kingkoz

would a truck cap give me better mpg than nothing? ( no cap or tonneau cover) i have a 97 f150 4.6l V8

dstryr

I have read and heard that a shell or cover would help. Here's a link to another discussion on it.


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...elp-11807.html

General Lee

I think it will give you an extra 1-2mpg maybe.... that's if you can deal with the looks and the hassel of opening it all the time.... but thats just me

Bondo

It can be raised and driven in a camper shell configuration too. Gas mileage does go back down when it is driven raised up. Lower in back into the aero position, you go back to 22-23 mpg on the freeway, 18.5 combined.

apoirier594

Mythbusters concluded that the gate down the the worst and the best was with one of those mesh gates

AZFX4

That is the ugliest camper or cover, whatever you want to call it in the world... I hate to bash the poor F150.. but it makes it look like a Prius.....

But I have heard caps or covers can give you maybe 1mpg? But.. that's just what people have said.

General Lee

I'm sorry but why?????

MustangAndy

Out of the 5 different options we have:

• Open bed
• No tailgate/ turbo net
• Cap
• Soft tonneau
• Hard tonneau

I've read somewhere that the soft cover works best. The cap and hard cover add weight with the cap being the worst offender obviously, while the no gate/turbo net take off weight and "supposedly" hurt your "downforce / drag coefficient" - take note of my air quotes.

Execut1ve

I gained 30 hp when I put my cap on!


but seriously, I think you will see an increase in fuel econ

akdoggie

I have a cap, and honestly maybe only see a 1/2 mile per gallon with shell. I prefer the tonneau (hardshell) over the shell cap myself. I have both, but since this shell was on the truck when I bought it, and the snow came too soon to change to the tonneau. I'll drive with the shell till spring. Besides, its snowing or was, and the shell keeps everything so nice and dry, where with a tonneau, you get snow inside almost everytime you open it. Well, we'll see with the 4.6 in the spring how the mpg goes, tonneau vs shell.

In my 90 F150, 5.0 AT, with the tonneau, mpg went up over 2 mpg over the shell and 3 without anything on back.