# Tailgates and wind resistance

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219 "2004-01-07T15:26:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219/1 "2004-01-07T15:26:28Z")

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Which gets the best mileage for my pickup: Tailgate up, tailgate off with a cargo net, tailgate up with the camper shell on?  
('91 Ranger with stick, small 2.3 liter engine, mostly highway driving.)

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219/2 "2004-01-07T15:31:28Z")

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**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219/3 "2004-01-07T15:37:55Z")

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Thanks, troub. Very informative.

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailgates-and-wind-resistance/223219/4 "2004-01-07T15:38:22Z")

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Oh, I thought this was just the standard tailgate question. I see you mentioned a shell. Assuming the camper shell is level with the roof of your truck, I would think that “tailgate up with camper shell on” would be fairly similar to just plain “tailgate up,” considering the stagnant air pocket in the bed that deflects air over the tailgate to the back of the vehicle. Instead of the air pocket, you’ve got the camper shell. The camper shell might actually be more turbulent, though (you don’t see many sports cars with big flat square rear ends?).