Okay, here’s my experience with tailgate nets for pickup trucks, told in a casual, blog-style format:
So, I’ve had this old pickup for a while now, and I’m always lookin’ for ways to make it a little better, you know? One thing that always bugged me was gas mileage. I heard these tailgate nets could maybe help, so I figured, why not give it a shot?
The Hunt Begins
First thing I did was go down to the local auto parts store. I wanted to see this thing in person, touch it, and get a feel for the quality, I looked around and found a few different ones. Some were, like, super cheap, flimsy-looking things. Others were tougher, seemed like they could actually last. I didn’t want to waste my time with something that would fall apart in a month, also I didn’t want to waste money.
Making a Choice
I ended up grabbing one that felt pretty sturdy. It wasn’t the cheapest, but it wasn’t crazy expensive either. It had these, like, heavy-duty straps and buckles. I figured, that’s gotta be good, right? Stronger is better!
Installation Time
Getting it on my truck was the next step. I’m no mechanic, but I’m pretty handy. I took the old tailgate off, First, I had to take off that heavy tailgate! That was a two-person job, Luckily, my neighbor helped me.
After that, It was pretty simple. You just kinda loop the straps around where the tailgate used to attach and buckle ’em down. I fiddled with it for a bit, making sure it was nice and tight. I didn’t want that thing flapping around on the highway!
- Took the tailgate off.
- Looped straps around the attachment points.
- Tightened the heck out of the buckles.
- Double-checked everything.
The Results?
Honestly? I’m not 100% sure if it made a huge difference in gas mileage. Maybe a little? It’s hard to say. But here’s the thing: it looks kinda cool. And it definitely makes loading some stuff easier, especially long things that stick out the back. Plus, I feel like it might be helping with airflow a bit.
So, would I recommend it? Yeah, I think so. Especially if you’re hauling stuff a lot. It’s not a miracle cure for bad gas mileage, but it’s a neat little upgrade. And hey, if it saves me a few bucks on gas over time, that’s a bonus!
It is worth mentioning that in my experience, the installation and usage can vary by model, so you should pay attention when shopping around.
