Need better MPG.

I think one thing the people hating on mpg are missing is that lower rolling resistance tires not only improve fuel economy but also performance in the form of better acceleration, better towing, etc. I notice the difference between my two sets of tires.

 

Should I be concerned with my gas mileage?

 

That is true but I don't believe anyone is seriously advising OP to get gears to improve MPG (which typically means trying to save money/fuel.) Improved drive-ability and less gear hunting yes, mileage no.

OP, how much tread is left on those Brolandish 285 wildpeaks? You may be able to buy a set of new SR/SR5 take-off tires for the price of your used bling tires.

If the goal is saving money then there's few options that make sense other than going to smaller lighter standard load tires (and possibly adjusting your driving habits.)

If the goal is saving the planet at any cost from the evils of burning dinosaur juice while still driving your Tacoma.. then buy a set of Michelin Defender LTX tires (the ultimate highway tire according to TW) in whatever diameter size you want and re-gear appropriately. Perhaps throw a $7k supercharger on there while you're at it.

 

you re-gear for bigger tires, get the rpm higher and you guessed it more gas, if the engine is boggin down to much then it wastes more gas than having it in gear, adding the gears will just increase the rpm per speed.

 

When the math starts, the fun stops

 

I've heard people claim that re-gearing improves fuel economy as well, but I've always been skeptical of those claims. In general, an internal combustion engine is most efficient at low rpm and high loads, but there is probably such a thing as too low. I also think it depends on how drive. If you are a fast driver, you might see decrease in fuel economy by going to lower gears but a slow driver might see an increase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNspNdVkslA&t=61s

 

I've got a set of 265/70 16's and always get over 20 mpg city /highway mix no matter what time of year. I think the tire weight has much to do with it. The more rotating mass you have the more hp you lose to move the same mass which translates to less mpg.

 

I have a similar lift, 285 C load KO2s and a canopy and I’m getting 18mpg combined. 285s look great on our trucks, but I’d look for one in the low 50s for weight.
You having a 3rd Gen, you should be doing better than me for Mpg.

 

I have 265/70r17 wildpeaks and a leveling kit. 32 psi in the tires and I can get +/- 22mph if there's no mountains and I stay at or below 70mph. It drops to about 18-20 if I start to do 75+ mph and/or driving in mountainous areas. One thing that I realized is that the speedometer is off about 3-5% with the 265/70r17 tires and significantly impacts the computer's mileage. IMO the 265/70r17 wildpeaks are one of the best considering looks, performance, and economy.

Get a 2% cash back gas card. I made like $200 this year just in rewards. It helps

 

Those wildpeaks are faily heavy tires. Everyone i know that has run them got poor fuel economy.

 

I think the fuel economy is probably affected the most by rolling resistance not rotational inertia. Rotational inertia is small compared to the total inertia of the truck and has no effect on efficiency when traveling at a constant speed. Rotational energy is only lost when you hit the brakes. I have used to have a link to an academic study of the effect of tires on fuel economy, but I can't find it. I don't remember it mentioning anything about tire weight. CAVEAT: heavy tires tend to also have higher rolling resistance because they have more rubber to flex and heat up.

 

shop around for a lighter 265 tire, p load will be lightest. Lift is creating more air resistance. But by the time you pay for new suspension parts you’re probably not saving any money. Id wait till the 285’s wear out and get some 265’s if you still want to.

people promoting a regear for you are suggesting you spend $2k to maybe see a slight increase in mpg

 

A currrent Tacoma will tow more than a 20 year old 1/2 ton with a 350 in it. You'd have to move up to a 3/4 ton to do better, and even then a 20 year old gas 3/4 ton wouldn't tow much more. To get that kind of performance you've got to pay to play. I had one of those trucks too. They were geared so high to get that fuel mileage that they were gutless trucks. When I traded for my 07 Tacoma I almost doubled how much I could tow and got a much more peppy truck to drive. Fuel mileage was about the same, but it was a much better driving experience.

Today's modern 1/2 tons are a different story. Most of them will out tow a 20 year old 3/4 ton and keep up with a sports car. Now if you drive it like a sports car you'll get single digit fuel mileage. Driven conservatively you can get 20 mpg.

Will make about 1/2 mpg difference when you account for the bigger tires.

Once you factor for the odometer being inaccurate you're at about 17 MPG. And depending on the type of commuting you do that isn't too bad. I'd expect 17-18 mpg overall as normal in stock form. For strictly road trips at 70 mph or less something in the low 20's is possible.

Anything you do to try to regain fuel mileage will not be cost effective. You'll spend more than you save in gas. Drive it. When the tires wear out you might look at something a tad smaller and with a less aggressive tread. That might get you 1 more mpg. But I'd not do it until you wear out what you have. The lift alone has virtually zero effect on your fuel mileage.

 

How many miles do you have on it OP? I had terrible gas mileage stock (13-15mpgs), but after a few thousand miles it got a lot better. I was averaging 17-19mpg in the summer and up to 22-23mpg on the freeway (going 60mph) with 285/70/17s.

Do you have winter blend gas where you're at too? My mileage always takes a hit with that.

 

Don't you just love these old brick houses in Denver? Great looking street you've got there, much like mine!

 

My thinking exactly. The lift and tires where done by the dealer, wonder if it's those specific tires (weight).

 

I just hit 8k miles. I live in Nor Cal, winters aren't bad here. I do go 70 mph on the freeway.

 

You can check on tiresize.com to see sizes and weights, good resource

 

My shit is bone stock, 16mpg anytime. Would love to see 20mpg, windy hilly roads, wow, windy and windy are spelt the same