which tire better mpg? 285/75/16 or 305/70/16

[bigbluetoy]

which size gets better mpg? 285/75/16 or 305/70/16? or which tires do people prefer for mostly on-road driving?

I know they are very close in size. both are pretty much 33 (one is a little taller while one is a little wider).

I'm considering a 33 inch BFG AT.

 

[jditom]

I went from a 285 Revo's AT to a 305 Discovery MT.

Lost 2 mpg.

Was it the AT vz the MT or the 285 vz the 305 or a combination of both?

 

['74 UA FJ]

Obviously, you will get better milage from a skinnier tire versus a wider tire if they are ~ same height.

 

[LC4LIFE]

I have run both and MPG did not change until I went to the MT.

 

[Ebag333]

Lighter weight is likely to get better gas mileage.

I've also found that taller tires (to a certain extent) will give you better gas mileage.

I got better gas mileage going from 31" Toyo M/T's to 35" AT2's.

 

[bigbluetoy]

interesting. sounds like the 285/75/16 would be the way to go for better mpg (even tho it may be a little taller). how much better mpg is debatable. in the end, its prob very very close.

 

[Ebag333]

interesting. sounds like the 285/75/16 would be the way to go for better mpg (even tho it may be a little taller). how much better mpg is debatable. in the end, its prob very very close.

There are a LOT of factors at play.

The 1FZ appears to be more efficient at around 2k RPM's (the "sweet spot" if you will). A taller tire will give you closer to 2k RPM's at freeway speeds, but the trade off is you're going slower up hills.

Lighter tires will typically give better gas mileage (less rotational weight), which is why people who bike a lot (bicycle, not motorcycle) equate 2 oz of weight loss on the tires to 1 oz of weight loss on the frame (and why people pay more for tires than they do for the frame).

On the flip side, being higher off the ground will reduce your gas mileage.


I say, it's a cruiser. Don't buy it (or upgrades) for the gas milage.

 

[Ftbagkicker]

With 285/75/16, will I get better gas mileage compare to stock 275/70/16?

 

[joseywales]

If they are the same tread pattern, you probably won't see much difference. If the difference between 10 and 12 in town and 12 and 14 on the highway make that big a difference to you, sell the 80 and buy a crapolla

 

[LCHardriver_02]

With 285/75/16, will I get better gas mileage compare to stock 275/70/16?

Slight Hijack - What was the stock tire for the 80 - size and manufacturer? I dropped my spare down to take a look at it and found a 275/70/16 Dunlap. Not good when you are running 285/75/16s!

 

[kidglove13]

This thread is pointless.
Your cruiser already gets bad gas mileage

 

[G-Cat]

I went from 285 BFG ATs to 305 BFG Ats. MPG went down SLIGHTLY...almost imperceptible.

 

[Rwhat]

This thread is pointless.
Your cruiser already gets bad gas mileage

I agree. If you really want to get good mileage check out the intake tornado or the electric turbo.

 

[ukaviator]

Post up what tire you go with in the end and any difference in mileage.
Im running 305/70/16 mickey thompson MT and am planning on switching to a 285/75/16 AT in the future.
Probably go with a BFG AT in that size

 

[kidglove13]

I agree. If you really want to get good mileage check out the intake tornado or the electric turbo.

Now that is funny

 

[Corbet]

You won't see a significant difference if your comparing the same tire in those two sizes. It will still be poor. Personally I'd go with a 295/75r16 personally if you looking at those two sizes. But that's just me.

 

[maybe_a_80...]

Slight Hijack - What was the stock tire for the 80 - size and manufacturer? I dropped my spare down to take a look at it and found a 275/70/16 Dunlap. Not good when you are running 285/75/16s!

Michelin LTX M/S 275/70/16 was OEM. This tire weighs 41lbs brand new each.

problem with aftermarket replacements is that many of the popular A/T treads come in 265/75/16 or 285/75/16 so it's either "downsize" to the slightly narrower 265/75 or "upsize" to the approx same width and taller 285/75. it's actually really not a problem, but does create the conundrum of what size tire to go with for replacement.

the majority of both the 265/75 and 285/75 are d- or e-load range tires, which are heavier (the additional depth of an AT tread doesn't help) than the OEM 275/70/16s, so replacing the stock tires with a light-truck A/T tire is going to end up adding rotational weight to the truck. Most of these replacement tires run 46+lbs each.

I think the debate should be less about what size gets the best gas mileage and more about what size/tire model will be most appropriate for each user. I actually think the stock tires are a great on-road tire...until the water channels get deep during a rainstorm. They're actually quite good in on-road snowy conditions...until that snow is slushy or deeper than a windblown- or snowplow-cleared- surface . You get the picture. So a more aggressive A/T style tread is a good move for the 80 and the typically harsh weather in which most of us drive our 80s.

I haven't covered bigger than 285/75 as most folks who have made the move to 315s aren't remotely concerned about poor gas mileage.

Selecting a "stockish" replacement tire size should be not about gas mileage improvement but about minimizing gas mileage loss.

Brian

 

[dafun1]

Why not a 255/85? If I cared about gas mileage I'd run a 265/75 or a 255/85. Tall, skinny, light. 285/75 is easier to come by than a 255/85 or a 305/70 though.

 

[skintunes]

Which tire does the list feel will make my truck faster???

 

[kidglove13]

Faster?
A cruiser will never be fast.
What you need is a 350 small block chevy for that