largest tire without gas milage loss

Is it Friday already? Damn I better get to planning my weekend

 

Agree with this… most effective way to optimize mpg is your right foot.

 

I went through four and a half years of college. Four semesters of Physics 1, 2, 3 and advanced. Before the internet.
When confronted with concepts such as this, it helps to start with common sense:
You have two identical Tacoma's.
One has stock tires and wheels. Weighting 55 lb total.
The other Tacoma has 35's that stick out of wheel well and tires are filled with lead weights weighing 500 lbs each.

Which one will get better mpg?

Common sense says lighter right?
Whether they are 1 oz lighter or 445 lbs lighter the lighter ones always win.

 

The problem with common sense is it's not really that common

 

The internet is full of tests like this. Every single one proves physics are right. Here is one.
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/154-1203-how-tire-choice-affects-gas-mileage/

 

I’m skeptical. I’m guessing a heavier tire with lower rolling and air resistance can beat a lighter tire with higher rolling and air resistance.

If you apply classical mechanics to the problem, you come to the conclusion that the amount of rotational energy in the tires is small compared to the total translational and rotational energy of the truck. You also come to the conclusion that the rotational energy is only lost when braking. If you are driving down the road with no brakes applied, no energy is being lost. On the other hand, rolling and air resistance are always causing a loss of energy. Make sense?

 

I do not consider motortrend to be a peer reviewed scientific journal. Get serious. Lol

 

Call me crazy, but I like Tacomas with 245/75/16 all terrains. They always look baddass to me. If you don’t need the clearance, a good option for mileage.

 

I can't say I've noticed any measurable difference one way or another in terms of fuel mileage running a 265/70. Speed and the weight of your foot play bigger roles. Speedometer is more accurate though.



I also run a 265/75/16 winter tire.

 

Dude, get a life and quit arguing. This is obvious to everyone apparently except you. Goodbye.

 

If trying to save gas? Stay with stock size tires. Larger tires will be heavier, plus the higher up in the air you truck goes, will cut mileage on most vehicles.
What is your goal?
Larger /taller tires, equal more ground clearance and less mpg , but you can go more places.

The owner of a Pathfinder usually gets hit under neat, on this trail. The owner install just one size larger tires. What a difference , he clear the obstacles. We were so surprised.


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Pragmatically I will agree that published tire weight likely has a decent correlation with fuel economy because heavier tires are likely to have higher rolling and air resistance. I mostly have a beef with people repeated focus on weight and the explanations naming rotational inertia. In the end perhaps the details only matter to me and a select few other individuals that remain quiet.

 

Some things just don't need a peer review study.

 

You quit arguing first. Lol

 

Like faith.

 

yeah… first thing I did when I got my ‘19 was to bump up a tire size. Had a few thousand miles on stockers and really didn’t see much difference. I did stay with c rated tire though. Good point about tire weight.

 

I did this. No effect on MPG, infact I'm still at 26MPG hwy.

 

The thing I noticed was it corrected the 3% speedometer discrepancy most Toyotas have. My speedometer and GPS are dead even now.

 

Honestly, try the bicycle experiment with different material filling the same size and tread tires (sand vs air). Use bicycle cranks that measure wattage output over a measured course, and see what output is required to cover the course at the same speed, throw in a few stop and go's.
I would challenge someone to prove that heavier tires DON'T decrease efficiency. Yes, that will change with speed, as wind drag becomes a greater factor, but weight will always play a significant role.