Driving with vs. without the tonneau bed cover

[Sylvester]

I have an extang trifecta signature bed cover which I used for few days after i purchased the truck. Now I decided to take it off just to see how it is and also rule out if some of the rattle is coming from there. While the rattle is still there, I really like the feel to drive without the cover much more. I can't name what it is exactly but the ride feels lighter and on top of that I dont have to worry about it getting wet and leak inside the bed when it is raining. Maybe it would be different with a cover which is more stable and more water proof. I might just keep driving without the cover and use the cover for times when I really need it. What are your experiences with your bed covers?

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[kw86er]

Cover on has less drag and better fuel economy. On the track some like to drop the tailgate or take it off to reduce drag, which seams intuitive but tailgate up is better than down or off and cover on is best.

 

[kw86er]

Cover on has less drag and better fuel economy. On the track some like to drop the tailgate or take it off to reduce drag, which seams intuitive but tailgate up is better than down or off and cover on is best.

I should note that this is from wind tunnel studies on regular pickups and the Mav could be different since the box is so short. There could be something happening with the extended cab and super short box that causes more drag.

 

[Sylvester]

Cover on has less drag and better fuel economy. On the track some like to drop the tailgate or take it off to reduce drag, which seams intuitive but tailgate up is better than down or off and cover on is best.

Quite honestly I haven't notice any difference on fuel economy between cover on of off.

 

[kw86er]

Quite honestly I haven't notice any difference on fuel economy between cover on of off.

Yeah I thought about it after I posted the Mav has quite a different shape than most trucks used for drag racing so I could be wrong. It would be interesting to do a controlled test.

 

[FriscoTXJoe]

Jacket on or jacket off, I bet the Maverick can scoot when necessary.

 

[Edge Haley]

I'd check to see if the tonneau came with weatherstripping seals around the edge of the tonneau. My tonneau (Gator Tri-fold) cover costs about 1/2 of what your and did and included a 1/2 inch D shaped rubber seal around the edges and have had ZERO water leaks in 2 years. Carpeted bed flooring so I'd know if it leaked.

Several tests have been done on wind resistance affecting MPG, etc and all have shown very minor effect of tail gate up or down but tonneau covers were found to help some with airstream.

 

[Esteban88]

Can't comment on MPG, but I find it Interesting that accessories like tonneau covers and bedliners were not used on pick-ups until sometime after the 1980's. Many had bed floors made from wood that were exposed to the weather. No one seemed to worry about it back then.

 

[FJM]

I have an extang trifecta signature bed cover which I used for few days after i purchased the truck. Now I decided to take it off just to see how it is and also rule out if some of the rattle is coming from there. While the rattle is still there, I really like the feel to drive without the cover much more. I can't name what it is exactly but the ride feels lighter and on top of that I dont have to worry about it getting wet and leak inside the bed when it is raining. Maybe it would be different with a cover which is more stable and more water proof. I might just keep driving without the cover and use the cover for times when I really need it. What are your experiences with your bed covers?

Living in upstate NY I knew I needed a cover. No way I was going to be hauling a full bed of snow. lol

 

[gp1200x]

If you are hearing rattles with the cover off check your floor hooks and any side hooks you installed. My small side moveable hooks would rotate up and down and hit the plastic bed liner over bumps and I could actually hear them inside the truck. I installed some liquid plastic around the mounting sleeves to tighten them up and the problem was solved.

 

[RonFLA]

Done both and it is negligible. Do it for convenience rather than MPG. You are doubling your lockable storage space!

 

[Timothyd]

Can't comment on MPG, but I find it Interesting that accessories like tonneau covers and bedliners were not used on pick-ups until sometime after the 1980's. Many had bed floors made from wood that were exposed to the weather. No one seemed to worry about it back then.

Nobody worried about a lot of stuff back then. Gas mileage, safety, emissions, a lot of stuff. I was a free range kid in the 60s and 70's, the parents had no idea where I was most of the time and we survived.

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