Surprise: If You Want BETTER Fuel Economy, Do THIS With Your Tailgate!

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( www.allTFL.com ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our TFLstudios content, from news to videos and our podcasts! We're back with another episode of Let's Find Out! In this test, Kase and Alex find out just how much fuel economy you lose running a truck with the tailgate up versus down.
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#truck #test #mpg

[@TFLtruck]

TFL runs on Sinclair fuel and so should you. Download the Sinclair DINOPAY app and start saving as much as $0.10 or more per gallon on your next fill-up. ( www.sinclairoil.com/customers )

[@jeffforbes70]

every test the second loop does worse, that's the pattern

[@trcass1]

good segment. i remember the myth buster episode there they did this test. they were surprised by it and they surmised that the design and tailgate creates a bubble in the bed that deflects the air over the tailgate thus creating less drag. i may be mistaken, it was quite awhile ago.

[@justink1209]

Exactly correct.

[@lagoonrd4173]

Was gonna say that with myth buster

[@toddwood1150]

t cass you are 100% correct. I watched the same episode. If you live in the snow belt it proves it with that little snow drift you get just behind the cab.

[@jguil4d]

Exactly so. They also had someone create (or they bought) scale models of their trucks and demonstrated the air pillow effect in a wind tunnel (well. not *wind* per se: they did that in a water tank with a current and some sort of debris in the bed)

[@davidhendrie6935]

Exactly right sir! 😀 I put a hard tonneau cover on mine for protection and security reasons, but did the same rest with and without the cover. Made no discernable difference, so the cover's been ever since!

[@ernicruz3631]

How was this series not called "truck around and find out"?

[@ROBinJVILLE]

i love it

[@JetSkiBuyFixPlaySellChannel]

Could be a whole channel name.

[@gregferris9378]

A few years ago a truck magazine took a Ford F-150 SuperCrew with a short bed to a racetrack. They put around 200 miles on it using cruise control. One time with the tailgate up and one time with the tailgate down. They got better fuel mileage with the tailgate up and asked a Ford executive how that could be. They were told the design of the top of the tailgate was created using WindTunnel results to get better fuel mileage.

[@петровалексей-т1т]

Same result was in myth busters

[@fishinfool63]

Has Zero to do with tailgate design…and ford never said that….plainly..it is the way the airflow over the truck works and how it swirls in the bed….that is why the truck series racing has a cover over the back

[@joshpeck443]

@@fishinfool63 That’s not entirely true, the vortex in the bed is sort of it, but the reason all new trucks have spoilers built into the top of the tailgate is for aerodynamics, very well documented about how this effects the turbulence behind the truck which causes drag

[@Rccrdawgs]

It's all about the boat tail , vertical flat backside less coefficient drag, pointed backside much more drag. Never seen a bullet with a point in front and back !

[@joshpeck443]

@@Rccrdawgs Oh right that’s why airplanes have flat backs….you’re wrong.

[@marlinguidegun1657]

Ford did at test like this years ago, comparing to the then popular nets that people were using to replace tailgates thinking that they were getting better mileage. They found that the stock tailgate installed in the up position was most economical, but that tailgate up AND a tool box in the front was the best combination. Apparently filling that space improved aerodynamics.

[@kristopherlauro4327]

As others have stated in the comments, mythbusters did an episode dedicated to this. Although they went much more in depth with airflow models. They found that the tailgate up was returning better fuel economy measurably than putting the tailgate down or using those aeronets..

[@Some1_Some1_Some1_Some1]

he did mention that in the first 40 secoonds

[@propertypreparedness6846]

🤣 that would require fools actually watch the video before commenting lol. Well said.

[@PinealPinePineapple]

Who cleaned the instrument cluster with a rock?! 😢

[@genuinejesse]

This is not the first time they've done this to their vehicles. Apparently whoever is doing that is still with TFL. Ruining trucks one cluster at a time lol.

[@crewdawg2008]

Well, it's a lint-free rock

[@PinealPinePineapple]

@@crewdawg2008 😄

[@baderalmubarak7517]

I like the chemistry between both of them ..we want to see more videos of them being more spontaneous and natural…

[@LotsOfPaypa]

You two are great doing videos together! I appreciate how you two go back and forth because it’s very clear you guys are friends lol

[@HB-yp4ok]

Used to sell F150s. The top of the roof works together with top of the tailgate to decrease drag. Believe it or not, they put trucks in wind tunnels when they design them.

[@ubeuonly]

Technology and research pioneered by Dodge in the 2009 model year redesigned copy by Ford for 2015 model year in addition to the dash design the rear cutouts for exhaust in the bumper etc etc. If your truck guy and you pay attention this has been the trend for the last three generations of Ford trucks copying Ram. They just can't copy the reliability

[@smiller3110]

@@ubeuonly the 5.0 is more reliable than a Hemi and how about everyone else following what ford did in running a turbo v6 powerplant...

[@ubeuonly]

@@smiller3110 everyone is doing that for the sake of Cafe standards. Ford is never an innovator. They're never first that anything except to put something in this not ready for Primetime in production. The heavy is older technology but one of the more reliable V8 engines ever made. Yes it has lifter issues at high mileage for most of that can be attributed to maintenance

[@smiller3110]

@@ubeuonly I’m a v8 guy myself but you can’t deny that the eco boost was an innovation in its own.

[@ubeuonly]

@@smiller3110 the first generation was nothing but problems now that they revamped the engine to have direct injection as well as port injection is more reliable

[@poppyneese1811]

Myth busters did this test a longtime ago, same results due to air bubble forms with tail gate up and makes a better flow across the back of the truck. Great Video!👍👍👍👍👍

[@scottyellis3442]

Yes, I remember they put their truck in a wind tunnel & show just how the "air bubble" worked.

[@RK57AZ]

In the late 70’s when gas prices and lines were high and long, the Gov. not sure if it was DOD or other branches tested p/u mileage using the same tailgate up and down protocol and found little or no difference in mileage. I was a wild land firefighter with the USFS ( forest circus ) and we had to do everything we could to reduce consumption. We did the tailgate thing until we got the official GOV. report and discontinued the practice. We also stopped losing firefighting hand tools out the back of our pickups while off roading! Good call! Another test showed that running the a/c was more economical than running with the windows down. Can’t remember for sure if this was a GOV. or a private group test?

[@ssimpala1901]

Should have done one loop with the tonneau cover.

[@davidhendrie6935]

As one or two others have said, a vortex is created in the bed, the top of which flows front to back. This draws the airflow over the top of the truck and down the tailgate. Lowering the gate breaks up that flow. Of course filling the bed with "stuff" destroys that too! So forget about a working truck having any better "aero" than a moving pile of bricks!😀 Interestingly, when I bought my truck new back in 2011, I did the same test with and without my tonneau cover. I found it made no measurable difference, so my removable cover has never been off! My lifetime average mpg is 24.3 mi/gal(US),or 29.2(UK). Isuzu Rodeo Dmax 2.5L turbo-diesel, 5 speed man, hi/low 4x4 "High Ride", KO2s.... perfect tyres for Scottish weather!

[@morley3810]

On my last truck I had a soft rollup tonneau cover, and in the mirror I could see that right behind the cab was a vacuum, and the cover actually bulged UP slightly. Just behind that, maybe right behind the axle the air would push the cover DOWN slightly. I think with the tailgate down, you do get more turbulence and vacuum, and with the gate up, the air "fills" the box and actually creates the bubble that myth busters talked about. The truck was a Chevy 2500 EC with 6.5' box. I never experimented with fuel economy much, because a cammed 6.0 in a relatively heavy 4x4 truck is not really about that haha.

[@adequatejtm7371]

As they said, trucks are designed a certain way. So it’s not to surprising a new truck is better with the tailgate up. But I wonder if it’s the same for an old truck or maybe a longer bed.

[@pudakis]

The banter was the best between Yinz two!

[@tombrown879]

I am loving this series so much. Thank you for your time and effort in doing these for all of us. Could you guys PLEASE test a MPG test of a regular topper. a TALL back topper. and a slope back AREO topper. And then do those same toppers while pulling an enclosed. and a flatbed trailer. I think people would be astonished at how big of a difference topper shapes effect MPG on trucks empty, VS towing VS topper shape and trailer shape. Thank you so much again for all you guys are doing.

[@SunnynPhilly]

Cool video 👍. Would love to see old Top Gear style cheap car challenges with Kase / Brendan / Tommy. Showing up with what they picked up ( for a certain budget.) Then having to road trip somewhere and see who gets to the destination first without breaking down. Maybe Andre or Roman could follow them in a Dacia, Skoda or Lada that they’d have to drive if their car dies along the way.

[@Moe-mr6mx]

Good luck finding a Dacia, Skoda, or Lada in Colorado lol

[@mattlimberg5763]

Could use the Mini, Fiat, or 2CV, though all those are Tommy's cars, so he would actually want to be in those.

[@SunnynPhilly]

@@Moe-mr6mx fair point! Perhaps the Bukhanka then. Or as suggested the Mini/ 2CV/ Fiat

[@derekbuttery4776]

erm, haven't they already done this with the national 90's sports cars? and the truck camping series?

[@jeffburtonnottheracecardriver]

I echo the top comments on previous comments that mentioned wind tunnel tests showing an air bubble is created reducing drag! Glad to see it confirmed again. Great quality video produced by you guys.

[@dalejones4322]

Great video guys. You make a good team.

[@acdii]

Ford did extensive wind tunnel testing on the F-150 and the reason the tailgate has the curves in it, the top curve and the curves at the vertical near the top are all due to minor changes to improve fuel economy. They also have a bunch of hidden things behind the bumper and rear wheels to improve air flow. They redirect air to flow past the tires and not into the tires. Anything and everything to reduce drag and turbulence, which creates drag.

[@cyclesingsleep]

Nathan almost got it...he was certainly inspired and bravely went forth! However, Turd Free Lawn would have meshed with TFL...and helped people understand the 'business' concept better : P "Were not pushovers, but we'll take your crap" or..."Taking crap from everyone in town"

[@workisfun...2438]

Slowing down returns the best increase in fuel economy. Good test guys!

[@Ishkatan]

Myth busters did this years ago. They figured the air creates a rolling pattern behind the cab that actually streamlines the air leaving the truck.

[@flyovercounty1427]

The National Research Council of Canada tested this years ago. The flat back of cab creates more drag with the tailgate down.

[@brandtseyfert6811]

This comment is completely unrelated to the test, but at 15:44, there is a black Suzuki X90 in the background. It might be the nicest one I've ever seen. You guys should get one of those for the off-road channel and see what it can do.

[@bigalbranim614]

I would love to see you guys put a lift on it and test the MPGs

[@johnfeight2123]

The engineers designed the truck to get better mpg with a tailgate up versus it being down if it got better mpg down they would sell it to you with no tailgate not to mention they are always looking for ways to get better gas mileage to beat the competition. Besides if tailgates did better down don’t you think we would have been doing this a long time ago? I think so but thanks for the proof that engineers know how to build a truck to get the best mpg.

[@hamiltonadventures8537]

Question. Did someone clean the speedometer off with a rake? Looks like it's been to war and back. 5:44

[@pieorion883]

This has been proven time and time again. A quick Google search will show a dozen different sources showing this.

[@kennethnash598]

When you have you tailgate up, as you drive at highway speeds it creates a vortex in your truck bed which causes the air flow to flow over your truck.

[@steinwaymodelb]

We gotta know though... how much efficiency did you lose by adding those stickers? 😂

[@muskoxthe]

I always chuckle when I see people with their tailgates down nothing you know or when they have the mesh tailgate. Same thing with tow mirrors when they are not towing anything.

[@alanpilibosian1979]

Go back and watch the first few videos. The "control" has been as low as 19.5 mpg and as high as 22.6 mpg. Not at all scientific but still fun to watch....especially when these two argue!

[@tomermahlis12]

Windows up and good ,light ,narrow and smallest tyres will make the biggest difference

[@michaelblock3998]

Good banter! Love guys giving each other shit!!

[@stringbladestudios]

I like these tests. I’m wondering if you group the different tests together vs control to see how the cumulative effect

[@desertfresh3740]

I love the way he said the tow mirrors *down* and not out. Because he is thinking expressly of Dodge owners.

[@anthonyc1883]

Kase and Alex: cats and dogs, lol. Thanks, guys!

[@RedneckDeluxe]

The air circulates in the bed with gate up creating a bubble. I found this out by opening the rear sliding window while bed had leafs in it. Them damn leafs blew in and it was a mess.

[@sking2173]

I’ll bet you didn’t do that but once !!

[@TroyBoyReviews]

No backup camera, you have obviously never tried backing up to a bumper pull trailer. Back up cameras super nice. (And yes I know sometimes people get lucky and first try backing up to a trailer first try. Good luck doing that everytime)

[@chuckgrenci6404]

Eight percent better mileage with the liftgate up; that is significant (and was proven already by the MythBusters) so I didn't see the need for skepticism that was inferred.

[@baconmcbacon62]

I absolutely love the turd and turf graphics. They make me laugh. 10/10 I’d buy a turd and turf bumper sticker.

[@samrowe3170]

Don’t forget about the Red tow hooks on the front that was add.

[@stevendobbs7318]

I like seeing these tests repeated accurately but I would love to see a 5.7 hemi tested. I have done many of the same things with mine trying to see what gets better and it’s not always the same things that get better or worse. I took my chin spoiler off for the ground clearance and actually noticed better mpg. I put a soft roll cover on and there was marginal improvement. This is on a 2019 ram 1500 classic big horn 4x4 crew cab 6.5 bed 5.7 hemi so it is way heavier and different aerodynamic.

[@nf100]

i have a '13 ram 1500 crew cab w/short bed. didn't really notice an mpg diff from reg bed and when i had the lo roll on. did get 24mpg doing 70 from florida to va tho...... very flat roads helped

[@jnmaher1967]

Great shoulder room in Stubby.

[@mrmrlee]

Tailgate nets used to be very popular as a gas saving accessory, guess they didn't work after all.

[@PinealPinePineapple]

Interesting results! Will you please try mpg loop on a dirty muddy truck vs freshly washed??

[@Constabruity]

Just by weight the clean truck will do very slightly better.

[@spcneary]

I love these videos, I am always calculating my mpg and looking for little hacks and ways to alter my driving. If you guys put smaller tires overinflated and a topper on the truck you could probably add 3 or more mpg to the cruising efficiency.

[@theirthereandtheyre2947]

I went to a 245/75/17 and my mpg have gone up. Trip computer says 775 miles per tank. ( 32 gallon )

[@chriscon8463]

What kind of truck? I’ve got a set of those from my Jeep that I’m considering putting on my Ranger.

[@theirthereandtheyre2947]

@@chriscon8463 2021 Ram 1500 Warlock V6

[@Justin_Holt]

It's possible that with tailgate down that that air coming over the cab is giving more surface to create downforce that would normally pass over the closed tailgate.

[@markmccarty9793]

One thing I would like to point out from personal experience. If you want to keep your tailgate, put it up! Took replacing the gate on 2 different trucks. Accidents happen.

[@michaelmurphy4253]

Nice test of the Aero Turdster. Dumb Friends has an event May 6th...you could cover the tail end.

[@leezep9794]

Don't forget the door windows rolled up vs rolled down

[@chanchkj]

I remember an old mog test. I remember they got the best mpg by covering the back half of the bed, and leaving the front half open.

[@Dan-vh8yh]

Yes, I think it was a bonneville run with an s10

[@brianm5753]

That surprising. I thought it was gonna be more efficient

[@wompa70]

Wind resistance is a killer of MPG. The vehicle shape is key. You could get completely different results using a crew cab. Or you might not.

[@jameseroh6544]

Self absorbed kids! They don't understand that backup cameras give drivers the information to prevent backing over people! The back up beepers were stupid and useless. Otherwise, the video presentation is very good. And earned a thumbs up.

[@grahamrothphotography]

These guys are hilarious together, keep them together for videos

[@FranklinHicks-qs4gs]

Lies

[@mrsully21]

Haven’t watch the video but shout out to myth busters. Definitely the tail gate up.

[@nathanielmoore87]

How much more fuel efficient is tonneau cover on vs off and tailgate up? Also, how would a topper compare?

[@shitloveaduck]

They already did the tonneau cover comparison. I run a canopy on my trucks. It is at best a trade off, but generally I get worse fuel economy. The big flat (ish) back of the combination generates a lot of drag. Plus you have a few hundred pounds in/on the back of the truck all the time. I have never gotten better fuel economy with a canopy on. This is with GM, Ford, Ram (Dakota) and Nissan (Frontier). The GM and Ford were both full size half tons.

[@bobw9297]

If you want a good test with that truck, try 75 to 55, and you will be very surprised I have that truck, but 2-wheel drive up here in Canada

[@williamsisk2897]

I remember the 90s fad with removing the tailgate and installing the orange mesh net.

[@BlazerBrass]

Have you guys ever done the test loop back to back and change nothing between runs? Might be worth trying just for peace of mind.

[@HAHA.GoodMeme]

lol the banter between these two is great.

[@WW-wf8tu]

Better than the Roman Rants every day of the week. lol

[@BillChase-qm8ud]

I tried this with my old Dodge D100 i filled the tank for two weeks with the tail gate off and with the tail gate up in place. off only gave me a extra .3 mpg per tank. wasn't worth it in the long run

[@Therearethosewhocallmetim78]

Love these comparisons!

[@hanzhenry5818]

Single Cab 🎉.. solution. Pass it on..lol El Camino style cubby area behind Seat.. Get Brian Shaw to be the model. To where even he doesn't need the farthest back seat setting. And can still recline the seat reasonably. This is how big a cab should be. Or to put it another way, upscale the size!. Picture an old little lady, driving a land yacht, barely able to see over the steering wheel. Vehicles need to be sized using larger drivers as the minimum. Personally, at 6'3" 250lbs, I'm stuck with paying more for bigger vehicles. When just an extra 8 inches of seat range would suffice.

[@JPOC226]

Does usning the 'Tow/Haul' button acutally do anything / Does it effect fuel economy when not towing?

[@bostondan77]

Nice one guys, thanks.

[@paladin11C40]

Go figure, truck makers actually used research when they put tailgates on these trucks. There is also a reason the back of the truck is higher than the front, so its level when you put a load in it.

[@OneNationUnderGod.]

Thing I don't like about the tailgate being down is you'll get rock chips in the paint.

[@ffl1409]

Engineering Explained settled this over a decade ago with a simple explanation. Pretty sure Mythbusters did too.

[@g2theb584]

If I recall that's the same result from Mythbusters. Worse mpg with tailgate down.

[@frankmartin1325]

5:45 How the heck did the instrument cluster glass got so many scratches??

[@jeffburtonnottheracecardriver]

Some people still don't know that there is a gas cap hanger on their fuel door... as seen in your video 15:55

[@williamfurlan9176]

Any plans on this evolving into a hypermile series?

[@WillPittenger]

They'd be more accurate measuring the fuel usage if they weighed it before and after a trip. Easiest way to do that is to simply weigh the entire truck.

[@douglasvieira1990dv]

Watching you two bicker might have been the best part of the video haha !!! 😂

[@davidmilhouscarter8198]

10:42 Tailgate open increases drag.

[@racingfortheson]

Y’all have scratched the 💩 out of the gauges screen.

[@machfive916]

Very surprising result.

[@zachlafond2652]

Do a test with and without ceramic coating. I bet at 70 or 80mph it makes a difference.

[@ianbaillie6378]

So, when are you guys going to reinstall the bed cover, cover the truck in clay, and cut it out to make it look like a giant golf ball, to see how close you can get a gas pickup truck to the 30 mpg mark?

[@dazlion2]

Common, don't just drop the gas cap on the truck. There's a hook on the fuel door for that. Good vid although

[@TaigaTurf]

Definitive proof now Excellent video

[@jnmaher1967]

Dino care graphic would look great on Stubby

[@the_jarmel]

Happy THURSDAY EVERYONE ✌️ HAVE A GOOD ONE.......THANKS ALEX AND KASE 🙏....😍

[@thatdudeinblackshoes]

Skip to 16:30 for the results. Tailgate up 21.79 tailgate down 20.15

[@guybrown1865]

I watched a guy with his tail gate back up his truck into a steel post, so if he had saved money he just lost it. Guy Canada 🇨🇦

[@spartanchirho]

Love these comparisons! I guess wrong...

[@299charles]

Wow I just filled up Mon Central Fl $3.19 per Gal……$5 that’s Highway robbery!

[@ZaKattack52]

I wonder if the results change based on the model of the truck

[@arenjay3278]

My Bolt in the more North part of Canada at $4 a gallon has averaged 1125 mpg. $224 over 62000 miles.

[@christianglaude6659]

Seriously When are you going to take the door handles off , tape the gap and do a test to see if those stupid EV door handles are really worth the hassle . PS; Red tow hooks was an upgrade 😅

[@jefferp]

Without even watching this first…….if tailgate down or off increased mileage, it would be an extra cost option as much as the manufactures live and die by those numbers.

[@CrankyOldNerd]

it'd be neat if you switched to Gallons per 100 MI measurement, it's a more accurate measurement on improvement then MPG is.

[@TraconWizard]

I'd like to know if pulling a 5th wheel would using a net or airgate improve mileage? Sure looks like the front of 5er is pushing air down into bed.

[@egresk1]

How did TFL get so many scratches on the Clear Plexiglass gauge cluster in the truck? It looks like it was attacked by Freddie Krueger.

[@cashman37able]

Wow look at the scratches on the speedo lens. Or is it dirty?