Tailgate down costs about 1mpg... 4.10 gears ain't getting you 21mpg...

 

I still have it on my truck...


Not on my truck it doesn't. I've posted this far too many times now to type it again on here. My driving habits make it very easy for me to test this out. I get better mileage with my tailgate down, don't believe me, it won't bother me one bit.


Same exact drive, same miles, same weather conditions, cruising at the same speed.

21.4MPG with the stock steel 16s
19.9 with the BOSS 20s and 275/45/20 tires
18.9 with the stock steelies and 4.10s

All were done using cruise control and cruising at 67MPH

 

Here is my .02.

Unbolt your exhaust at the flange and bolt it on in the open position. The exhaust will be so loud you can't drive it very fast without getting noticed by cops and making a lot of noise. Trust me, it works...

 

Taigate down does nothing for MPG. Keep on dreaming, or smoking that good stuff.

 

It's an open invite, anybody can come drive me around and test it out. Hell, we'll smoke the good stuff too

 

Each truck and setup is diffrent. I can buy the 21 mpgs with 4.10s (maybe 23 or more if had lower) And the tail gate thing is not worth starting any fights about. I believe you (cause i have seen it on alot more then just your truck as far as being better with tg down vs up)

 

Try this test, put a handfull of sawdust in the bed of your truck, open the back window, get on the freeway for a few miles. When you get home get out the vacuum cleaner, and clean up all the sawdust that is in the cab of your truck.
As you are cleaning up the sawdust ask yourself "how did the sawdust blow foreward in the direction I was traveling and get into the truck?"

But if you truck defies physics, I'll have to take your word for it. It is a Chevy after all.

 

well my truck has a 5.3, cam, mail order tune, 4.10's, on 20's and still get 20mpg on the hwy turning 2400 to 2500.

 

Not to change the subject but a GOOD tune will up your gas milage IF you can keep your foot out of it. Bluecajun's truck proves that.

I run 4.56's with a 28" tire, cam, heads, blah blah. I got over 300 miles on the last tank before the light came on, and that was towing a 4000# trailer then hitting the dyno for a few pulls and cruising home for 1/2 an hour at 75mph (with 4.56"). Averaged about 16mpg I lost the fuel slip.

 

Mythbusters isn't science. Its a random experiment. Anyone who has taken any fluid dynamics course will tell you that you there are way too many variables to draw that sort of a conclusion. Different lengths of beds, lenghts of cabs, different beds, stances (2x4 vs 4x4 vs cranked T-bars vs de-cranked etc), and geometry (ford front end vs gm vs dodge vs whatever) will cause huge variations.

Thats not even taking wind, air density and whatever else into consideration.