Tail Gate Up Or Down

[syclone1100]

So I was at the track on Wednesday nite and some friends of mine ask me why I didnt keep the tailgate down when I ran, I said everything I have read and heard says it really doesnt make that much of a difference but since I had allready made 1 run with the gate up why not put the tail gate down this one and see what happens... Well I get done , get my time slip and jump back in line to run again this time with the gate up, while waiting I compared the 1st run(tailgate up) to the 2nd(tailgate down) and sure enough I gained 2mph with the gate down as opossed to up. So just to make sure and to be scientific I put the tail gate back up make another run and I lost the same 2mph, I was going to make one more run with the gate down to hopfully get conclusive proof but a Civic (the 3rd one of the night) broke on the track and it ended mine and everyone ele's nite early as well as any notion of a 4th run... I thought I waould share my suedo experiment with the rest of you and see if anyone else has tried this, I tried a search and didnt find anything hopes this mite help some people....

 

[Six-is-Enough]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Do you have a tonneau cover??

 

[Bill Z]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Those guys on Myth Busters weren't running their trucks at 100+MPH when they scientifically tried their tailgate experiment. It must be the shape of our trucks vs the ones they tried.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Those guys on Myth Busters weren't running their trucks at 100+MPH when they scientifically tried their tailgate experiment. It must be the shape of our trucks vs the ones they tried.

I don't think its the shape of our truck that is different, but I imagine the increased speed affects the air flow past the cab. I think most of us have tonneau covers though.

 

[syclone1100]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Do you have a tonneau cover??

No open bed, I took the stock cover off cause it was kept getting slashed by jackass's, so it now sits nice and safe in my garage.... I havent found a hard cover that I really like so I guess the tail gate will come off at the next track day ...

 

[scrape]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

definetly down. it has to help and doesnt hurt anything. so why not take 2 seconds to drop the tailgate, or take it off and save weight and resistance.

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

definetly down. it has to help and doesnt hurt anything. so why not take 2 seconds to drop the tailgate, or take it off and save weight and resistance.

Why definitely down? Everything the mythbuster's have done has shown there is more drag on you truck with it down. I don't understand how he is running faster with it down, unless the air bubble in the bed isn't created in a short burst of speed, all their testing was done at a consistant 55 mph speed.

 

[wantingasy]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

I wouldnt trust everything mythbusters do :tup: Just because they do it and find out a result doesn't mean it's absolutely true. There are other aspects with different vehicles.

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

I've never found any fault in anything they do and they seem to be as fair and unbaised as you could be. Shoot they even retested it because people didn't believe them. But then again I think this tailgate up or down is apples and oranges to theirs.

 

[syclone1100]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Well as far as mythbusters goes I cant say yeah or neh, I will tell you that I had a dirty towel in the bed all night that I had forgotten about and it never moved from behind the drivers side corner of the bed... So that leads me to believe that the air is not forming a swirling pocket in the bed but rather its hitting the gate and cause some resistance... When I go back th the track I will have someone take some close up video of the bed as itt goes down the track...

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Maybe the towel was too heavy or in a spot where it was unaffected. Try putting a bunch of shredded paper or styrafoam peanuts back there and see what happens.

 

[scrape]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Maybe the towel was too heavy or in a spot where it was unaffected. Try putting a bunch of shredded paper or styrafoam peanuts back there and see what happens.

:rotf: i think the track officials would have a problem with that. it would be like driving in a snow storm for the guy whose doors your blowing off at the time. :rotf:

 

[SpoolingTurbo6]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

I was coming here to post the same thing :rotf:

TAILGATE UP :tup:

Those guys on Myth Busters weren't running their trucks at 100+MPH when they scientifically tried their tailgate experiment. It must be the shape of our trucks vs the ones they tried.

 

[Don W.]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

Interesting. My best run is 13 flat @ 103. tonneau cover off, gate up.

 

[It's just a six]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

I always run w/the tailgate down, no cover.
Opps,,, am I giving away my secrets? :rotf:

 

[syclone1100]

Re: Tail Gate Up Or Down

:rotf: i think the track officials would have a problem with that. it would be like driving in a snow storm for the guy whose doors your blowing off at the time. :rotf:

Yeah they wouldnt like that to much here they have enough trouble with all the honda's breaking at the 60ft mark and not stopping which leaves a mess all the way down the track for them to clean some honda owners just need a :slap: .... Im gonna tie some red marker flags to the bed and have someone record the run and see what happens....