Today, everyone is looking for the answer to better gas mileage. Vehicle owners and drivers are on a constant hunt for secrets, miracle cures, economic boosts, and blatant luck in reducing gas mileage, prices, and fuel consumption. There are several reasons vehicles can get good or bad “miles per gallon.” There are so many factors that affect this area of concern, however, there is one variable that is rarely discussed but very influential when it comes to fuel consumption. This variable is the traction width. Tires have a great influence on how a car or truck performs on the road. Read on to learn how tire size can affect fuel economy and fuel consumption on the highway.
Taking into account wind and rolling resistance
There are two things to consider when thinking about tires and their effect on total miles per gallon; one is wind resistance and the other is rolling resistance. When a car drives at higher speeds, it experiences more wind resistance, which means a lower fuel economy result.
Rolling resistance is the impact the road has on the tires and how it affects their performance. If you change the characteristics (size and width) of your tires, you will influence the interaction you have with the road; thus affecting the gas mileage. This is where tire width can start to influence gas mileage.
Many people believe that by changing the height of a car’s tires, they can increase its fuel economy. This is not a reliable idea. You see, speedometers are calibrated specifically for the number of revolutions a set of tires makes per mile while driving. If the original set of tires is replaced, the calibration will be off and fuel economy changes will be blurred.
Shorter tires will calculate higher miles per gallon because they will make many more revolutions per mile. This negatively affects fuel consumption because it makes the car’s engine work at higher rpm to achieve the same speeds. Taller tires will do the exact opposite and still give an inaccurate reading.
Tire width vs. Miles per gallon
Tire width is one of the only tire size factors that can positively influence gas mileage. For example, a narrow tire will have less wind resistance, rolling resistance, and weight, which will increase fuel consumption. If you choose a narrower tire, be aware that they can make the car’s handling characteristics more difficult to control.
It is best to always install tires that are the correct size for your particular vehicle. A professional tire technician or mechanic will have no problem helping you figure this out. Also, keeping your tires fully inflated can improve your overall mpg.