To tailgate spoiler or not to tailgate spoiler... That is the question.

[Hot Runr Guy]

You know, Ford just had a 25% discount on accessories,,,,,,

But, if the wife is paying, go for it!

HRG

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[Beaudanone]

I say yes! it adds a nice little flair to the tailgate, I have the ford one wich i believe is the Air Design one and it works perfect with my tonneau cover wich is the hard tri fold one by Ford also and i didn't have to modify anything. If you are doing it for looks then i say YES!

 

[cyberdog]

The bigger question I have is will the tailgate spoiler interfere with the tonneau cover seal along the top of the tailgate? - It's effectively razing the height by the thickness of the material & double sided tape. My rolling/cannister cover sits fairly tight on the top of the tailgate, and may not fit with the spoiler.

I know Mabett, and likely Maxzina are coming out with significantly lower cost versions, and I'd love to know if there is an issue in clearance with a tonneau cover. I already have the Mabett cab spoiler, like the way it looks, and seems to keep rain off the rear glass.

 

[Escapologist]

Nah, but I am in favor of a large swing out stop sign!

I would like this post but am afraid google would see and then I'd be flooded with "Hot schoolbus wreckers in your area" ads.

 

[JP4AZ]

That would be a No for me. I got the roof spoiler because I had points to burn. I just don't think that a spoiler on the tailgate is necessary.

 

[Timothyd]

Definitely a no for me. What is the purpose of a spoiler on a truck? Just for looks? Would spend that money for other improvements.

Helps your friends and kids go skitching in the winter.

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

Helps your friends and kids go skitching in the winter.

This member has the skitching accessory figured out,,,,,

HRG

 

[TORQUERULES]

The bigger question I have is will the tailgate spoiler interfere with the tonneau cover seal along the top of the tailgate? - It's effectively razing the height by the thickness of the material & double sided tape. My rolling/cannister cover sits fairly tight on the top of the tailgate, and may not fit with the spoiler.

I know Mabett, and likely Maxzina are coming out with significantly lower cost versions, and I'd love to know if there is an issue in clearance with a tonneau cover. I already have the Mabett cab spoiler, like the way it looks, and seems to keep rain off the rear glass.

I know that it will not work with my current cover. I'd have to get a different one.

 

[WJOHNM]

The bigger question I have is will the tailgate spoiler interfere with the tonneau cover seal along the top of the tailgate? - It's effectively razing the height by the thickness of the material & double sided tape. My rolling/cannister cover sits fairly tight on the top of the tailgate, and may not fit with the spoiler.

I know Mabett, and likely Maxzina are coming out with significantly lower cost versions, and I'd love to know if there is an issue in clearance with a tonneau cover. I already have the Mabett cab spoiler, like the way it looks, and seems to keep rain off the rear glass.

I think that it will interfere with the over-the-top covers as you said, my cover is not leaking now, lift the center even a quarter inch it could leak on the sides and make it diffcult to close the tailgate.
As for saving MPG its documented that a cover saves about 5% fuel cost what's that spoiler going to save another quarter%? I do like the look but the average person won't even notice it. If you have a inside mounting cover not over the top type go for it if you like the look don't expect to get better MPG, that's just a excuse you tell your wife.

 

[Aherpa]

At speeds below 90-100 mph spoilers have little aerodynamic effect other than increasing the drag co-efficient.
They are for looks only unless your on a closed circuit race track and need the down force.

Gravel road dirt, dust kick up, zero effect.

OK, must be something else keeping the back of the truck cleaner then.

 

[Cherokee]

A short old school observation.
I put on the Ford roof spoiler last spring. Last winter after about a 4 inch snowstorm the top of
the tailgate had about 4 inches of snow on it, which I left on to see if the roof spoiler had any effect on getting the air over the tailgate. Left for work, about 5 mile country run. The roof spoiler is angled down at the sides. The snow on the tailgate was blown off about 6-8 inches on either end, the rest of the snow made it to work.
So I guess the roof spoiler does keep 70% or so of the air hitting the tailgate. Probably more at highway speeds. A little added benefit I would say.

Study done long ago, Racing wind tunnel data as follows:
Tail gate down vs tail gate up and a look at wind tunnel data.

Tail gate down :
That creates a big vacuum. The flat back of the cab plus the flat front of the bed becomes one big flat back creating a rather large vacuum. Tractor trailers deal with this In the extreme with back doors towering above the axles.

Tail gate up creates a bubble of rather still air that’s trapped in the bed. Air flows smoothly over the cab as long as there is no roof top spoiler.
Then over that bubble. The flat vertical rear of the pick up is now only the tail gate.
Tail gate UP greatly reduces areo drag.

A spoiler on the tailgate creates lots of turbulence. Not good for aerodynamics.
At Speeds above 90 a spoiler starts pressing down on The trucks rear end.

Without front lower spoilers the rear spoiler alone at speeds above 100 can destabilize the vehicle.

Here Endeth the Lesson.

 

[MaverickDragon]

Here Endeth the Lesson.

Perhaps an extra credit option...
I recall similar results to the study you mention.
I've also seen estimates for tonneau covers improving aerodynamics (5% to 10%) when they cover the truck bed. This would seem to be in conflict with the "bubble in the bed" thanks to the tailgate up improvement...

I also looked up the Maverick drag coefficient which is estimated at .348, which is actually very good for a pickup truck. A typical passenger car is ~ 2.5 to .3.
The F150's number is around .44.

 

[Escapologist]

I also looked up the Maverick drag coefficient which is estimated at .348, which is actually very good for a pickup truck. A typical passenger car is ~ 2.5 to .3.
The F150's number is around .44.

Where did you find that? AI on all the search engines keeps pulling up an article about the Transit Connect which quotes it for that, and mentions the Maverick in passing later, but doesn't actually give Maverick cD. But the AI does it's "authoritatively wrong" thing and asserts that that is the Maverick's cD.

 

[Timothyd]

Definitely a no for me. What is the purpose of a spoiler on a truck? Just for looks? Would spend that money for other improvements.

It will help your rear tires get better traction when you go over 150mph.

 

[MaverickDragon]

Where did you find that? ... doesn't actually give Maverick cD. But the AI does it's "authoritatively wrong" thing and asserts that that is the Maverick's cD.

I looked at a lot of sites and I don't recall where I found that, but I don't recall a mention of the Transit Connect. The F150 (likely due to being around a long time) is easier to find numbers for, and there is a lot of data on other full size trucks where comparisons are made, albeit with some variability.

The Ram 1500 (no year specified) was listed at .36, so the lower profile shape of the Maverick would seem to be an improvement, leading me to believe that the .348 number may be at least in the ballpark. Maybe/maybe not, but I suspect it might even be lower.

Ford hasn't released any "official" number as far as I can tell, (and I looked!) but regardless, with the Maverick being a much smaller vehicle than the full size pickups, and also lower, the overall drag force (rather than the coefficient) will certainly be considerably less, but let's face it, the Maverick or any other pickup truck isn't designed to be a jet aircraft.

If you look at what is required to calculate the cD, it is dependent on a lot of variables, that may result in a different figure just by using a different wind tunnel, so an "absolute" number is very likely to be listed with caveats, or at least it should be.

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