TomT
Well-known member
Wheel weight is really not going to make that much difference. At a steady state speed it will make virtually no difference. Aerodynamic drag is a far bigger influence.
charlestonleafer said:
range impact of wheels/tires
- Thread starter defiancecp
- Start date
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Herm
Well-known member
TomT said:
All that is true of a highway cruiser, but for a city car with limited hwy range like the Leaf speed will be slower and speed will vary a lot.. thus wheel weight is very important.
Tom is right - unless you're dropping wheel weight by a very significant amount, you're not going to notice.Herm said:
As a general rule of thumb, dropping 1 lb of wheel weight will be similar to dropping 2 lbs of non-rotating weight. So let's say you replace the stock 20 lb wheels for some 15 lb wheels for a total weight reduction of 20 lbs. This is like removing 40 lbs of weight from the vehicle. I doubt you'll see any difference unless you have very precise measuring instruments.
cwerdna
Well-known member
Although this wasn't done on EVs, those participating in this thread might find these interesting:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=177" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=177" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
TickTock
Well-known member
TomT said:
Makes me think I should be looking for full face, closed/spokeless rims but choices are very limited for sizes < 20" (for any size, really due to the lack of airflow for the brakes I guess). The closest I found was this in 18x7.5 (even 17x7 if you don't want to deviate as much).
http://www.thewheelconnection.com/wheels/Player/717/Chrome?brandsearch=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
but can't find the weight or offset. Ideally, there would be no holes at all and Since we rarely use the friction brakes this should be OK. Thought I pair up the 17x7 with the 215/45 Yokohama AD08 from the Porche/Leaf video or go 18x7.5 and 225/40.
Nubo
Well-known member
aqn said:
Keep in mind though the rotational weight is only a factor during acceleration. In steady-state cruise it's just ordinary weight.
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
larger wheels OF THE SAME WEIGHT do lower your gas mileage.
take an umbrella. the kind that has a hook on the end. put the umbrella between your two hands and roll the umbrella back and forth. you are spinning the umbrella but with relatively minimal effort. now, take that same umbrella and spin it around your hand by the hook on the end. the weight of the umbrella has not changed but the effort you expend has increased and you are most likely not spinning the umbrella as fast as you were before.
but i see it all the time. get some standard 16" wheels normal profile tires, get 30 mpg. then they decide to put on 20" wheels with low profile tires with difference in weight that does adds up to a few lbs.
but the mileage drops to 25 MPG and its the same story..."oh ya, new tires take time to break in but your mileage will go back up a bit" and it probably will...to 26 at the most.
there is a reason why early Japanese imports had 12 and 13 " wheels. it was because that is what they needed to do to get better mileage. now that technology has improved a bit, tires are getting larger. after all, they ride better
take an umbrella. the kind that has a hook on the end. put the umbrella between your two hands and roll the umbrella back and forth. you are spinning the umbrella but with relatively minimal effort. now, take that same umbrella and spin it around your hand by the hook on the end. the weight of the umbrella has not changed but the effort you expend has increased and you are most likely not spinning the umbrella as fast as you were before.
but i see it all the time. get some standard 16" wheels normal profile tires, get 30 mpg. then they decide to put on 20" wheels with low profile tires with difference in weight that does adds up to a few lbs.
but the mileage drops to 25 MPG and its the same story..."oh ya, new tires take time to break in but your mileage will go back up a bit" and it probably will...to 26 at the most.
there is a reason why early Japanese imports had 12 and 13 " wheels. it was because that is what they needed to do to get better mileage. now that technology has improved a bit, tires are getting larger. after all, they ride better
TomT
Well-known member
In the case of the umbrella it is much more because of increased aerodynamic drag relative to the very light weight and large size of it. Such is not nearly the case with a wheel and it really is not a good analogy. (I went from 17" to 18" wheels on my BMW shortly after I got it and noticed no statistically significant difference in mileage when I did...)
I also contend that the small wheels on early imports had nothing to do with mileage and everything to do with cost. They were trying to build them as cheap as possible back then.
I also contend that the small wheels on early imports had nothing to do with mileage and everything to do with cost. They were trying to build them as cheap as possible back then.
DaveinOlyWA said:
thankyouOB
Well-known member
since the Nissan folks added those headlights to reduce drag from the mirrors, what makes you think they didnt calculate the wheels' aerodynamics in the choice of stock?
based on what I heard from various Nissan peoples, the headlight design was initiated to reduce NOISE. Since the car is so quiet, the wind noise was a concern and they took steps to mitigate it. Reducing drag was, I think, a bonus rather than the goal.thankyouOB said:
If they really wanted to focus on reducing drag as a priority, the LEAF would have wheel skirts. :lol:
=Smidge=
palmermd
Well-known member
Smidge204 said:
That is the difference between the marketing guys and the engineering guys!
Lynza
Active member
Man, I miss my old Insight's wheel spats. They were so snazzy.
I've got about 28k miles on my Leaf now, so it's time for new tires. I'm looking into the Kumho LRR tires. I probably won't change the wheels. All the heavy mods I do in my life surround my phone. It's cheaper, at least.
I've got about 28k miles on my Leaf now, so it's time for new tires. I'm looking into the Kumho LRR tires. I probably won't change the wheels. All the heavy mods I do in my life surround my phone. It's cheaper, at least.
pbjay
New member
defiancecp said:Sure, pics:
Hey Defiance
How are those 18x8 wheels in terms of clearing the wheel well?
Wanna get some 18x8's for my Leaf but im worrying about the fit
defiancecp
Well-known member
They clear fine; they're within the stock external measurements.
Having said that, I wish I'd have upped the diameter and tread width both about an inch or so (you can see why I'd wish that in the pics ). There seems to still be quite a bit of clearance in all directions still, so when it comes time to replace the tires I plan to try that.
Having said that, I wish I'd have upped the diameter and tread width both about an inch or so (you can see why I'd wish that in the pics
). There seems to still be quite a bit of clearance in all directions still, so when it comes time to replace the tires I plan to try that.MrFish
Well-known member
I up-sized to 225 ZR 18 tires and rims off a MazdaSpeed3.
The improvement in handling was phenomenal, however the hit to efficiency was almost as phenomenal as well. On my daily 32 mile one way 70 mph freeway commute, I went from requiring 6 bars to now using 7-8 bars. I feel like the braking and wet handling is much improved but there is a definite cost.
https://picasaweb.google.com/106060564091001062830/Leaf#5813859255838924178
The improvement in handling was phenomenal, however the hit to efficiency was almost as phenomenal as well. On my daily 32 mile one way 70 mph freeway commute, I went from requiring 6 bars to now using 7-8 bars. I feel like the braking and wet handling is much improved but there is a definite cost.
https://picasaweb.google.com/106060564091001062830/Leaf#5813859255838924178
kubel
Well-known member
Can't get that picasa link to load.
thankyouOB
Well-known member
i went to mxv4s and 40 psi.
i took a hit in range.
i used to get 25-mile trip on 4 bars--every time; 6 miles/bar.
now i am into a 5th bar every time and sometimes less than 5 miles a bar.
ugly.
i took a hit in range.
i used to get 25-mile trip on 4 bars--every time; 6 miles/bar.
now i am into a 5th bar every time and sometimes less than 5 miles a bar.
ugly.
TomT
Well-known member
Odd. I went to MXV4s about a year ago at 44 psi and the effect on my range was about 0.1 I went from an average of 4.4 to 4.3. Also, keep in mind that new tires will always have more rolling resistance than used tires, everything else being equal...
thankyouOB said:
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
kubel said:
"page not found" for me
thankyouOB
Well-known member
TomT said:
i will try to boost psi to 42. i think that is the maximum on the tire stamping.
