Tonneau/MPGs

[commadorebob]

The Mythbusters also did their experiment on vehicles built before drag coefficient became a marketing term. The Maverick, regardless of how it is set up, is going to be more efficient pushing through the air than a 2006 Ford F-150. As such, trying to make it more efficient isn't going to do a whole lot. It's diminishing returns.

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[710-oil-614]

Research some other sources besides that show. I enjoyed some of the episodes too, but their conclusions weren’t always 100% accurate.

Provide some of your "sources" if they are readily available. I want to see the sources that have made you such a believer.

That being said - even IF they did increase MPG even marginally - I wonder if the EPA would allow a tonneau cover to be included in their test even if it was standard equipment seeing as it is an optional piece.

However they don't test convertibles with the top down, or vehicles with the windows open or closed, so that would be a tough needle to thread if they would object.

 

[Jah.]

I personally believe any mpg savings of drag resistance is off set by the weight addition of the tonneau cover . at least in my case . I have undercover armor tonneau . mpg remains the same for me in city and on highway . I Like it's utility and security .

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Look at the rear portion of the roofline of the maverick.. At the rear of where the ridges front to back of the roof end the roof bends down and the air flow will be directed to the top of the tailgate. The roof ridges will create turbulence as well as the shark fin and the center light. This combination most likely was arrived at an efficient drag reducing combination. Airflow considerations may also why the top of the tailgate is slightly raised at the back edge, ask engineering?
Think an air dam substitute for a sloping tonneau!

 

[K5Blazer]

Provide some of your "sources" if they are readily available. I want to see the sources that have made you such a believer.

That being said - even IF they did increase MPG even marginally - I wonder if the EPA would allow a tonneau cover to be included in their test even if it was standard equipment seeing as it is an optional piece.

However they don't test convertibles with the top down, or vehicles with the windows open or closed, so that would be a tough needle to thread if they would object.

Several dozen aerodynamic studies on the web.
Try putting some effort into researching by something other than the boob-tube.

On second thought, theres a lot of big words, and math, involved with some of the studies.

Most of the Mythbuster aficionados wouldn’t understand them anyway.

 

[710-oil-614]

Several dozen aerodynamic studies on the web.
Try putting some effort into researching by something other than the boob-tube.

On second thought, theres a lot of big words, and math, involved with some of the studies.

Most of the Mythbuster aficionados wouldn’t understand them anyway.

Here I was giving you a soft landing to state your case and you just....well, you did that.

Ooof.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Several dozen aerodynamic studies on the web.
Try putting some effort into researching by something other than the boob-tube.

On second thought, theres a lot of big words, and math, involved with some of the studies.

Most of the Mythbuster aficionados wouldn’t understand them anyway.

Study of math involves running into things like this: For a formal proof of this result see D. Cauer, Neue Anwendungen der Pfeifferschen Methode zur Abschätzung zahlentheoretischer Funktionen, Inaugural-Dissertation, Göttingen 1914, S. 38. Fork=2 (when the result includesa fortiori the corresponding results for 4, 6, ...) see E. Landau, Über die Anzahl der Gitterpunkte in gewissen Bereichen, Göttinger Nachrichten, 1912, S. 750.

 

[K5Blazer]

Study of math involves running into things like this: For a formal proof of this result see D. Cauer, Neue Anwendungen der Pfeifferschen Methode zur Abschätzung zahlentheoretischer Funktionen, Inaugural-Dissertation, Göttingen 1914, S. 38. Fork=2 (when the result includesa fortiori the corresponding results for 4, 6, ...) see E. Landau, Über die Anzahl der Gitterpunkte in gewissen Bereichen, Göttinger Nachrichten, 1912, S. 750.

Don’t forget Fahrvergnügen

 

[RockHoundTX]

My cover does not go nearly that far back. If I have mine all the way to the window, there is a gap at the tailgate. Looking at it from underneath, I can have either the front seal touching the bed or the back seal touching the tailgate but not both. This is consistent with the 3 or 4 covers I have seen in person as well as about a dozen or so posts on this forum. Yours is the longest I have seen. When was yours built? I wonder if this is an issue that has been fixed and I just got an old stock?

 

[RockHoundTX]

Wow! i think that post's like this are 1 of the main reason i like hanging around here. way to drop that science.
considering your points about managing airflow, are there any beneficial effects to be had from a roof wing with or without a bed cover?
also i'd be interested in your thoughts on front hood 'bug deflectors'. i'm not referring to protective 'hood bras' , but rather the ones ostensibly designed to deflect/redirect airflow (and thus bugs) away from the windshield? do they work or are they just cosmetic?

In general, a wing just increases your frontal cross-sectional area. They work on trucks pulling trailers since they help direct the airflow over what is already a larger cross-sectional area than the truck itself. If you talk to any truckers (my mom was a long-haul trucker for nearly 10 years) they will tell you that with a wing they loose MPG when dead-heading (no trailer) or with a flatbed but get better MPG (relatively) when pulling a big box.

In general, a bug deflector that actually works is going to be detrimental to MPG. For a deflector to work well, you want the air going up as fast and quickly as possible in order to give the bug/rock/etc time to change its direction and momentum. This causes the air to "over-shoot" the roof and thus is effectively increasing your cross-sectional area again. For best MPG, you want the air to flow as smoothly as possible over the roof. In this scenario, the bug that was aiming for the middle of your window now hits 2/3 up the window but still goes splat. Is is possible to put a "front hood device" on that increase MPG? Probably. But a company would need to dedicate a whole ton of time and $$$ to do so (the cost of renting out a wind tunnel large enough to put a Maverick in is pretty $$$$$). There are tools for doing solid modeling but the results are only as good as the input (and use of large amounts of compute to do fluid-flow analysis can be pretty expensive).

As others have said, your driving style, speed, weather condition, and roads you travel likely make up 90% of the variability in mileage. Of course, there is always the question of "if I keep to the speed limit, driving in calm winds, and hyper-mile as much as is safe, what else can I do to increase gas mileage and by how much?". In general, 10%-15% improvement is probably pretty easy (relatively speaking). This likely includes a front air dam, some sort of cover for the underbody, wheel-well covers, and some sort of "extender" behind the tailgate. There are several websites/Discords/Reddits devoted to doing exactly this. Just make sure to put your big-boy pants on before going there. If you think the discussion can be contentious on this site, you have not seen anything yet ;-) Accidentally mis-type Euler's equation and you would think that you just sacraficed someone's new-born.

 

[gp1200x]

My cover does not go nearly that far back. If I have mine all the way to the window, there is a gap at the tailgate. Looking at it from underneath, I can have either the front seal touching the bed or the back seal touching the tailgate but not both. This is consistent with the 3 or 4 covers I have seen in person as well as about a dozen or so posts on this forum. Yours is the longest I have seen. When was yours built? I wonder if this is an issue that has been fixed and I just got an old stock?

I either threw out or lost the original instructions which may have been dated but I saw that it was purchased (T3 Soft Trifold Cover) on April 28, 2023 directly from Tyger for $215.10.
It came with a cloth bag for storage although I doubt it would ever be used. Someone said theirs came with a bottle of protectant - mine did not. For $215 shipped to my house it was hard to beat price wise. If you did not order from Tyger it is hard to tell how old yours could be. The price is $239 now but the 10% discount is still out there for new buyers. I would call them and complaint and show them my pictures versus yours (mine are crummy but can retake with sunlight if needed)...maybe they did rework the unit recently to give it more length since your bed size has to be exactly the same as mine. I don't think Ford made any changes to the bed design or plastic top rail since it was first introduced.

 

[Old Ford Guy]

In general, a wing just increases your frontal cross-sectional area. They work on trucks pulling trailers since they help direct the airflow over what is already a larger cross-sectional area than the truck itself. If you talk to any truckers (my mom was a long-haul trucker for nearly 10 years) they will tell you that with a wing they loose MPG when dead-heading (no trailer) or with a flatbed but get better MPG (relatively) when pulling a big box.

In general, a bug deflector that actually works is going to be detrimental to MPG. For a deflector to work well, you want the air going up as fast and quickly as possible in order to give the bug/rock/etc time to change its direction and momentum. This causes the air to "over-shoot" the roof and thus is effectively increasing your cross-sectional area again. For best MPG, you want the air to flow as smoothly as possible over the roof. In this scenario, the bug that was aiming for the middle of your window now hits 2/3 up the window but still goes splat. Is is possible to put a "front hood device" on that increase MPG? Probably. But a company would need to dedicate a whole ton of time and $$$ to do so (the cost of renting out a wind tunnel large enough to put a Maverick in is pretty $$$$$). There are tools for doing solid modeling but the results are only as good as the input (and use of large amounts of compute to do fluid-flow analysis can be pretty expensive).

As others have said, your driving style, speed, weather condition, and roads you travel likely make up 90% of the variability in mileage. Of course, there is always the question of "if I keep to the speed limit, driving in calm winds, and hyper-mile as much as is safe, what else can I do to increase gas mileage and by how much?". In general, 10%-15% improvement is probably pretty easy (relatively speaking). This likely includes a front air dam, some sort of cover for the underbody, wheel-well covers, and some sort of "extender" behind the tailgate. There are several websites/Discords/Reddits devoted to doing exactly this. Just make sure to put your big-boy pants on before going there. If you think the discussion can be contentious on this site, you have not seen anything yet ;-) Accidentally mis-type Euler's equation and you would think that you just sacraficed someone's new-born.

thanks so much for your explanation. i think i'll skip the wing and bug deflector and just go with a hood bra, some of them do add a little front hood edge protection and they have a certain aesthetic appeal to my eye.

 

[Jman79]

They also did one where they made the body of a car like a golf ball, and were surprised at the MPG increase. Good episode.

I watched both back in the day, great show. Think we can get them out of retirement to do a special and bust all the myths about Mavericks and Delivery.

- If your order previews before Thursday you'll get scheduled in that round.
- Does ditch the hitch really work?
- true mpg for all drive train permutations
- what does it take to set a hybrid on fire? (Too far?)
- etc

 

[Jman79]

A cover spoiler combo works wonders.

Bro, I totally read the same article proving it out. It was this one right?

 

[That Yella Fella]

I personally believe any mpg savings of drag resistance is off set by the weight addition of the tonneau cover . at least in my case . I have undercover armor tonneau . mpg remains the same for me in city and on highway . I Like it's utility and security .

The sexiest tonneau available, no doubt... way outta my price range though

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