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Tires become a focal point during the early winter months, as many of us are going to need to purchase a winter set in order to safely cruise the icy and snowy conditions. There are a few important things to know about tires that will influence your decision on what to buy and how to properly maintain them. Here are a few of the most important facts to be aware of when it comes to your tires and their fuel economy potential.
Roll Resistance
There is no doubt you have already heard about the different roll resistance of various tires, as is has become a big thing as of lately. Many new vehicles as of recently in pursuit of the lowest mpg possible have been using specially designed low roll resistance tires in order to boost their numbers. This means that when you go to buy new tires you could be decreasing your current mpg without even knowing it if you decide on a less roll resistant tire.
What is roll resistance exactly? It is the tread pattern, composition, weight, width, and overall height of a tire, which can contribute to the build-up of heat, energy loss, and thus roll resistance.
A few popular low resistance brands out there are the Michelin Latitude Tour, which are used on the Ford Escape, Buick Enclave, Kia Sorrento, and Hyundai Veracruz. The GM Cobalt XFE (Extra Fuel Efficiency) on the other hand prefers the Goodyear GT low resistance tires. Bridgestone has a nice low resistance tire called the Ecopia that has received good reviews.
Here are a few other notable brands/models to choose from (based on wheel diameter):
15 inch Diameter Wheels
Michelin Energy LX4 P205/65R15
Bridgestone/Firestone Insignia SE P195/65R15
Goodyear Invicta GL 235/75R15
16 inch Diameter Wheels
Michelin Symmetry P225/60/R16
Michelin Tiger Paw AWP P255/60R16
Goodyear Integrity P225/60R16
17 inch Diameter Wheels
Michelin LTX A/S P255/65R17
Michelin Rugged Trail T/A P285/70R17
Bridgestone/Firestone Dueler H/T 113S P265/70R17
Wheel Diameter Size
Big rims and tires have become popular. Over the last decade the OEM tire diameter has risen from its base 14 to 15 inches on up to 17, 18, 19, and even 20 inches on some models. Larger rims are not only heavy, but they create a path of greater resistance to the wind. Depending on whether you are after looks, or greater efficiency, you may want to think about decreasing your diameter on your tires for a boost in economy. Of course this may impact the reading of your speedometer, but often this can be compensated easily by a dealer through the reprogramming of your vehicles computer.
Skinny vs. Wide Tires
OEM manufacturers often put wide tires to boost performance, traction, braking and look factor, but on the aerodynamic and fuel economical front, skinny is usually better. Many people are choosing to trade their OEM sized tires for skinnier model tires for this very reason. You have to weigh the end result as you might be losing some performance, but the gain on economy might be worth it. This type of gain will be especially noticed on 4X4 vehicles with large, wide, off-road tread patterns.
Hyperinflation
Hyperinflation is the purposeful inflation of ones tires to reduce roll resistance and improve on gas economy. While some people choose to hyper-inflate their tires (exceed the recommended max pressure on their sidewall), this can definitely lead to an unsafe condition in both braking and cornering performance, as well as a greater chance of blowout at highway speeds. It is generally best to follow your manufacturers recommendation for tire pressure when filling your tires, as that number best accounts for the noise, comfort, and overall best performance of your particular vehicle.
With this said, some people claim that they can increased their fuel economy by simply increasing their manufacturers recommended tire pressure to several pounds above the recommended number. Slightly higher pressures can safely be experimented with as long as you remember that hyper-inflating tires beyond their maximum pressure noted on the sidewall is always dangerous and not recommended. Just keep in mind that while increasing tire pressure over your manufacturers guidelines may improve fuel economy slightly, it may also slightly decrease cornering performance, braking, and your treads effectiveness on snow, ice, and water.
More on tires:
Ways You Can Recycle Tires
Greensburg Glossary: Scrap Tires
Make a Pair of Sandals from a Tire
Make A Water Filter From Old Tires
Feel the need for sustainable speed? See what eco-engineers are doing to create super-charged but low-impact cars, bikes, and planes on Planet Green TV's Mean Green Machines.
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