Sorry if this has been hashed through before but...
Has anyone done a milage comparison with and without a canopy on their pickup? Do the aerodynamics of a good canopy balance out the extra weight at some point? How much does your canopy weigh and what size is it? I am sure that the larger the truck the less difference it would make.
Thanks for the input.
Stephen
I too have a large canvas canopy that I park my truck under. When I go anywhere, I have always left the canopy at home. However, I will permanently attach it and take it with me on my next trip. I'll get back to you and let you know how I came out on the mileage. Personally, I think it will lower my mileage drastically and may even have a negative effect on my acceleration.
I haven't noticed any difference. 1993 F-150, 300 I6, 5-speed manual. I always get in the range 14-18 MPG (with 15-16 being most common) on a tank of gas. The truck came with a soft tonneau cover. I usually had the cover on but sometimes left it off. This past summer I bought an aluminum cap (as we call them here). The cap doesn't weigh much (one or two people can lift it easily) and the top of it is level with the roof of the cab. I also have a boat rack on the cab and bed. (The boat rack is one of the ones listed at
Well I bought a Fibrobec Prospector color matched fiberglass cap for my truck last September. I have a 2001 Ranger 4.0- SOHC 4x4 Premium Off Road Package (now known as thew FX4 Level 2). Anyways, I was averaging according to my spreadsheet in excel about 14MPG at the time (those damn 4.10 gears on the truck kill my mileage.) Since having the cap installed my milage has never dipped below 15MPG, with an average of 16.5MPG and a high of 19MPG. The only time my mileage hits 14MPG now is when I drive in 4x4 mode for extended periods, but thats always dropped mine down to12-13mpg anyway.
Hope this helps, they're worth it for storage, mileage, etc.... Just don't but a shit aluminum one if you get one, fiberglass ones are better, last longer, look better, are much lighter. Good Luck.
-BD
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