Tire Upgrade

[auricchio]

I upgraded to Michelin Hydroedges in the 195-60 size the other day.

The car feels like it's riding on rubber tires instead of the wooden feel of the Integrities. Those original tires might have made it to 28K miles; I now am just shy of 25K.

I've got perhaps 120 miles on the new tires, and have reset the MPG reading on the display. It's showing about 2mpg less than my usual 42, but it's too soon to tell.

My tire dealer cautioned about an MPG loss---which we here on PC know---and he's asked me to call with my test results so he can make better recommendations to other hybrid owners.

[chefboyarlee]

I have narrowed my decision down to Tracklite 2 rims even though they look very similar to the oem rims (can't afford the eco drives) and Falken Ziex 912 (chosen for the price). Does this make sense from an MPG/financial standpoint since I wouldn't be buying them for a better look.

The traklite's only come in a 15x7 rim so I feel that a 205/60/15 would be the best size. This is a 30# combo. Versus the oem rim plus 195/60/15 tires which would be a 34# combo.

Would 4# per wheel save me anything in gas mileage? Do I lose anything in aero resistance with a 205 vs a 195? Should I expect to save maybe 3 mpg over the 50 I'm getting now. 6% savings equals roughly $2 per tank. I fill up maybe 1 per week. It would take me almost 8 years to recoup the cost of the rims. Is my assumption correct about the 3mpg savings as this is the crux of the equation? On first glance I should just get a nice set of 195/60/15 tires and call it a day.

[apriusfan]

Originally Posted by chefboyarlee

I have narrowed my decision down to Tracklite 2 rims even though they look very similar to the oem rims (can't afford the eco drives) and Falken Ziex 912 (chosen for the price). Does this make sense from an MPG/financial standpoint since I wouldn't be buying them for a better look.

The traklite's only come in a 15x7 rim so I feel that a 205/60/15 would be the best size. This is a 30# combo. Versus the oem rim plus 195/60/15 tires which would be a 34# combo.

Would 4# per wheel save me anything in gas mileage? Do I lose anything in aero resistance with a 205 vs a 195? Should I expect to save maybe 3 mpg over the 50 I'm getting now. 6% savings equals roughly $2 per tank. I fill up maybe 1 per week. It would take me almost 8 years to recoup the cost of the rims. Is my assumption correct about the 3mpg savings as this is the crux of the equation? On first glance I should just get a nice set of 195/60/15 tires and call it a day.

It depends on what else you are trying to do. 205/60-15 tires will have some mpg penalty due to the wider tire width resulting in more resistance. (There is also a rotational mass issue.) But wider tires can provide resistance to side winds, shorten stopping distance and improve cornering ability. The way to offset the mpg hit is with less rotational mass, which is where the Motegis come in. My personal objective was to gain the benefits of the wider tires (I fitted Michelin Pilot Sport Exalto A/S in 205/60-15) without suffering the mpg hit. With the Motegi & Michelin combination, before and after drives over the same route and doing a calculated test of before and after fuel consumption, I was able to achieve a ~1 mpg improvement over the OEM Touring wheels & tires. One could argue whether I truly achieved a mpg gain, since ~1 mpg is within the margin of error; but my objective was to not suffer a mpg hit from the wider wheels & tires.

If all you are trying to achieve is to improve your mileage, fit the lightest tire you can to the OEM wheels that doesn't change the overall diameter spec so your speedometer and odometer accuracy doesn't suffer.

Hope this helps.

[psgold1]

Hi, I'm just posting this so priuschat will stop bugging me that I haven't posted yet.

[Gadgetdad]

Originally Posted by psgold1

Hi, I'm just posting this so priuschat will stop bugging me that I haven't posted yet.

See, it wasn't so painful, was it?

My Turanza's for my 07 Touring have 29k on them, and they look like I can get 5K more at least. I'm looking forward to changing them.

Lee

[kfs2840]

who makes TT tires?

[Boo]

Originally Posted by kfs2840

who makes TT tires?

Goodyear. Full name is Goodyear Assurance TripleTreds.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Gadgetdad

My Turanza's for my 07 Touring have 29k on them, and they look like I can get 5K more at least. I'm looking forward to changing them.

Lee

Hi Lee (and other Touring Edition owners),

You might want to check out this sister thread:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-mo...e-upgrade.html

One issue you and other Touring Edition owners will face is the limited number of tires made in the Touring Edition OEM size (same is true for Standard Prius owners).

[Gadgetdad]

Originally Posted by Boo

Hi Lee (and other Touring Edition owners),

You might want to check out this sister thread:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-mo...e-upgrade.html

One issue you and other Touring Edition owners will face is the limited number of tires made in the Touring Edition OEM size (same is true for Standard Prius owners).

Thanks, Tom, that thread is just what I was looking for. I pulled off my back tires today while installing my mud flaps (piece of cake, BTW) and noticed the treadwear indicators still deeper in the tread than I thought. The rubber compounds near the edges have this alligator skin look to them like they were aging. Maybe the perfect replacement tire will be available when I need a new set.

Lee

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Gadgetdad

Thanks, Tom, that thread is just what I was looking for. I pulled off my back tires today while installing my mud flaps (piece of cake, BTW) and noticed the treadwear indicators still deeper in the tread than I thought. The rubber compounds near the edges have this alligator skin look to them like they were aging. Maybe the perfect replacement tire will be available when I need a new set.

Lee

The thread isn't of that much use other than showing the OP Touring owner's apparently successful replacement of his Touring OEM 195/55/16 Bridgestone Turanzas with 205/55/16 Pirelli P4's, and the resulting speedometer and odometer underreading issues associated therewith.

The big issue for you will be whether to stick with the Touring OEM size tire and the very limited variety of tires available in that size, or to switch to a different more standard size like 205/55/16 for which there are literally 3 or 4 times more variety of tires available than the OEM size.

I don't think I've read anywhere on PriusChat yet of a Touring Prius owner replacing the Turanzas with a different tire in the same OEM 195/55/16 size. In that OEM size, the Turanzas is one of the cheapest available ... the others are usually higher performance or run flats which cost a lot more and may have their own issues like extremely stiff ride due to the stiffer run flat sidewalls. I wonder what Prius owners in Europe are doing regarding replacement tires (I understand that the OEM size tire on the EU Prius is the same size as the OEM 195/55/16 on the Touring Prius).