Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > EcoModding Central
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-03-2016, 07:35 PM   #1 (permalink)
'07 Toyota Matrix - 36MPG
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 28

Small Red - '07 Toyota Matrix
90 day: 37.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 11
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Downsizing from 205mm & 16" to 195 & 15" wheels/tires worth it?

Hi all,

I'm getting close to needing new tires on my '07 Toyota Matrix. I'm running factory 16" steel wheels with factory size tires. I'm considering going to '07 Corolla 15" steel wheels. I believe my #s for the below are correct:

Existing stock Matrix wheel/tire:
205/55R16, 16x6.5" steel wheel, 5x100 bolt pattern, 39mm offset

Proposed stock Corolla wheel/tire:
195/65R15, 15x6" steel wheel, 5x100 bolt pattern ?? offset

See attached photos for calculator results from rimsntires.com's calculator (I can't post links, b/c I'm a n00b. )

How much gains do you think I can expect from getting a 10mm "thinner" tire and -1" on rim size? The calculator says that the 15" wheel+tire should be ~3 lbs lighter.

I drive, maybe, 40% city, 60% highway. I would be trying to get some Corolla steelies used or from the junkyard.

Thx in advance.

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Matrix Wheels - rimsntires calculator - 2016-10-03_16-20-39.jpg
Views:	64
Size:	118.9 KB
ID:	20630   Click image for larger version

Name:	Matrix Wheel - rimsntires calculator 2 - 2016-10-03_16-21-57.jpg
Views:	68
Size:	185.5 KB
ID:	20631  
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 10-03-2016, 08:48 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ecky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 5,005

ND Miata - '15 Mazda MX-5 Special Package
90 day: 42.54 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,866
Thanked 2,501 Times in 1,547 Posts
Food for thought, I went to a local junkyard and picked up 2 nice sets of alloy rims. One set was ~$60, and the other was ~$100. There were tons of 15" and 16" alloys available, and the weight savings would be something like 5-7lbs per wheel in the same size. Considering how little more a set of junkyard alloys would cost, why not do that instead?

I couldn't guess how much savings moving to a narrower profile would give you, but all else being equal, there would be gains from going thinner.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Ecky For This Useful Post:
MPGee (10-03-2016)
Old 10-03-2016, 09:28 PM   #3 (permalink)
'07 Toyota Matrix - 36MPG
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 28

Small Red - '07 Toyota Matrix
90 day: 37.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 11
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ecky View Post
Food for thought, I went to a local junkyard and picked up 2 nice sets of alloy rims. One set was ~$60, and the other was ~$100. There were tons of 15" and 16" alloys available, and the weight savings would be something like 5-7lbs per wheel in the same size. Considering how little more a set of junkyard alloys would cost, why not do that instead?

I couldn't guess how much savings moving to a narrower profile would give you, but all else being equal, there would be gains from going thinner.
Thank you for not flogging me, Ecky. I was reading the chastising of another guy was getting for not searching first on another thread on this same subject at http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...omy-25121.html... lol.

Seems like the lower weight should help, judging by that thread. And as you question, in theory the narrower-ness (if I may coin a term) should help, but 10mm really is nothing...

The concerns I have w/ alloys is that I lose aero benefits from having a (mostly) solid & flat wheelcover. Those things are all spokes, as you get to the lightweight racing wheels, as best as I could tell. I guess I could bring my bathroom scale along w/ me to the junk yard to weigh them. lol. From what I could tell by searching Tirerack.com, just because it's alloy doesn't mean that it's necessarily gonna be any lighter...

I appreciate your suggestion though. I will keep that in mind and not rule out non-steel automatically.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2016, 12:33 AM   #4 (permalink)
'07 Toyota Matrix - 36MPG
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 28

Small Red - '07 Toyota Matrix
90 day: 37.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 11
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Actually... reading up online, there are three other French benefits of "downsizing" wheel size that I did not anticipate:

1. Cheaper tires
I priced out how much Goodyear Fuel Assurance were on America's Tire, and it's $82 or so cheaper in the 15" size. That works out to about 16% less..

2. Less risk of damage to hub caps / wheels
This is due to the taller sidewalls, of course

3. Smoother ride
Again, this is also due to the taller sidewalls. I'm hoping it's also a little quieter (?).

I think I'm starting to like the sound of this "minus" sizing
..
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2016, 12:49 AM   #5 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Washington
Posts: 107

24 Grom - '24 Honda Grom
90 day: 120.17 mpg (US)
Thanks: 7
Thanked 48 Times in 32 Posts
Take a look at konig heliums. If your stock rims were like mine which weighed in at 20lbs a piece. I dropped 10lbs a rim. Take a look at them.
__________________
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to compdrag For This Useful Post:
PaleMelanesian (11-10-2016)
Old 10-04-2016, 09:12 AM   #6 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aardvarcus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Evensville, TN
Posts: 676

Deep Blue - '94 GMC Suburban K2500 SLE
90 day: 23.75 mpg (US)

Griffin (T4R) - '99 Toyota 4Runner SR5
90 day: 25.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 237
Thanked 580 Times in 322 Posts
I did almost this exact swap on my old car, except I swapped to 15" Prius alloy wheels. Lightest weight factory option, plus a fairly flush clip on wheel cover with those. I used the black 10 spoke alloys which have the clip on 5 spoke silver wheel cover. I saw a MPG increase, but I also switched tires at the same time so your mileage may vary (literally). I had good luck with Michelin energy savers.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2016, 08:21 PM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
oldtamiyaphile's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,510

UFI - '12 Fiat 500 Twinair
Team Turbocharged!
90 day: 40.3 mpg (US)

Jeep - '05 Jeep Wrangler Renegade
90 day: 18.09 mpg (US)

R32 - '89 Nissan Skyline

STiG - '16 Renault Trafic 140dCi Energy
90 day: 30.12 mpg (US)

Prius - '05 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 50.25 mpg (US)

Premodded - '49 Ford Freighter
90 day: 13.48 mpg (US)

F-117 - '10 Proton Arena GLSi
Pickups
Mitsubishi
90 day: 37.82 mpg (US)

Ralica - '85 Toyota Celica ST
90 day: 25.23 mpg (US)

Sx4 - '07 Suzuki Sx4
90 day: 32.21 mpg (US)

F-117 (2) - '03 Citroen Xsara VTS
90 day: 30.06 mpg (US)
Thanks: 325
Thanked 452 Times in 319 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ecky View Post
Food for thought, I went to a local junkyard and picked up 2 nice sets of alloy rims. One set was ~$60, and the other was ~$100. There were tons of 15" and 16" alloys available, and the weight savings would be something like 5-7lbs per wheel in the same size. Considering how little more a set of junkyard alloys would cost, why not do that instead?
OEM alloys on my Fiat are much heavier than steelies. With OEM tyres it's about 7lbs per corner. I think you'll find that's pretty typical. The fatigue properties of aluminium means OE wheels are much thicker so they end up weighing the same or more than steel.

Narrow steelies with smooth covers is the way to go, unless you can use some of the rare light weight OE wheels or don't mind spending on aftermarket forged.

Even then, the open faces of race type wheels may not pay dividends in economy terms.
__________________






  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2016, 08:49 PM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ecky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 5,005

ND Miata - '15 Mazda MX-5 Special Package
90 day: 42.54 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,866
Thanked 2,501 Times in 1,547 Posts
I believe most 14" steel rims are 18lbs. I have a total of 4 sets of alloy rims now which are 11lbs, 12lbs, 13lbs and 15lbs, the lightest of which are my Insight's OEM wheels and the heaviest of which are the Civic Hybrid's OEM wheels.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2016, 10:25 PM   #9 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
MPGeo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Wilson, NC
Posts: 132

MPGeo - '93 Geo Metro Base
90 day: 67.51 mpg (US)
Thanks: 66
Thanked 56 Times in 36 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ecky View Post
I believe most 14" steel rims are 18lbs. I have a total of 4 sets of alloy rims now which are 11lbs, 12lbs, 13lbs and 15lbs, the lightest of which are my Insight's OEM wheels and the heaviest of which are the Civic Hybrid's OEM wheels.
11lbs is a very good weight for factory 14" ... I'm pleasantly surprised.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2016, 09:12 PM   #10 (permalink)
'07 Toyota Matrix - 36MPG
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 28

Small Red - '07 Toyota Matrix
90 day: 37.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 11
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by aardvarcus View Post
I did almost this exact swap on my old car, except I swapped to 15" Prius alloy wheels. Lightest weight factory option, plus a fairly flush clip on wheel cover with those. I used the black 10 spoke alloys which have the clip on 5 spoke silver wheel cover.
Cool! Aardvarcus, what was your last ride? And do you recall which year Prius those wheels came from, and maybe how much the weight was before/after?

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com