On Wed, 19 Jul 2017 15:51:22 -0000 (UTC), Mad Roger
wrote:

On Wed, 19 Jul 2017 07:36:14 -0400,
dadiOH wrote:

Bigger wheel = less gasoline for a given distance and less tire wear.

I would intuitively agree with you but the two referenced articles do not
agree with our intuition.

Combined, the two articles said (for a one-inch difference)...
+ The engine delivers ~25% less driving force to the wheel contact patch
+ Which results in a decrease in acceleration & decrease in fuel economy
+ And there will be a decrease in handling (mostly in cornering)
+ And that unsprung weight goes up appreciably
+ In addition to tire air "cushioning" being reduced
+ While the overall vehicle suspension remains at the same ride height
???
If the tire diameter is increased by one inch to cause the reduction
in tractive force, the suspension hight CAN NOT remain unchainged
If the tire hight /diameter is increased, there is MORE cushioning if
the rim size does not change, and the same if the rim and tire
diameters change.
The unsprung weight can go up or down, depending on the weight of the
tire and the rim.


In other words, you can't take points from 2 different articles
discussing 2 different things and put them together and draw these
kinds of conclusions.