Tonneau vs. open bed
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Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,048
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From: Ohio
RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
ORIGINAL: rob[GL]
Nobody buys a truck expecting phenomenal gas mileage, true... However, when some people are getting 10MPG, and others are getting 20MPG... I am sure that the people only getting 10 would like to know how others are acheiving 20MPG...
However, I don't think that people claiming 1MPG improvement from a tonneau cover is relevant. Say you spend $1000 on a really nice fiberglass cover with the gas shocks and stuff to automatically raise it... Whatever... Then say you drive a lot, like 20,000 miles in a year... Say you get 21MPG with the cover, and only 20 without it... That extra 1MPG will only save you $200 in the year. Assumig gasoline was Approximately $4/gallon, you would fill up with 1000 gallons in a year, at 20MPG. You would fill up with 950 gallons, at 21MPG...
You would have to drive that truck for 5 years, to recoupe the cost of the cover.
Nobody buys a truck expecting phenomenal gas mileage, true... However, when some people are getting 10MPG, and others are getting 20MPG... I am sure that the people only getting 10 would like to know how others are acheiving 20MPG...
However, I don't think that people claiming 1MPG improvement from a tonneau cover is relevant. Say you spend $1000 on a really nice fiberglass cover with the gas shocks and stuff to automatically raise it... Whatever... Then say you drive a lot, like 20,000 miles in a year... Say you get 21MPG with the cover, and only 20 without it... That extra 1MPG will only save you $200 in the year. Assumig gasoline was Approximately $4/gallon, you would fill up with 1000 gallons in a year, at 20MPG. You would fill up with 950 gallons, at 21MPG...
You would have to drive that truck for 5 years, to recoupe the cost of the cover.
Joined: Feb 2006
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RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
on myth busters, the truck with the tailgate down had the wind pushin down on the tail gate causing more drag from the tires or something like that! with the tail gate up, it caused a swirling motion in the bed which deflected the wind over the bed missing the truck!
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2006
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RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
ORIGINAL: Mystro
"Daddywags" Since I am a Steeler fan I resized it and touched up your sig for you....
[IMG]local://upfiles/30292/BC65E20998CC4A4F9C1CEEA943A6CD80.jpg[/IMG]
"Daddywags" Since I am a Steeler fan I resized it and touched up your sig for you....
[IMG]local://upfiles/30292/BC65E20998CC4A4F9C1CEEA943A6CD80.jpg[/IMG]
All Star
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 752
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From: Tracy, CA
RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
...thats true..once you start moving the air builds a circular area in the bed and thus forces following air to flow over the tailgate...with the tailgate down that circular motion now moves after the tailgate which creates a vacuum underneath the rear of the truck..which creates drag... I drive 50 highway miles a day to my office and it does make a difference... a tonneau will make it more "aerodynamic" and increase mileage a little more...
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jan 2004
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RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
With regards to the cost/vs mpg saved & $ saved... if you average 14 mpg and jump 1 mpg to 15 based on 20k/year you'd save $238 bux/year in fuel costs. That is calculated @ 2.50/gal. if that goes up, then the savings goes up.
the biggest benifit I have had since owning my tonneau on my 2000 ram has been the storage aspect of it. I love the fact that I can throw all of my camping gear, tools, whatever back there and lock it down and not worry about it.
I am currently keeping my eye out for a used one for my 2005. they are awesome.
the biggest benifit I have had since owning my tonneau on my 2000 ram has been the storage aspect of it. I love the fact that I can throw all of my camping gear, tools, whatever back there and lock it down and not worry about it.
I am currently keeping my eye out for a used one for my 2005. they are awesome.
Professional
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 233
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From: New England
RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
ORIGINAL: steve00ram360
is this a trip that you've taken often? could be that you had a headwind on the way up and tailwind on the way back, explaining the mpg difference with a fridge in the back. it could also explain the drop in milage. I have a tonneau on my other truck an I have never been able to say "yes it does help milage" in the 2 years that it's been on the truck.
is this a trip that you've taken often? could be that you had a headwind on the way up and tailwind on the way back, explaining the mpg difference with a fridge in the back. it could also explain the drop in milage. I have a tonneau on my other truck an I have never been able to say "yes it does help milage" in the 2 years that it's been on the truck.
Cheers
Mike
Joined: Mar 2006
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RE: Tonneau vs. open bed
I just watched the Myth Busters episode (43) and I think they explained it very well and had evidence to back it up, like the scaled down truck in the water that they tested. I remember racing my 04 QC 2-WD Hemi at 100mph, tailgate down I could hear the wind coming off the tailgate it was very loud. I could also feel the rear end of the truck swinging out when I hit a very small curve on the freeway. If you guys are really interested in finding the answer for your self, check out some books on areodynamics and talk to an engineer who deals with that stuff.
