Tonnau cover..any gas savings?

stk10767 · 01-01-2005, 12:53 PM

I ordered the Access Cover Limited Edition for my Titan, do you think I will see any appreciable gas savings? I didn't have a cover on my Ford and that whole tailgate down thing never worked. Plus that makes it easier for the bed to warp and become loose.

Oh yeah, since some people's feelings were hurt on my first post, feel free to add me to your ignore list!

Thanks

TitanicSE · 01-01-2005, 12:55 PM

There have been tests that conclude the neither a tonno or tailgate down does anything for mileage.

Finnattic · 01-01-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanicSE

There have been tests that conclude the neither a tonno or tailgate down does anything for mileage.

For a while I believed and drove around with my tailgate down thinking it helped the aerodynamics thus better gas mileage. Turns out to my surprise some aerodynamic engineers ran some test and concluded it actually gives you worse gas mileage than if you drive with the tailgate up...

It appears test concluded tonneau covers increase gas mileage by 5 to 10%...

http://truck-bed-covers.com/Tonneau_..._save_fuel.htm

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/tailgate.html

**CaliforniaTitan** · 01-01-2005, 01:47 PM

We have the truxedo lo-pro and I can honestly say that we see no direct benefit n gas mileage...but that wasn't the reason we bought it.

Chris

Finnattic · 01-01-2005, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

We have the truxedo lo-pro and I can honestly say that we see no direct benefit n gas mileage...but that wasn't the reason we bought it.

Chris

Interesting...I just edited my post above about the tonneau...supposedly test have concluded a mileage gain. Hmmm very interesting

**CaliforniaTitan** · 01-01-2005, 01:56 PM

The results for us were on the '04...first three months we didn't have a cover..then we put the truxedo...we saw no improvement or at least nothing we could definately say where it helped.

Since we got the '05 the truxedo cover was put on the day we bought it (Transferred that and the step rails over form the '04).

Chris

Finnattic · 01-01-2005, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

The results for us were on the '04...first three months we didn't have a cover..then we put the truxedo...we saw no improvement or at least nothing we could definately say where it helped.

Since we got the '05 the truxedo cover was put on the day we bought it (Transferred that and the step rails over form the '04).

Chris

Thanks for the info...I suppose there are always the possibility of variables .

stk10767 · 01-01-2005, 02:51 PM

Well I didn't buy it for the gas savings, but I figured it may be a nice bonus.

Ape0r · 01-01-2005, 03:20 PM

You will not notice a difference. With an 8 foot box, you would save 207 gallons in 100k miles w/ a tonnaeu.. tonnoue...tonnwhatever. For me, getting ~19 mpg with my 8' Chevy, that would mean an average savings of ~0.78 miles/gallon.

The numbers come from some engineers' summit, and I can't remember the website, so no, I cannot back them up.

So, 19 vs. 19.7.

I've hit 21.5 drafting off of big rigs before, at 75-80 mph.

That said, the bed on the Titan is clearly not 8'! I doubt you will be able to tell the difference from the normal fluctuations in measurements from varied amounts of city/highway driving.

ICE17N24 · 01-01-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stk10767

I ordered the Access Cover Limited Edition for my Titan, do you think I will see any appreciable gas savings? I didn't have a cover on my Ford and that whole tailgate down thing never worked. Plus that makes it easier for the bed to warp and become loose.

Oh yeah, since some people's feelings were hurt on my first post, feel free to add me to your ignore list!Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by raskm

....Thanks for posting a pic. Now spend all your money on Mods!!!

Sound like your spending most of it on shipping.

I think you are following the advise of raskm. It's hard not to spend money on these trucks. My wife put the squash on any further purchases, FOR NOW

I also bought a cover, Extang RT. I hope to see the MPG increase but that is not why I bought it. The MPG increase will just be an additional benefit of the cover.

Later

SarkaZm · 01-01-2005, 04:39 PM

ICE, do you have pics of the Extang RT installed, or have you not received it yet? Just curious if you like it or not.
Thanks

ICE17N24 · 01-01-2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarkaZm

ICE, do you have pics of the Extang RT installed, or have you not received it yet? Just curious if you like it or not.
Thanks

It's in the mail. UPS states it'll be here on Mon 1/3. I'll take a pic when I get it put on and let you know what I think.

ICE

SarkaZm · 01-01-2005, 05:02 PM

ok thanks!

Finnattic · 01-01-2005, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ape0r

You will not notice a difference. With an 8 foot box, you would save 207 gallons in 100k miles w/ a tonnaeu.. tonnoue...tonnwhatever. For me, getting ~19 mpg with my 8' Chevy, that would mean an average savings of ~0.78 miles/gallon.

The numbers come from some engineers' summit, and I can't remember the website, so no, I cannot back them up.

So, 19 vs. 19.7.

I've hit 21.5 drafting off of big rigs before, at 75-80 mph.

That said, the bed on the Titan is clearly not 8'! I doubt you will be able to tell the difference from the normal fluctuations in measurements from varied amounts of city/highway driving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

The results for us were on the '04...first three months we didn't have a cover..then we put the truxedo...we saw no improvement or at least nothing we could definately say where it helped.

Since we got the '05 the truxedo cover was put on the day we bought it (Transferred that and the step rails over form the '04).

Chris

Ah 8' bed...that explains it.

Half Shovel · 01-01-2005, 09:02 PM

Tonneau here, no improvement in mileage. Sure like the K cover, though.
HS