Removing '03 Ford F-150 tailgate

[JohnT]

I'm thinking about replacing the tailgate on my '03 Ford F-150 with a net. I'm open to suggestions/advice/guidance from anyone who has removed theirs.

[douge]

John,
It depends on what you plan to do with your truck. If it is to increase gas milage than the net should be the way to go. But again, what are you planning on hauling. Lumber, bags of cement, livestock feed, bricks, etc.... My wife drives a F150 and we kept the gate. It allows us to haul long boards, go to tail gate parties, sit on when we ride the pastures doing fence mending, keeping our dogs in the bed. She use to drive it to work with the gate down. We (Ah, I mean she) saw no change in her gas milage. I read some where that the gas milage improves when the gates up. BUt, what do I know, I am just the hired hand on this ranch. LOL.

[Coelus]

There was a mythbusters episode where they proved that gas mileage was better with the tailgate up vs down. They proved in a later episode that the net type they used was better than the tailgate up, but not much.

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by JohnT

I'm thinking about replacing the tailgate on my '03 Ford F-150 with a net. I'm open to suggestions/advice/guidance from anyone who has removed theirs.

My suggestion is, if you are doing it for gas milage, don't bother.

[JohnT]

I was going to do it based on the myth. Thanks for setting me straight. LOL

[adirty1]

Originally Posted by Coelus

There was a mythbusters episode where they proved that gas mileage was better with the tailgate up vs down. They proved in a later episode that the net type they used was better than the tailgate up, but not much.

I love that show but hate it at the same time.
They just opened the gate thus creating more drag on the truck. Bad test. If they would have removed the gate it would have been a much better test. I drove my truck with the netting for years and I did notice a couple extra miles to the gallon. Nothing dramatic but an increase is still an increase. If you are looking for a gain of more than a couple miles to the gallon don't bother.

[PhotosbyHollyWood]

Originally Posted by Coelus

There was a mythbusters episode where they proved that gas mileage was better with the tailgate up vs down. They proved in a later episode that the net type they used was better than the tailgate up, but not much.

I was going to point this out... they said that it only increased the milage by like 1 mile/ gallon... good luck ... I am still trying to figure out better gas milage for the mini van!

[MT Stringer]

I missed the myth buster episodes. Were they using highway speeds, or what? For me it appears I would save about $300 per year if it increases the mileage 2 mpg.

My driving varies from around town to highway so I don't know how to calculate it. I just used 17 mpg vs 19 mpg and 12000 miles driven per year @ $4/gallon.

How much does a net cost?
Mike

[andyz]

As I recall they drove around a track and yes, highway speed. You can read about it here, http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/11/e...s_cures_f.html .

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by MT Stringer

How much does a net cost?

Mike

About $55 depending on where you get it. This is a price I found online.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by andyz

As I recall they drove around a track and yes, highway speed. You can read about it here, http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/11/e...s_cures_f.html .

Thanks, Andy.

[kenw]

As an engineer, I have a love/hate relationship with the mythbusters. They sometimes blunder across the right answer but rarely actually understand the root cause reason. But the shows are fun to watch.

The tailgate test was at least reality-based; it incuded various driving environments and conditions. The drive was fairly consistent for both with and without. one fault would be that it was "with" one way and "without" on the return trip which ignores grade issues (some may be steeper going north than going south for the same hill) and prevailing wind directions. A better test would have been 2 round trips, 1 with and 1 without the tailgate. The problem I had was their ignoring the basic "One test is not a test" rule of gathering statistically significant data. However, in this case the data was so similar that more data probably wouldn't have shifted the results either way.

The reality is that aerodynamic "streamlining" at normal highway speeds of any vehicle has little to do with mileage. The old bugaboo of physics and inertia get you more often, heck every time. A change in velocity of a large mass takes energy, the more change or the more mass, the more energy. The resistance due to air pressure is miniscule. It can be REAL, yes, but is often very, very small. There are more effective ways to get better mileage. Like lowering the weight of the vehicle.

removing the tailgate will in any case have more impact than simply lowering it, since you affect the fundamental root cause: weight/mass of the vehicle. Granted, 40 lbs (is it that much?) isn't a lot, but it is 40 lbs.... automakers will spend millions to squeeze one more mpg for the marketing folks.

[MT Stringer]

Thanks for the info. This has been a good thread.
Mike

[adirty1]

Originally Posted by MT Stringer

I missed the myth buster episodes. Were they using highway speeds, or what? For me it appears I would save about $300 per year if it increases the mileage 2 mpg.

My driving varies from around town to highway so I don't know how to calculate it. I just used 17 mpg vs 19 mpg and 12000 miles driven per year @ $4/gallon.

How much does a net cost?
Mike

yes it was highway speeds. If you look at the big picture yes it saves you money over time.

[adirty1]

Originally Posted by kenw

As an engineer, I have a love/hate relationship with the mythbusters. They sometimes blunder across the right answer but rarely actually understand the root cause reason. But the shows are fun to watch.

The tailgate test was at least reality-based; it incuded various driving environments and conditions. The drive was fairly consistent for both with and without. one fault would be that it was "with" one way and "without" on the return trip which ignores grade issues (some may be steeper going north than going south for the same hill) and prevailing wind directions. A better test would have been 2 round trips, 1 with and 1 without the tailgate. The problem I had was their ignoring the basic "One test is not a test" rule of gathering statistically significant data. However, in this case the data was so similar that more data probably wouldn't have shifted the results either way.

The reality is that aerodynamic "streamlining" at normal highway speeds of any vehicle has little to do with mileage. The old bugaboo of physics and inertia get you more often, heck every time. A change in velocity of a large mass takes energy, the more change or the more mass, the more energy. The resistance due to air pressure is miniscule. It can be REAL, yes, but is often very, very small. There are more effective ways to get better mileage. Like lowering the weight of the vehicle.

removing the tailgate will in any case have more impact than simply lowering it, since you affect the fundamental root cause: weight/mass of the vehicle. Granted, 40 lbs (is it that much?) isn't a lot, but it is 40 lbs.... automakers will spend millions to squeeze one more mpg for the marketing folks.

Yes it is true the busters could be a little more scientific in the busting of the myths. I do enjoy the new show where all they do is blow stuff up or tear it up. Seems that a little more thought goes into the project at hand.