CAMPER NOT SITTING LEVEL

Fords are built the same way my 99 Super Duty the rails are higher in the rear.

Super_Dave wrote:
I watched the show, Myth Busters when they addresses the idea of getting better gas mileage in a pick up with the tail gate off. For technical reasons I won't try to explain, it turned out that the truck with the tail gate got better gas mileage. It had something to do with the vortex of wind turbulence created in the bed of the truck. Soooo, only a wild ass guess on my part but maybe the higher back is part of the engineering that goes into todays vehicles to try and milk every small mileage increase out of them that they can?

This is called the "bubble effect". GM did wind tunnel testing in the 60's to study the effect of tailgate up/down. MPG was better with tail gate in place.
Some College students may have repeated the test...I don't know if any collAge students have....(that probably would have led to mixed results!)

Here is the Mythbusters link

Here is a test done by a guy to find out if tailgate down improves mileage

Tailgate Up/Down and Gas Mileage
By ron.delong | Published: May 3, 2004

http://www.scangauge.com/tips-and-tricks/tailgate-updown-and-gas-mileage/

"The test was started when I passed milepost 15 and completed at milepost 20. I then went back the other direction pressing RESET at milepost 20 and noting the trip MPG at milepost 15.
The average of these two was taken for each condition, tailgate up, and tailgate down.

The results were surprising.

TAILGATE UP = 17.6 MPG
TAILGATE DOWN = 17.7 MPG

By surprising, I also mean disappointing.

Did the mileage go up with the tailgate down? Yes, but the amount is so small as to be statistically insignificant. A single gust of wind during one of the 10 mile runs could account
for this much difference."

My bet is aerodynamics. I have read reports of Collage students (engineering) using wind tunnels on trucks with tailgate up, down. camper shells, and bed covers. Every report I have read says best MPG is with the stock truck.

I will add, push bars, aftermarket bumpers, bug deflectors all have negative results.

Wayne

lap527 wrote:
Soooo.....can anyone tell me why the rails are made higher in the rear or the reasoning for it? We noticed it on ours and figured it was the TC.

Either aerodynamics, or styling.

In regards to the tailgate I thought i was crazy thinking I noticed a difference in my truck ride with tailgate off with no camper??

Super_Dave wrote:
I watched the show, Myth Busters when they addresses the idea of getting better gas mileage in a pick up with the tail gate off. For technical reasons I won't try to explain, it turned out that the truck with the tail gate got better gas mileage. It had something to do with the vortex of wind turbulence created in the bed of the truck. Soooo, only a wild ass guess on my part but maybe the higher back is part of the engineering that goes into todays vehicles to try and milk every small mileage increase out of them that they can?

why not? I can't think of another reason?

Must be a Dodge thing. My GMC is the same height front to back.

I watched the show, Myth Busters when they addresses the idea of getting better gas mileage in a pick up with the tail gate off. For technical reasons I won't try to explain, it turned out that the truck with the tail gate got better gas mileage. It had something to do with the vortex of wind turbulence created in the bed of the truck. Soooo, only a wild ass guess on my part but maybe the higher back is part of the engineering that goes into todays vehicles to try and milk every small mileage increase out of them that they can?

Soooo.....can anyone tell me why the rails are made higher in the rear or the reasoning for it? We noticed it on ours and figured it was the TC.