Keep the tailgate UP for best mileage...
#21
RE: Keep the tailgate UP for best mileage...
http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2004-01-1146
http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/tailgate.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...39015#continue
5 pages of pickup related aerodynamics links at:
http://tinyurl.com/2uotfb
#22
#23
RE: Keep the tailgate UP for best mileage...
ORIGINAL: JasonA
Heh heh. Okay... You're right -- they don't do anything. If they had just consulted you in the design of the truck, they could have saved their money!!
You may find this interesting: http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/2009-ram.html
Scroll down to the aerodynamics section. Many items found in there can also be found on our Dakotas. Trucks are trucks, but there are a lot of things that designers, engineers, and stylists alike collaborate on to be mutually beneficial to all. They didn't create the small bump in the back of the cab for their own good. The Dakota apparently needed it for aerodynamics. You'll note that the 2009 Dodge Ram doesn't have a bump at the back of the cab at all. But it's got a HUGE stamped-in tailgate spoiler. Every vehicle is unique, and the things that work on some vehicles apparently don't work on others.
To say that Dodge didn't have aerodynamics in mind when they designed our Dakotas is absurd. And to claim that they wasted their time doing what they did do is...well...just presumptuous. Were you there when they flow-tested the vehicle. If you were, I'd love to see some photos and design analyses. If you weren't, it's a pretty bold statement to say that engineers wasted their time doing something that you can't possibly verify.
Heh heh. Okay... You're right -- they don't do anything. If they had just consulted you in the design of the truck, they could have saved their money!!
You may find this interesting: http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/2009-ram.html
Scroll down to the aerodynamics section. Many items found in there can also be found on our Dakotas. Trucks are trucks, but there are a lot of things that designers, engineers, and stylists alike collaborate on to be mutually beneficial to all. They didn't create the small bump in the back of the cab for their own good. The Dakota apparently needed it for aerodynamics. You'll note that the 2009 Dodge Ram doesn't have a bump at the back of the cab at all. But it's got a HUGE stamped-in tailgate spoiler. Every vehicle is unique, and the things that work on some vehicles apparently don't work on others.
To say that Dodge didn't have aerodynamics in mind when they designed our Dakotas is absurd. And to claim that they wasted their time doing what they did do is...well...just presumptuous. Were you there when they flow-tested the vehicle. If you were, I'd love to see some photos and design analyses. If you weren't, it's a pretty bold statement to say that engineers wasted their time doing something that you can't possibly verify.
long story short, the 08 estimated MPG is 16 city/20 hwy, which is aboutwhat i get in my 99, so i am guessing dodge hasnt improved to much over all in areodynamics or mileage would be drasticly better. if they have improved, it has been such a small amount that it is barely noticable and the cost of all thistesting has been pushed onto the consumer sothe cost of thetruck itself is more than what anyone will save in gas, so, yes,to me it was a waste of time and money. i would have personally liked to see all that money put into a more fuel efficient engine than the millions it is costing consumers for dodge engineers to do"extensive" wind tunnel testing.so who cares anyway? its a truck, and if someone was soconcerned about all the little numbers and mileage, they would have bought a Prius.
this is a stupid debate, so i am out...
#24
RE: Keep the tailgate UP for best mileage...
do little things mean a lot
aero wise?
one of the best examples of this
is to look at this year's
Scion Xb
small changes
and compare it to previous years
very boxy sharp edged models
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120544
aero wise?
one of the best examples of this
is to look at this year's
Scion Xb
small changes
and compare it to previous years
very boxy sharp edged models
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120544
#25
RE: Keep the tailgate UP for best mileage...
I don't think anyone is trying to argue, just a good debate that has uncovered some great info. Sure 1-2 mpg isn't a stop-the-press finding, but when you add all the little tricks together you can actually boost mileage close to 6-7 mpg which is a big difference for a truck and we wouldn't find out about this stuff if there were no debates. This forum is for debates and information sharing, which has turned me onto many things I didn't know. Keep it up guys.