A truck driver’s primary concern is ‘how can I save on gas?’ The weight of the cargo takes in all the fuel. Do Tonneau covers have the most distinctive quality of saving gas. It aids in dragging the material and the motion of the air effectively.
The article will help you understand how this phenomenon works and how truck drivers and owners of the trucks reap the benefits of a Tonneau cover.
What is a Tonneau Cover?
A Tonneau cover is a protective cover used for trucks to carry cargo. They are used to cover the open area and secure the goods.
Mythbusters Study
It was pointed out rightly by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman in the reality show, the experiment to understand which factor was a milestone for saving gas. The Mythbusters study was based on testing trucks with the tailgate down, no tailgate, mesh tailgate, and with a hard Tonneau cover. With the four factors in testing, the outcome shows us that the fuel efficiency rose to 3.6 % as against the other factors.
What Does a Tonneau Cover Do?
So ‘Does a Tonneau cover increase gas mileage?’ As we have understood from the Mythbusters experiment, Tonneau Cover does help in improving the fuel efficiency of the truck. It gives better gas mileage. By installing a Tonneau Cover, you are lowering the wind resistance. It lows the aerodynamics. The drag reduces. Drag is the phenomenon of opposing the truck’s motion through the air forced by aerodynamics. Once the drag lows, there is an increase in the movement of air and energy restoration.
How Does it Affect Your Truck’s Performance?
A truck’s energy gets utilized if the drag is higher. It means the engine is on the move eating up the fuel. A Tonneau cover helps to reduce the gust. It impacts the movement of air in the vehicle by reducing drag. The lesser the drag, the lesser the engine has to put force. When there is lesser engine work capacity, the engine can operate efficiently by giving higher mileage. Ultimately, it results in saving on fuel and gas.
Tonneau Covers Diminish Drag
The mechanical force from the vehicle to move through the air as it moves forward is aerodynamic drag. It is a force against which a vehicle surpasses all odds to accelerate forward. When the drag becomes more, the engine needs more force, and speed to move. The truck’s roof shape creates a problem. There are chances of the entrapment of the air. It results in decreasing the aerodynamic properties of a truck. It creates resistance making it difficult for the engine to move.
The design of the Tonneau cover results in reducing the aerodynamics drag. It allows the engine to run smoothly without much force diminishing the drag.
How Fuel Economy Improved Performance?
Fuel economy saves money and is a tool for better engine performance. How a driver maintains the vehicle and, uses it is equally crucial for the truck. The use of brakes and accelerators influences the output of the truck.
Driving on highways correlates with that power and air drag, the drag takes place due to the drag coefficient by the velocity cubed. When the vehicle slows down, it uses less power from the engine. But when there is a drag reduction, the truck can be driven in fifth gear, thus achieving better fuel economy. You can expect an increase in mileage from 3% to 25% to improve gas mileage.
Types of Truck Bed Covers
Truck bed covers are in different shapes and sizes. It depends upon the truck’s capacity and the cover’s durability. It also depends on the light weight of a soft cover. Below are different types of truck bed covers:
1. Roll Up Tonneau Covers
A roll-up Tonneau cover is a heavy-duty fabric. It is soft and can be rolled up when not used for making a bed for the pick-up truck. The roll-up Tonneau covers the supplies layer of security for the materials on the truck. It camouflages the cargo so that it is away from thefts and robbery. In rainy, dusty, and snowy areas; a roll-up Tonneau cover protects it from getting wet or damaged. The heavy-duty material cover can be used regularly and is easy to install with a simple screwdriver. ·
2. Folding Tonneau Covers
Folding Tonneau covers are available in bi-fold, tri-fold metal construction, and fabric cover. It is budget-friendly. It is easy to use and protects cargo protection. Its all-weather protection and resilient construction make it easy for truck drivers. It offers a drain system to keep moisture away from the cargo. It is flexible as it provides complete access to the driver to flip it open more than once. Folding Tonneau covers requires not more than 20 minutes to install and reinstall.
3. Single-Piece Solid Tonneau Covers
This kind of model offers strong and fits perfectly on the bed of the truck. These covers have a UV-protection system. They are strong and weather-tight. The dual locking system keeps the cover in place and the cargo as well. For first-time drivers install a Tonneau Cover which has an unparalleled and uncomplicated design to install. DoTonneau Covers have warranties and provide wall mounts for easy storage.
4. Expandable Tonneau Covers
When there is always an unknown amount of cargo, expandable Tonneau covers ease for the driver. It keeps the cargo safe and secured. It also offers an added security lock. It influences the heat loss resulting in fuel economy. It is weather-resistant to the sun, rain, and snow and will not damage the goods. The model comes in different stylish looks giving it a new look for the trucks. The easy-install cover comes in different colors to complement the truck’s color.
5. Hinged Tonneau Cover
The hinged Tonneau cover is from hardcover materials like hard plastic, aluminum, or fiberglass. A hinged Tonneau cover can be installed within 30 minutes with no tools required. All you need is to remove the shocks with the ball and join the snap. These kinds of covers are affordable and durable. It depends upon the model one chooses. It can go from a 3-digit price to 4 figures.
6. Tool Box Tonneau Cover
As usual, the toolbox Tonneau cover will come in 1.5 feet in length. You can opt for other shapes and sizes depending upon the requirement of the truck. This item of cover comes with locks. It is made up of more robust materials, from aluminum to fiberglass. The materials are kept inside the smaller area of the toolbox Tonneau cover keeps the material and the traveling safe. The items remain stable. It is apt for fragile goods.
How to Choose the Right Tonneau Cover?
Selecting the right Tonneau cover depends upon the business. If the business demands you to remain on the outskirts of the desert, your need will be accordingly. However, the following points will help you choose the apt Tonneau cover model.
- Hard or soft tonneau cover: If it is only for a shorter distance where the priority is not security, soft covers can work. A hardcover offers more safety and is weather-resistant.
- Easy to maintain: Select a truck Tonneau cover that is easy to maintain. It must be easily washable and away from attracting dirt.
- Easy to open and close: There is a lot of time wastage with installing the covers. Choose covers that offer opening and closing in a button’s time. Push-button covers have such facilities.
- Durability: Invest once with the cover having the best durability life and can withstand a load of cargo without much wear and tear.
How to Install a Tonneau Cover
With different types of truck bed covers, the crucial point comes about its installation. The following will help to know how to install a Tonneau cover without troubleshooting.
- Open the tailgate.
- Place the side rail onto the bed rail and clamp the side wall to the cab.
- If the need is, add shims.
- Focus on adding additional clamps
- Follow the same procedure for the second rail.
- Till you get a flat and centred bed, keep adjusting the rails.
- Add rubber seals to the cover to remove the gap between the cab and the cover.
- Place the cover over the rails.
- As per the chosen cover, unroll or unfold the cover.
- Tighten the bolt to the covers.
- Make sure the clamps are tight.
- Install over components like drainage tubes or any other additional components.
The purpose of a Tonneau cover is to provide a bed for the cargo and keep it safe and secured. Installing a Tonneau cover helps in the higher performance of the vehicles. It lowers the amount of drag due to air. A driver needs to follow good ethics in driving, and keep the engine oiled and up to date.
