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Good video comparing wide vs narrow off-road tires:
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Also frontal area.That was an interesting watch. So, if the amount touching the road is similar at full inflation, could I conclude the only reduction in gas mileage when doing normal on-road driving would be the added weight of the wider tires (and not added friction as many of us assumed)?
Sorry, not following you on that part.Also frontal area.
It's surprising how much impact it can have. I'm relegated to my phone, so finding the paper is problematic, but I seem to recall '80s-era wind tunnel testing on a Subaru showing a 5% increase in drag after increasing tire width from 155mm to 185mm. I would imagine the effect of the drag increase is amplified on an aerodynamically clean vehicle, but it's not insignificant even on a brick like our cars.Sorry, not following you on that part.
edit: unless that means drag/wind resistance (but I’d think that impact should be somewhat minimal with its proximity to the ground/road)
Thank you sir! When in college and my advanced physics class, we did experiments on tires and friction. So from this video and from my calculus/physics, friction is the least of concerns. I’d say weight > drag > friction (with tread being a part of that last variable) is the correct order for tires influence on mpg.It's surprising how much impact it can have. I'm relegated to my phone, so finding the paper is problematic, but I seem to recall '80s-era wind tunnel testing on a Subaru showing a 5% increase in drag after increasing tire width from 155mm to 185mm. I would imagine the effect of the drag increase is amplified on an aerodynamically clean vehicle, but it's not insignificant even on a brick like our cars.