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Thread: Gas Mileage Affected?

  1. #1
    IA LEGEND #truth Brett's Avatar
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    Default Gas Mileage Affected?

    Just curious, would going up from the factory wheel (17") to a 20" affect my gas mileage? I may be paranoid but it seems like my mileage has gone down a bit since changing to the bigger (Heavier) size.
    Brett (One of the true OG's, No really... ask anyone)
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    yes...heavier wheel means more rotational mass means decreased gas mileage...also means you are going to wear out brakes sooner...
    Last edited by The Yousef; 04-16-2007 at 03:29 PM.
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    Senior Member | IA Veteran Kyle's Avatar
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    Yeah I would expect it to. Heavier wheel and its circumfrence is bigger.
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    bigger diameter+heavier wheel=worse gas mileage

    you selling the factories?

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    IA LEGEND #truth Brett's Avatar
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    Well what kind of BS is that? lol.

    And brakes are over rated so I dont need those...LOL

    I was going to sell the factory wheels, But I am going to keep them I think due to god forbid I mess up a rim I have a back up set to roll on.
    Brett (One of the true OG's, No really... ask anyone)
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    Nissan by Nature LeX's Avatar
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    around town it definitely matters.... if you do a ton of highway driving like me you hardly notice it... once they are rotating then physics just does its stuff and i hardly notice a difference
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Yousef
    yes...heavier wheel means more rotational mass means decreased gas mileage...also means you are going to wear out brakes sooner...

    Corrected.
    :boobies:

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    Formerly Spyder Man
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    Basically all of this is true...... unless you have a diesel in which case having a larger wheel and tire (over all dimensions) will create a slight strain increase on the engine but will create a much lower operating RPM at a given speed and there for increase the over all fuel economy by a great deal in some cases... the reason I site Diesels directly is because they react alot more to a 300rpm difference then a gasoline motor in terms of fuel consumption.
    :boobies:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Spyder
    Corrected.
    damnit...proofreading ftl!

    thanks...
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    Yousef hit the nail on the head!

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    bigger wheels will also throw your odometer off too.



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    not true....

    If you compensate the tire size you can have accurate readings....

    Time to go back to schoool!!

    http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

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    dam it and i stand here owned. thanks for the correction nittany.



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    tried to prop u but i have to wait 24 hours



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    Quote Originally Posted by Nittanys1
    not true....

    If you compensate the tire size you can have accurate readings....

    Time to go back to schoool!!

    http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
    That is correct, unfortunatly not very often does it work out to have the size tire they recommend on a car... its all about maintaining the proper circumfirence. however this only helps the speedo and odo... the gas mileage and hangling will be affected reguardless because of a change in the placement of weight... and the fact you just added a ton of unsprung weight.
    :boobies:

  16. #16
    www.jasontbarker.com speedminded's Avatar
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    ^^^^ What they said basically. You always want to keep as close to the original outside diameter as you can. You go up a wheel size then you go down a series in tires.

    hey bert, enter the before and after info in this calculator and post up the results... http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

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