This is a question that comes up again and again, on whether or not the size of the tire will actually affect the fuel economy of the vehicle. The short answer seems to be a general no, but this has to be qualified by a number of different factors. The question comes up when people are considering putting larger customized truck wheels on their vehicle. In terms of general cosmetics, these can give a pretty dramatic effect, giving the truck a very distinctive look, and making it somewhat unavoidable to notice. There are many who really like the look, and there’s no doubt that customized wheels in general are a great way to give your truck a face lift.
There are also many different possibilities for your wheels, from black rims, to spinning rims, to 20” rims , and all of these can add very different, and very exciting looks. However, the question about mileage here is an interesting one. There are lots of people who will remember a grandfather’s advice on how a larger tire size can actually increase the gas mileage. From all the arguments about tires and efficiency that are out there, it appears that the tire size won’t, in fact, increase the mileage.
If anything, they might actually hinder it, because a larger size means that the vehicle has to work harder to get it to move. The difference in fuel economy here actually seems to be fairly negligible, however, which means that a cool new look to your truck won’t cost you much at the gas tank. There are plenty of other factors that go into mileage, however, and it seems pretty clear that tires that are properly inflated will perform better overall. The one caveat to all of these arguments, however, concerns those whose driving patterns take them on the freeway for long and constant stretches. If you usually drive long distances at the highway speed limit, then bigger tires won’t work harder once they’re moving, and they need less revolutions to get further. If this is your case, then it will benefit you in terms of economy and efficiency, so grandpa might be right after all!