Tailgate or Net? That is the question!?!

[apastor87]

Howdy all?
I drive a 99 XLT 4x4 4.0l, Jalapeno Green And I need a new tailgate something awful! Now my question is, should I go with a replacement tailgate and attempt to match the color? Or should I go with a net? I have heard that nets are actually less fuel efficient, not sure if this is the truth. But what do yall think?!?

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

Do you have a personal preference?

I would stick with a tailgate myself...color match not necessary. I have heard the fuel economy thing go both ways...Wouldn't think it would matter much either way (any significant amount).

Some discussions about it if you care to gander.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/971238-tailgate-net-yes-or-no.html

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[Surrey]

A net will slightly increase gas mileage. So will a cover for the box.

If you dont believe it, drive around few a few tanks of gas with the tailgate down the whole time... The tailgate just works as a big wind block if the truck is empty.

That said, it really comes down to personal preference I think. My friend used to have one on a Ranger, and I thought it looked awesome.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Mythbusters covered this and their conclusion was to leave the tailgate up for better mileage. with the tailgate up it "trapped" air in the box allowing smoother airflow over the "trapped" air.
Take it for what it's worth,

Richard

 

[naford]

Mileage aside. I have heard that the tailgate keeps the sides of the bed from flexing in and out and breaking at the bed.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mythbusters covered this and their conclusion was to leave the tailgate up for better mileage. with the tailgate up it "trapped" air in the box allowing smoother airflow over the "trapped" air.
Take it for what it's worth,

Richard

Bed length, cab length and bed depth play a huge factor as well.

 

[AgPete139]

Tailgate. More practical, IMO.

I keep the tailgate up. Multiple tests (not just Mythbusters) proves, a majority of the time, that the UP tailgate is more efficient. I have a bed cover as well, which greater improves mileage.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I tried this all with my 2000 Ranger. Tailgate and up was the most fuel efficient. I was getting around 18-20 mpg with it like that. With a cap on I was 17-18 around town. With the tailgate off (you don't want to leave it down, it can flop around and possibly jump off the hinges), it was a little less. With a bed cover on, I was getting 21-22 mpg around town. A bed net or the tailgate off allows the bedsides to flex and sag.

 

[adsm08]

I also did a fair amount of testing with my own truck. My dad drove it for 12 years with an average MPG of 17.5, with a cap on it.

I drove it for a year with the cap off and the gate up. I got about 17.5 (driving like a 16 year old).

I let the gate down for a year, and got 16 ish.

I put the gate back up, did a full tune up and ignition system overhaul, increased my highway driving a bit and got into the low 20s.

I put a bed cover on it, upped my highway driving again, and dropped to around 19. It is worth noting however that this drop in mileage closely coincided with E-10 becoming the standard pump fuel in my area. At this point the engine also had more than 150,000 miles on it.

The bed cover has since ripped and been removed, my driving style has changed and become a bit more practical, if not less aggressive, and the engine was replaced. My average has returned to 17.5 give or take.

The engine was recently replaced again with a 4.0, and I have yet to run two full tanks through it since getting it running. The first tank came in just about 17.5.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I also did a fair amount of testing with my own truck. My dad drove it for 12 years with an average MPG of 17.5, with a cap on it.

I drove it for a year with the cap off and the gate up. I got about 17.5 (driving like a 16 year old).

I let the gate down for a year, and got 16 ish.

I put the gate back up, did a full tune up and ignition system overhaul, increased my highway driving a bit and got into the low 20s.

I put a bed cover on it, upped my highway driving again, and dropped to around 19. It is worth noting however that this drop in mileage closely coincided with E-10 becoming the standard pump fuel in my area. At this point the engine also had more than 150,000 miles on it.

The bed cover has since ripped and been removed, my driving style has changed and become a bit more practical, if not less aggressive, and the engine was replaced. My average has returned to 17.5 give or take.

The engine was recently replaced again with a 4.0, and I have yet to run two full tanks through it since getting it running. The first tank came in just about 17.5.

Yea, I should have noted that my fuel economy with the bed cover did drop to 18ish with the introduction of E10 gas.

 

[doorgunner]

TEST RESULTS.....Mythbusters Busted!

I got an extra trip to work with the tailgate OFF....

Tailgate up: Normally I filled up on the way near home the 6th day

Tailgate off: Filled up on the way near work on Mondays(extra trip to work)

adsm_.......of course, everything in Loo-z-anna is downhill & one should put a rod across the opening to keep the bedsides from flexing

Tailgate/no tailgate............your choice

 

[straycat]

Mythbusters covered this and their conclusion was to leave the tailgate up for better mileage. with the tailgate up it "trapped" air in the box allowing smoother airflow over the "trapped" air.
Take it for what it's worth,

Richard

^^^What he said. This has been proven over and over again. The best upgrade for more gas mileage is a bed cover. I have proven this before several times. If you don't have to have a tailgate then get the net. A good tight fitting net looks great!!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The difference between gate up or down and covers depend on the length of the cab and length and depth of the bed.

Mythbusters tested it with a 04-08 F-150 with a super cab (full four doors) and the 5.5' box. The box on those is also really deep compared to most trucks and especially Rangers which is really pretty shallow.

I dd a super cab F-150 with the 6.5' box, every fall I get a demo about how air swirls ahead up to the cab window and then to the back with all the leaves it picks up. This can go on until spring.

My std cab 7' box Ranger, I have had pop bottles blown out of. Not much stays in the back of that thing that isn't nailed down.

My theory is that the back of the cab makes a swirl that has the air coming up past the backside of the rear window, back to the tailgate and then along the bed floor back up to the forward bulkhead. Mythbusters showed this happening with their water tunnel and I have seen this replicated with both leaves and snow in the back of my own trucks. But it can only do this so far back, the longer the cab and the shorter box the better it is at incorporationg the entire length of the bed into this. A deeper bed helps hold the sides together too.

A truck with a shorter cab and longer box can't get the swirl going clear back to the tailgate so the tailgate is snagging air coming off the swirl behind the cab.

Any milage gained by running around with the gate down will be offset if you hit a bump just right and make the right side jump off its peg. I imagine the damage could get ugly with the thing bouncing off your bumper if your cables hold up, or bounching down the road if one or both give out.