Low Rolling Resistance Tires

[SVOboy]

They are something lovely for our cars besides the standby of just overfilling our tires. Right now mine are 3 psi over, I'll be going up to 6 psi over to test and see if I lose anything cornering though (I took a hard corner with my friend and freaked some old lady in her minivan out, ^_^). But LRRs are a better way of getting the same benefits of overinflation.

Check out this (puke) PDF for some pretty fly information on the stuff and what kinda tires to look for, and which not to look for:

http://www.greenseal.org/recommendations/CGR_tire_rollingresistance.pdf

[bagpipe goatee]

yeah, the tires are a big deal. i have ziex 510's in the front of my civic (terrible tires, don't buy them) and their sidewalls are so flimsy that i pump them up to like 45 psi or sometimes higher and they actually are still soft (it says max inflation pressure of 50 if i remember right). my rear tires i'll bump up to 40. i notice a big difference in gas milege, i figured it out one time, but i don't have the numbers right in front of me. good article.

[SVOboy]

A 10 percent reduction in rolling resistance would yield gas savings of 1 to 2 percent on average, according to Green Seal, a Washington-based nonprofit environmental advocacy organization. Car manufacturers have achieved at least 50 percent reduction in rolling resistance to meet federal fuel economy standards.

Found this online, pretty interesting. LRRs have a big impact, according to this, as big an impact as losing 100 pounds out of your car. And hell, LRRs are cheaper than carbon fiber hoods and sunroof plugs. This is a great way to get up there easily in the mpg game.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Found this online, pretty interesting. LRRs have a big impact, according to this, as big an impact as losing 100 pounds out of your car. And hell, LRRs are cheaper than carbon fiber hoods and sunroof plugs. This is a great way to get up there easily in the mpg game.

I'm planning on putting LRRs on my HX rims once I get the money saved up. The weight reduction of the HX rims and the Low Rolling Resistance of the tires should give me a few mpg extra.

[rh77]

I'm putting together a list of LRRs. Kudos to SVOboy for the PDF on LRRs, but the list is from early '03 and many tire models are no longer available. I've worked with the TireRack in the past and they are friendly to web-boards and folks with individual needs, so I've summoned their assistance in my research. Hopefully they'll have a list of what they sell soon. By all means, purchase where available and cost effective if they don't deliver as expected. I've searched the web with little success for today's LRRs, so off we go...

RH77

[SVOboy]

Sounds exciting, keep us posted.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by rh77

I'm putting together a list of LRRs. Kudos to SVOboy for the PDF on LRRs, but the list is from early '03 and many tire models are no longer available. I've worked with the TireRack in the past and they are friendly to web-boards and folks with individual needs, so I've summoned their assistance in my research. Hopefully they'll have a list of what they sell soon. By all means, purchase where available and cost effective if they don't deliver as expected. I've searched the web with little success for today's LRRs, so off we go...

RH77

please find available sizes as well. I need to find 185R14-60 LRR tires and am having a very difficult time.

[rh77]

The TireRack rep. said that their testing facility doesn't perform RRC, or Rolling Resistance Coefficient testing. They do sell OEM tires for current model hybrids (which, by default, have LRRs). I'm currently contacting Green Seal for more info. The test was the result of a bill passed in California, to study tires' effects on the evironment. The full report can be found here for super-specific info:

http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/200...-001CRVOL2.PDF

Hopefully there's another test out there that's not as old.

-RH77

[rh77]

Just an update on the low-rolling resistance tires -- Green Seal doesn't have any other new testing in the works. I've written the tire companies individually with no success. Anyone out there with connections to the tire industry? There's an independent testing firm in Akron, Ohio that does this testing (at a cost). Is there anyone out there that would perhaps sponsor new testing -- like a University or State agency? (I know I'm reaching here, but where the rubber meets the road could yield better economy, and new testing is due).

RH77

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by rh77

Just an update on the low-rolling resistance tires -- Green Seal doesn't have any other new testing in the works. I've written the tire companies individually with no success. Anyone out there with connections to the tire industry? There's an independent testing firm in Akron, Ohio that does this testing (at a cost). Is there anyone out there that would perhaps sponsor new testing -- like a University or State agency? (I know I'm reaching here, but where the rubber meets the road could yield better economy, and new testing is due).

RH77

I hate to say this, but when gas prices dropping again (I saw $2.04 locally tonight) this whole fuel economy thing isn't very attractive to most people. Even though the car companies are now just displaying gas mileage as a way to advertise their cars, I doubt that anyone else is going to catch on.

Perhaps the best bet is to find out what tires hybrids use (like the Bridgestone RE92) and just get those tires. Most hybrids use LRR tires.

I'm planning on getting whatever the Civic Hybrid uses and throwing them on my lightweight rims that are sitting in the garage.

If there is a univeristy that is willing to test the rolling resistance of certain tires, however, that would be wonderful.