Do You Consider Tire Weight When Choosing Tires?

I have been reading some threads on tires and weight has come up. One thread said something about 17-pound difference in two types of tires. I thought 17x4…68Lbs. This is less than my dog. What’s the difference?


I GTS (Googled That Shit) and found on a BMW racing site some information on rotational inertia (pardon me while I nerd out) and Sprung /Unsprung weight on a Jeep site.

The BMW site said that for every pound of wheel & tire you add 7 Lbs for rotational mass. This has to do with the drive train moving the tire and the brakes stopping it. In the above 17 lb example that would be 119 Lbs of spinning mass per tire.

The jeep site mentioned that you have sprung and unsprung weight. You take your tires and suspension below the spring and run a ratio or the stuff above the spring. This has to do with handling.

This boils down to the heavier the vehicle the less this matters but the heavier the tire the more wear and tear you have on the drive train and brakes. I also saw that tread had a higher effect than side wall (centrifugal force).

So, what do you look at? Weight, toughness, road noise, height and width options… tread pattern.

How much tire is too much for a stock Gen 3 drive train before I need to regear/ add brakes?

Does weight even matter?

BMW Tire Site

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=624444

Jeep Site

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f15/how-many-you-consider-tire-weight-1339999/

 

As a proud 4cyl owner, the short answer for me is yes. I look at weight, width, ply rating and cost. That affirmed my decision to go with 255/85r16's

 

Absolutely. It makes an incredible difference.

 

You betcha. And the more the vehicle sees the street, the more it matters.

The only time it doesn't matter a lot is when conditions warrant other tire characteristics overriding weight. Like you have to have an E tire for terrain safety.

I know it's not a little sports car where I could feel a 3# unsprung wt difference per corner. But it's still unsprung wt., and it impacts all the same things.

 

It's absolutely important and taken into consideration when I am shopping wheels and tires. I used to use Tread Depot's website until it went down to check weights on tires that I was considering. What resource are you using to look up tire weights?

 

My mpg dropped less than 2 going from stock wheels with KO2's to 34lb 18" fuel wheels and 275 Toyo MT's. So I guess not. Damn they are heavy when rotating.

 

Yep, I went with 275/70/17 instead of the 285/70/17 to shed 5lbs per tire.

But, it also saved me $200 due to a promo on 5 tires. Also2 is 32.2" spec per website, which means less power loss. ALSO3 gave me slightly skinnier tires for snow drifting.

 

Considering my truck is my DD, it does matter to me. That's why (among other reasons) my next set will be 255/85/16 coming from 265/75/16 instead of going to 285's.

 

Anyone know a website that lists tire weights across various manufacturers?

 

With a weight change of 17lbs I am assuming you are looking at moving from a P to LT tire. LT tires also (generally) have a higher ply sidewall to mitigate punctures. But, a high ply sidewall can result in a more harsh ride. I definitely experienced this when I had LT Duratracs on a previous vehicle.

So many things to consider when buying tires

The key is to truly understand, and be honest with yourself on, how you are going to use your truck. You can find aggressive P rated tires for those of us that DD our trucks.

 

Heavier tire = higher unsprung mass = rougher ride

That said, the majority of your unsprung mass is going to be bearings, hubs, rims, brakes, etc, so it's really not going to make an enormous difference. Still, the Tacoma is a light truck with a stiff suspension, so I think it's something that is worth considering.

 

So your going with a taller , narrower tire compared to stock ? For what reason ?

Less tread on the pavement = less resistance ?

 

Hell yes. But also reputation and brand.

 

That's part of it (minimally). The main few reasons are tire weight on the 255's is much lower than 285's, they're cheaper (for the brands/models that do offer a 255 size), and there's less cutting involved to fit them, as they're narrower and I have a 4" backspacing wheel. They also cut through snow better and get me the ground clearance of a 33 without some the added weight (equalling less mpg) of the 285's.

 

Thank you for explaining

 

For the first gen anyway it makes a noticeable difference. That being said after having my first AT's being punctured several times I went with 10 plys and now just deal with bad gas milage and decreased acceleration. Gives me peace of mind, bad mpg, and a rough ride.

 

Yes. Weight can make or break a vehicle. I wheeled all over the US on all kinds of trails and it was always the guy that carried too much stuff or had too much armor that broke. Lighter vehicles make it up or over obstacles easier with less throttle.
Yeah, tire weight is a big factor.
Besides, brakes work better with less rotating mass.

 

And, counterintuitively, better performance off pavement and in snow for most situations. Most enthusiasts will argue for wider is better until their dying breath. But they are relying on generally flawed common knowledge, their own "gut feel", and a style preference. This guy makes a pretty good case http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html. And then look at the Camel Trophy trucks and WRC cars keeping what he writes in mind.

 

I chose my Falken AT3Ws because of weight and I haven't had one problem. Almost at 15,000 miles and they are wearing great and tough as heck. They are not the LT or E rating, either. Too many people fall into the hype that bigger and thicker is better. Tires only need to be good enough to carry the weight on them.
The driver should know his vehicle and learn his lines. I'm not a safe driver, either, as I like to push the limits.

 

I believe it does make a difference. Picking a P rated tire helps a lot with weight. However, if there is a specific tire you like, go for it! Maybe try getting lighter wheels and not adding any other additional weight: like sliders for example. Or any other heavy armor.