I am not totally conviced, though. I would assume that the air bubble mentioned in the article only forms when the truck is going within a certain speed range. Outside that speed range, a tonneau cover or tailgate should still help.
So my question to you is, before and after you installed a tonneau cover or a taligate, did you see a difference on gas milegae? What is your driving pattern? How windy is it in your place?
This has been beaten to death time and time again on this board. It is 100% proven a cover will not noticeably help you MPG.
Even if it did help say .1 MPG, how many miles do you have to drive to recoup the cost of the cover? Also, you are adding weight to the vehicle and reduces you MPG.
Buy the cover because you want or need it, not to save money. It won't happen.
I also don't know anybody that bought a truck for a fuel economy vehicle.
That is like a person that bought a Hummer complaining they only get 10 MPG. Does it really matter?
__________________
1996 T100, 180,000 and counting
I am not totally conviced, though. I would assume that the air bubble mentioned in the article only forms when the truck is going within a certain speed range. Outside that speed range, a tonneau cover or tailgate should still help.
So my question to you is, before and after you installed a tonneau cover or a taligate, did you see a difference on gas milegae? What is your driving pattern? How windy is it in your place?
I **might** have gained around .2 to .5 mpg highway after I installed my Peragon tonneau cover. It certainly didn't seem to hurt the mileage...I was getting about 20.3 mpg before the cover and I'm getting around 20.5 mpg now. I'm definitely not getting the 1 to 2 mpg improvement that some tonneau makers claim...but I was also already at the upper end of Tundra mileage. I don't exceed the speed limit...and my travels are in high altitude thin air...so I'm probably not experiencing nearly the aerodynamic drag that folks who drive at high speeds in thicker low altitude air do.
But it's a bit tough to tell as my '03 only has 2700 miles and my highway mileage has mostly been over the Colorado mountains where trip-to-trip differences in temperature and road conditions...or even winds on a given day...may be affecting mileage more than the cover did.
Q: how many engineers does it take to beat a dead horse in to submission ?
A: you can't. everyone will claim that even though it doesn't work for everyone else, "it still works for them", mainly because having a tailgate net makes your truck look faster.
-s
*edit* i'll bet someone ten bucks that the "bubble" is present even at 30mph, burden of proof on you, show me a smoked wind tunnel picture of a bubble-less truck at 30mph and i'll send you ten bucks.
*nuther edit* btw, the tonneau cover shouldn't affect things much one way or the other, because it's providing a physical bubble as opposed to the separated fluid bubble. the tailgate net on the other hand will hurt your wallet coming and going.
If you just wanna get it for asthetic purposes,if it hurts your gas miles or helps, if you want it then get it!!
See what im trying to get at here if you really wanna get one get one.
Im guessing if you want one to save on gas, say .5 m/g try this its just and idea but im sure it will work "try slowing down" first of all its cheaper and and with the money you save on not getting cover you can use the money you didnt spend on gas and speed up .....
The net will be worse than the tailgate. There's a LOT of drag caused by the webbing, so it eliminates the bubble and replaces it with a screen door.
The cover? Today, my average MPG over the 62000 miles is 16.95. My 60-day running average is 16.61.
The day I put my cover on at 15,000, my numbers were 16.63 and 16.85.
Exactly!!!
Which brings me to my point if you really want one go out out buy one, who cares if it helps or makes things worse as long as your happy with your purchase..
I hate it when I'm forced to listen to my friends crap when they buy something cause its the "IN" thing at the time and couple months down the line there complaing they spent to much on something they really never liked in the first place...
Maybe someone "in the know" for NASCAR Craftsmen Trucks, could pipe in on why they all have a covered rear vs. an open rear. There must have been some wind tunnel work for that! Would the same "bubble" form over the Tonneau covers?
The NASCAR trucks need the wing to provide the down force, but why do they have the "tonneau like" designed rear ends?
The link for the car talk comment, talks only of the difference between open ends with or without the tailgates. Hmmm...
Maybe someone "in the know" for NASCAR Craftsmen Trucks, could pipe in on why they all have a covered rear vs. an open rear. There must have been some wind tunnel work for that! Would the same "bubble" form over the Tonneau covers?
The NASCAR trucks need the wing to provide the down force, but why do they have the "tonneau like" designed rear ends?
The link for the car talk comment, talks only of the difference between open ends with or without the tailgates. Hmmm...
IF U LOOK AT THE TRUCKS WHEN THEY ARE WORKING ON THEM IN THE PITS U WILL SEE WITH THE BED LID UP AND U WILL SEE NOTHING IN THEIR EXCEPT FOR FUEL TANK AND FRAME TUBING THEY HAVE NO BED FLOOR SO TO KEEP THE AIR FLOW FROM UNDER THE TRUCK AND OVER THE TRUCK MORE STREAM LINE THEY PUT ON THE HARD COVER . PLUS WITHOUT A BED FLOOR THEY CAN ACCESS SUSPENSION PARTS AND REAR END GEARS QUICKLY FROM TOP OR BOTTOM.
KEVIN
Survey: does Tonneau cover or tailgate net help your gas mileage?
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