This poll is for the mileage increase (or decrease) seen by installing some sort of bed cover. This sort of stems from the 600 MPG poll as I'm curious if adding a bed cover is actually worth the investment. A cover for me would be more of a hassle, but if I could get 2 or more mpg it may be worth the investment.

I drive approx 40k-50k a year with 90% of it at freeway speeds. So, adding a cover may REALLY be worth it……

Thanks for your responses!!!

 

NJ, I put a roll top on mine, never noticed an increase in MPG, but it only had around 2000 miles on it when I did it. So I can't really give it a fair evaluation. I can't see it not helping to put one on,but maybe not enough to justify buying one. I just did it for the convenience of not having a wet ot dirty load in the back,without the hassel of a topper...also something I could still use if I ever got a 5th wheel set up. Mark.

 

I looked at the roll top kind. They go for about $700 which isn't cheap but better then the velcro or snap kind, IMO.

I'll use the bed for my ATV and maybe some plywood, etc when doing odd projects and maybe for luggage on long trips. I like the locking feature with the roll top also.....it may just be a good choice for me if I can justify it with a MPG increase as an added bonus!

 

I have had tonneaus on my three previous trucks (01 PSD, 97 V10, and 96 1500 w/ 360, all 4WD).

I never noticed ANY difference in mileage in any of them, either before or after installation.

I have an Extang RT on order for this ride. Should be here anytime (famous last words! )

 

I put a hard fiberglass tonneau cover on mine when the truck only had 500 miles on it, so I can't say much about the mileage factor.

I imagine it cuts down on the tailgate drag.

I installed mine to keep cargo dry and out of the publics view, my cover locks and overlaps the tailgate far enough to act as a tailgate locking devise also.

Thats another question why don't they put a lock on these tailgates? DC could probably list it as a $100.00 option and make a few more $$$$. I have heard numerous tales of people coming back to their truck and finding that someone has stolen their tailgate.

Cheap replacement for someboby that bends one up I quess !

 

I read somewhere a while back where someone ran tests with different types of bed covers and the effect on milage. They do make a small increase in MPG, but when you consider how much they cost, they are not cost effective if that is your only reason for wanting one. My truck was new when I installed mine. My best guese would be about .5 MPG. I wish I could remember where I read about that test,

 

Put one on my S10 about two months after I bought it after making mpg checks at all fill ups to that point. After the cover was added I saw a 3 mph gain in the mpg.
I want to put one this truck but i'm using the bed too much to keep openning and closing it.

 

The web site I had bookmarked doesn't work anymore. They compared a pickup with a topper, tailgate up , tailgate down, tailgate removed and bed cover. If I remember correctly, there is a difference of 22% in drag between the bed cover and the topper. How that translates into differences in mpg is anyone's guess.

Bob

 

One of my camping neighbors had the cab high shell and put a 12' aluminum boat on it. His TT was behind that. He said the boat got him over 1mpg while towing. YMMV but it's a good excuse to buy a boat.

 

I put an access cover on my truck & I may have seen a small increase in fuel milage, If that's your only reason for getting one it probably isn't worth it.

It does seem to smooth the airflow over the front of my trailer, when meeting an 18 wheeler on a 2 lane road the air blast doesn't seem to affect the trailer as bad.

My main reasons to put it on was to protect whatever I had in the bed from the weather & from prying eyes & for the way it looks.
it was worth the $$$ for that IMO.