Flow-thru tailgates
 

I've used a flow-thru tailgate for a number of years, but I was wondering if they actually help on gas mileage or not. Has anybody done any research on this?
Thanks for any input.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

Mythbusters have tested tailgate up vs. down and it makes no measurable difference in fuel consumption. My guess would be the same for a flow through gate.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

Having something covering the bed like a topper or tonneau cover will give you like 2mpg.But the true gain would be driving habits and up keep.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

Thanks.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

I'm willing to bet the answer if they work or not is different for each type of truck and its available styles [shortbed reg cab vs longbed quad cab etc.]

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

Canadian government did testing of tailgate open or closed years ago. Basically, leave the tailgate up.

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/achiev...down_myth.html

Alex.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

those tests were done on modern trucks. you know the kind of trucks that were made at a point in time when people cared about aerodynamics.

are trucks are barn doors. having the tailgate down or off could be night and day compared to modern trucks.

and im pretty sure that the Mythbusters determined that having the tailgate down reduces fuel economy. but that was done with a modern truck and brings me back to my first point.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

A modern truck i would keep the tailgate up and locked.The newer trucks you can steal the tailgate super easy is why i say keep it locked.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

One of the car magazines did a test (in the late 70s or early 80, as I recall) on tailgate open vs. tailgate closed. They concluded it didn't make any difference in gas mileage because air flows across the top of the bed, not down into it. I've also read that bed covers don't make a difference.

Might be interesting to remove the tailgate on my 2011 F150 and drive it that way for a couple hundred miles to see what happens. Having put 48K miles on the truck, I'd definitely see any difference.

Re: Flow-thru tailgates
 

If you ride a bike you would be surprised how much something boxy even some little square sport utilities muck up the Air. Those new pickups set so high there terrible I think the gas mileage increase has little to do with areo dynamics.