Bed cover help or hurt gas mileage?

[LIMA BEAN]

So, them running a few test is better then me tracking my fuel mileage for 10 years on the same truck, running the same route, and finding almost the exact same story every tank of gas? (cover on, 1 - 1.5MPG better.)

I dont think so. Its not some redneck, backyard science. Its 10 years of research.

Yes their research trumps yours by far, although yours does have some merit.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You cant argue with their data under the controled conditions. The redneck science of saying oh um well i stuffed this much gas in, drove in the mountains a bit, the desert the next with stop and go and idling, warm up times, just one person in the car one time and an 500 pnd load the next, different weather and air densities, headwinds, tailwinds, cross winds, drafting other vehicles or being drafted for long periods, straight roads, curvy roads, varying speeds then went and refilled and used gallons/ish from different gas pumps and different gas brands and odometer to come to a Billy Bob Nye the science guy grand conclusion. Wrong! to many variables, mythbusters is right.

Too many variables with trucks. With a Supercrew F-150 with a really 5.5' deep box, yes they obviously show what is the best.

Cut the cab length in half, lower it a little bit and make the box half as deep and a foot or two longer is a lot of variables to deal with.

Like I said before, there is a big difference between the cab/bed aerodynamics with my Supercab shortbox F-150 and my brother's std cab longbox F-150. Leaves swirl in mine for months but pop bottles blow out of his. The swirl beind the cab doesn't go clear to to the tailgate on his, it is just too stinkin far back there.

The difference between a Supercrew F-150 and my std cab 7' bed Ranger would be huge. IMHO a blanket statement for this is worthless.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Too many variables with trucks. With a Supercrew F-150 with a really 5.5' deep box, yes they obviously show what is the best.

Cut the cab length in half, lower it a little bit and make the box half as deep and a foot or two longer is a lot of variables to deal with.

Like I said before, there is a big difference between the cab/bed aerodynamics with my Supercab shortbox F-150 and my brother's std cab longbox F-150. Leaves swirl in mine for months but pop bottles blow out of his. The swirl beind the cab doesn't go clear to to the tailgate on his, it is just too stinkin far back there.

Yea pretty much every person with a different rig would have to do the test they did. I build my rigs how i want them check the milage just to know then i dont care anymore. If it noicably starts sucking down the fuel i know something is wrong. F-it all the researchers can come up with there own theories.

 

[Mac]

Some more info to read.
http://blogs.popularhotrodding.com/6608269/tech/pickup-truck-aerodynamics/index.html

http://www.sema.org/ltaa/do-tonneau-covers-really-improve-gas-mileage
Dave

 

[triumphrider-1]

Too many variables with trucks. With a Supercrew F-150 with a really 5.5' deep box, yes they obviously show what is the best.

Cut the cab length in half, lower it a little bit and make the box half as deep and a foot or two longer is a lot of variables to deal with.

Like I said before, there is a big difference between the cab/bed aerodynamics with my Supercab shortbox F-150 and my brother's std cab longbox F-150. Leaves swirl in mine for months but pop bottles blow out of his. The swirl beind the cab doesn't go clear to to the tailgate on his, it is just too stinkin far back there.

The difference between a Supercrew F-150 and my std cab 7' bed Ranger would be huge. IMHO a blanket statement for this is worthless.

This pretty well covers tailgate up or down.

I was going to post a link to the aerodynamic testing (in a wind tunnel) a guy did showing the different coeffiecients of drag on his ranger, but apparently the site no longer works. Summing it up though:

'93-'97 Std cab short bed Ranger, 2wd
The most aerodynamic configuration is with a front air dam and low-profile bed cover.