2006-10-19 11:39:36 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
if you mean a pickup truck and the tailgate . . .they did this experiment on mythbusters on tv, and the tailgate up actually got better mileage than the tailgate down.
The reason was that the tailgate up created a circular flow of air in the back, and the air from the front flowed over this circular flow.
when the tailgate was down, the circular flow stopped, and there was more air resistance.
2006-10-19 11:42:49 · answer #1 · answered by a_blue_grey_mist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Closed. The airflow in a tailgate up truck goes over the top of the bed without hitting the gate. It's designed that way. If you open it you don't reduce drag. You just create turbulence at the rear of the truck. Couterintuitive, but true.
2006-10-19 11:42:33 · answer #2 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A closed truck bed has less drag and consumes less gas when driving, it is a small amount but it does seem to help.
2006-10-19 11:42:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep the tailgate down and it will give you quite a bit better fuel consumption. Also, keep an eye on your tachometer (if equipped) and keep the engine speed under 3,000 rpm. Make sure your tires have the proper and equal air pressure.
2006-10-19 11:48:48 · answer #4 · answered by joe d 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on what kind of truck if your talking about a pick up truck and the tail gate when its down it uses more gas up less gas
2006-10-19 11:42:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
with it opened
2006-10-19 11:41:03 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitley open not closed//
2006-10-19 11:41:13 · answer #7 · answered by Bolly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
open..
i think discovery channel's mythbusters did an episode concerning this..
2006-10-19 11:47:59 · answer #8 · answered by -a- 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
open
2006-10-19 11:46:42 · answer #9 · answered by pdudenhefer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
open
2006-10-19 11:41:27 · answer #10 · answered by Troi19 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋