Let's Share Data: Best 33-36" Diameter A/T or R/T for MPG

[Aonarch]

I'm sure a lot of us have done extensive research on what specific tire and tire size will work best for them, while providing good mpg.

Parameters like the actual tire diameter, tire width, tread pattern, load rating, tire weight, rolling resistance, tread depth, etc.

So what have you all found, what tires have you tried, and which tires are you happy with all-around, meaning off-road performance, on-road performance, road noise, mpg.

Right now I am running 315/70/17 BFG KO2 T/A in Load Rating C. I'll update the sizing in an edit. I love KO2s, but I'm thinking that I probably should have gone slightly smaller.

I don't want to turn this into a debate. Just a sharing of information. It's pretty hard to compare Gladiator to Gladiator since there are a multitude of factors that are not the same (Weather, geography, driving style, gearing, weight, etc).

Sponsored

 

[WXman]

Over the last 15-20 years, I've run every popular A/T tire on the market plus a few "off brands". I've also run many of the M/T tires on the market. I've used everything from 32 inches to 35 inches. Run them on probably 15 different trucks and Jeeps. I've had LT-C, LT-D, and LT-E tires.

What I've discovered is that the biggest decrease in MPG comes as soon as you remove the factory tires. Factory tires (with the exception of Rubicon models) are specifically designed to be flimsy, lightweight, and low friction. Often they'll only weight 35 lbs. per tire. They are meant to get the vehicle out the door and into the hands of the consumer, with the highest EPA efficiency rating possible. ANY aftermarket tire you replace these with will be good for a 2 MPG decrease instantly.

After that, the difference between a 33 and 35" tire, for example, is very small. The difference between a A/T and M/T tire is very small. We're talking <1 MPG.

So, if a guy knows 100% for sure that he's going to put larger tires on his Jeep, he really shouldn't fret over which brand or style to go with. The results are going to be virtually the same.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

I’m running some C load 32.8 inch Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires. They weigh 63.7 lbs a pop. I’ve got a sport s with 4.10s averaging about 15 mpg around town and commuting in the super flat terrain of Houston. Call it 90% city and 10% highway. I’m running stock height now but will be adding a 1.5” level kit this weekend though. We’ll see how that effects mpg as well I suppose. No other major mods on my rig.

I’ll be doing a 2,800 mile round trip to North Carolina soon so I’ll make sure I get the accurate fuel consumption and mileage during that.

Overall I’m super pleased with the on road and light offroad performance of them. I’ve got no complaints after owning them for 2,500 miles.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

I’m running some C load 32.8 inch Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires. They weigh 63.7 lbs a pop. I’ve got a sport s with 4.10s averaging about 15 mpg around town and commuting in the super flat terrain of Houston. Call it 90% city and 10% highway. I’m running stock height now but will be adding a 1.5” level kit this weekend though. We’ll see how that effects mpg as well I suppose. No other major mods on my rig.

I’ll be doing a 2,800 mile round trip to North Carolina soon so I’ll make sure I get the accurate fuel consumption and mileage during that.

Overall I’m super pleased with the on road and light offroad performance of them. I’ve got no complaints after owning them for 2,500 miles.

I ended up with 18.5 mpg from Houston to Nags Head, NC and 17.8 mpg on the way back. The trip up had almost no traffic whatsoever. We hit a spot of traffic for about 1 mile that set us back 20 minutes tops, that was it. The trip back, we had traffic and snow related accidents…we lost about 1.5 hours in traffic so it definitely affected mpg.

We kept it at 70 mph for the vast majority of the trip, some passing at 80+ mph, and a lot of cruising at 75 mph. About half of the drive included moderate inclines/declines through the Appalachian foothills in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Overall I’m pleased with 18+ mpg while loaded up with about 700 lbs of payload and heavy ass 33” Falkens. Plus I haven’t programmed the tire size in (not sure if it really matters for mpg though).

 

[mdyucca]

Took a drive yesterday and got 38.8 mpg to my destination 25 miles away with a elevation drop of 2000'. Things changed when I returned to 2580' elevation. For the trip I averaged 21.4 mpg. I am pleased to see, with mostly freeway driveing, an average mpg above 20.

 

[bleda2002]

Stock 1 week old rubicon heading south on i75 through northen and central florida, 17.8 mpg averaging 80.

Nearly 1 year old rubicon with 13K miles on same stretch, on general grabber atx 37's with clayton 2.5 and a winch plus a whole bunch of other mods...16.2 mpg at 80. So ~ 10% MPG hit

 

[smlobx]

OP as you pointed out the Falkens that come stock on our trucks are some of the heaviest tires for their size on the market.

On my next set, I’m going to get E rated tires in 285/75R17 (34”) and will save several pounds per corner. If there is any change in mileage I would expect a slight improvement.

 

[bakobobby]

My Toyo Open Country RT 37” x 12.5” with 5.13s got me 13.7 mpg around town with ac on 1/2 time a lot of stopping at lights but driving for the mpgs .

Sponsored