vs tailgate down w/ no tonneau...also pretty much identical 60ft times.
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vorticeyguy
Dodge Dakota
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4/06/2003
00:23:13
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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voticey is a swerling column of air that follows your truck bed sides. They start to naturally appear at around 50 mph or so and increase rapidly in size as th3e speed of your truck increases. Have you ever seen on a show like JAG where the fighter jet is doing a manuever and air swerls off the wing tips? that is a vortex. That is what your truck produces at hiway speeds with the tailgate down or off. It takes energy to produce that effect. The energy comes from your engine. so in a way even though you are not pulling a 17 inch by 5 or so ft sail through the air you are creating 2 vorticies,one off each side of your truck. you win in one hand and loose in the other. In the long run it is a wash. Best thing is to have a bed cover of some kind to smooth the airflow out the back. Usually good for around 2 mpg real world at 65 mph.
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Gas Hog
Dodge Dakota
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4/06/2003
20:55:17
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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So th best thign for me to do is to get a tonnaeu cover to increase the MPG. If so, a hard or soft cover?
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jeremiah2360
Dodge Dakota
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4/06/2003
21:08:20
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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yes
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afi360
R/T
4/06/2003
22:24:42
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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i have a soft tonneau cover, the price is right for them, but i'd much prefer a hard tonneau. when i get some extra money after this month im going to get either an extang or a checkerpro....them'r niiiice
LOL good luck.
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OffRoadruss
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2003
16:16:04
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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Site regarding air drag & tests with cap, gate up, gade down, etc...
They use a dodge for a test truck !
http://mars.wnec.edu/~ehaffner/did.htm
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Texas Todd
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2003
16:26:40
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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NIce study.
The 'square cap they used for the test-a cab high shell, had no contour at all to the rear.
It was a straight vertical wall!
Good thing my 'leer' cab high shell has a contoured rear exit some, keeping attached fow much longer. Too bad they didn't test one like that! I bet it had some decrease in drag.
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jeremiah2360
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2003
16:30:26
|  RE: ?about the tailgate
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good work offroad!....you win a cookie.
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afi360
R/T
4/08/2003
04:47:55
| RE: ?about the tailgate
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if he forfeits on the cookie, ill take it off your hands please...i like the macadamia nut cookies they have at subway...mmmm...i cant wait to eat that cookie.
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