18" 2006 King Ranch wheels, spare in bed, tailgate removed, tailgate net installed.

[2001_F250]

Some changes have been made in the last couple of months. Tinted my front windows, trade in my GA7's for 18" 2006 King Ranch wheels, secured the spare in bed ($15 - wheel chocks and ratchet tie down straps), removed my tailgate, and installed a tailgate net. Should see some improvement in mpg due to wheels, and weight and drag reduction from the tailgate swap.

Next up I'll most likely be doing removable roof racks (like Yakima's) with driving lights, light bar with lights, and rear facing lights for towing and backing up (hard to see with nonfunctioning reverse lights and windows tinted 20%).


Before (04/02/12):







After (06/18/12):

[Brew_WY]

Would you be willing to do some testing with the tailgates? I could deffinetly see you picking up some MPG's from the wheel swap, if there was a significant weight savings going to the KR wheels. I know when "Mythbusters" did MPG testing over the tailgate myth, they busted it. But that was also testing in 1/2 ton pickups vs. a superduty. Basically they said removing the tailgate/laying it down increased drag because it changed the air flow characteristics over the bed. Normally with the tailgate up a "cushion" of air develops behind the cab and deflects air over the top of the tail gate. When the tailgate is let down, the "cushion" of air can't develop and air flow drops in to the bed of the truck in increases downforce/drag on the pickup. I will see if I can find a link to the vid. I understand if your not willing to do the testing as it can be inconvenient. I was just curious and currently do not have my own PSD to test this on.

[Brew_WY]

Here is a link to the shows site. They have a picture of a SD but they tested this in F-150's.

Mythbusters Website

Haha...answered my own question.

Was searching for their original video and ran across a different one. Apparently they revisted this myth in a later season and found a 5% gain in MPG with the mesh net. Looks like testing was done in a early 2000's Dodge Dakota.

Video Link

Video Link

[2001_F250]

Unfortunately, our trucks are so heavy that removing the tailgate isn't really taking off as much weight as it would be for a smaller truck (only about 70 lbs. out of 7200 lbs.). Also, our cabins are so big that I really doubt you'll see much of a reduction in air drag. And if there was some air drag in the first place, I don't think it would really cause enough of a drag on the powertrain to reduce fuel economy.

I would love to do some comparisons with tailgate down+net, with tailgate up, and with no tailgate+net. But unfortunately, almost all of my driving is in the city, I tend to ***** it around town every once in a while, and the amount of fuel in my tank is directly correlated to the amount of money in my account (which tends to fluctuate every so often). If I take my truck on a roadtrip this summer I might test it out though.

[Brew_WY]

Yeah I wasn't overly concerned with the weight savings on the SD from removing the tailgate, thats why i didn't mention it. I was more interested in just a comparison of stock tailgate up versus the net. Let us know what kind of a MPG change you get with the changes you made to your truck.

[TheFordman87]

I'm curious did you have to put wheel spacers on with the KR wheels since your truck is older?

[2001_F250]

You're supposed to, to keep the wheels from rubbing ('05+ had wider axles IIRC). Also it looks a bit odd, but so far it seems as if they only rub at full lock. I think it's better on the 4x2's due since they don't have leaf springs like the 4x4's had.



As for the fuel economy, so far I've noticed a good difference but I think thats mostly due to my wheel swap.