Aftermarket wheels on a hybrid Maverick

[oljackfrost]

At this point I am thinking the Maverick wheels will be similar in size to the Bronco Sport. The wheel size is 17” x 7”. Does anyone know if going to a wider custom wheel, either 7.5” or 8” would affect fuel economy with a hybrid? No aftermarket sources list Maverick wheels yet, but if you search for Bronco Sport wheels you find not only 7”, but 7.5” or 8” as well. I would be using the factory all season tires on the “Summer wheels.”

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[dvibs07]

At this point I am thinking the Maverick wheels will be similar in size to the Bronco Sport. The wheel size is 17” x 7”. Does anyone know if going to a wider custom wheel, either 7.5” or 8” would affect fuel economy with a hybrid? No aftermarket sources list Maverick wheels yet, but if you search for Bronco Sport wheels you find not only 7”, but 7.5” or 8” as well. I would be using the factory all season tires on the “Summer wheels.”

Any sort of weight change will effect the mpg, the more your engine has to exert to move the wheels, the more gas/electricity it uses. So if you put on bigger heavier rims on the hybrid, I’m sure you’d lose some mpg.

 

[PapaDave]

I thought about aftermarket wheels for the XL. I love the all black ones that come on the FX4. I figure those would likely be more expensive buying from Ford. So, I will try to find something similar.

 

[Harleyguy001]

At this point I am thinking the Maverick wheels will be similar in size to the Bronco Sport. The wheel size is 17” x 7”. Does anyone know if going to a wider custom wheel, either 7.5” or 8” would affect fuel economy with a hybrid? No aftermarket sources list Maverick wheels yet, but if you search for Bronco Sport wheels you find not only 7”, but 7.5” or 8” as well. I would be using the factory all season tires on the “Summer wheels.”

The XL factory tires are 225/65R17. If you plan on using those factory tires anyway, why wouldn't you just go with a 7" wide aftermarket wheel? That way you wouldn't have to worry about proper bead seating and sidewall issues. BTW, I don't think going with a slightly wider wheel is going to affect mileage unless it is way heavier than the factory steelies. Personally, I'm going to leave the steelies/factory tires for winter and go with a set of nice 18"x8" wheels with 245/55R18 tires.

 

[PapaDave]

If I change wheel/tire size do I need to take the Maverick to Ford and have them reset computer for new size for accurate speedometer? And, does it have any effecton warranty coverage?

 

[notfast]

Personally, I'm going to leave the steelies/factory tires for winter and go with a set of nice 18"x8" wheels with 245/55R18 tires.

I'd take the factory tires to Discount Tire while they have <500 miles on them, get a buyback credit, and use that toward some true winter/snow tires.

If I change wheel/tire size do I need to take the Maverick to Ford and have them reset computer for new size for accurate speedometer?

Unless the tire size varies by more than 5%, I wouldn't be concerned about it.

And, does it have any effecton warranty coverage?

Technically yes, but as a lawyer would say, it depends. If you put on heavier tires and have suspension, steering, or driveline issues, the dealer may point to the tires and deny the claim. If you put on larger tires (which would technically click off fewer miles than actual) and have any warranty issue at 35,990 miles, they may deny a claim.

Personally I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Cars are more durable than they are given credit for. Parts are designed with a large safety margin. Maybe if you ran 35x12.5s on the Maverick you'd have problems, but putting tires an inch taller/wider or a few pounds heavier isn't going to hurt anything.

As a former dealership mechanic (not for Ford), in my experience, the way you approach and present a problem has a greater effect on your warranty claim than the problem itself. If you're cool, calm, collected, courteous, and not trying to hide something, then we as mechanics and service writers would let a lot of things slide. I'm not saying to be a pushover, but just be nice.

For example, if you had a power steering fluid leak in the rack (which is impossible on the Maverick hybrid due to its EPS) and said that you put on larger tires but hope it didn't ruin anything, I'd just write it up as a manufacturing defect and warranty repair it.

But if you come into the shop demanding this or that or explaining how you nearly died when the power steering failed or threaten to call corporate or a lawyer, then we'd just say, your oversize tires caused the problem because the power steering system is designed for tires of the specified size in your doorjamb, and show you out. We have plenty of other business (and nicer customers).

 

[PapaDave]

I'd take the factory tires to Discount Tire while they have <500 miles on them, get a buyback credit, and use that toward some true winter/snow tires.



Unless the tire size varies by more than 5%, I wouldn't be concerned about it.



Technically yes, but as a lawyer would say, it depends. If you put on heavier tires and have suspension, steering, or driveline issues, the dealer may point to the tires and deny the claim. If you put on larger tires (which would technically click off fewer miles than actual) and have any warranty issue at 35,990 miles, they may deny a claim.

Personally I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Cars are more durable than they are given credit for. Parts are designed with a large safety margin. Maybe if you ran 35x12.5s on the Maverick you'd have problems, but putting tires an inch taller/wider or a few pounds heavier isn't going to hurt anything.

As a former dealership mechanic (not for Ford), in my experience, the way you approach and present a problem has a greater effect on your warranty claim than the problem itself. If you're cool, calm, collected, courteous, and not trying to hide something, then we as mechanics and service writers would let a lot of things slide.

For example, if you had a power steering fluid leak in the rack (which is impossible on the Maverick hybrid due to its EPS) and said that you put on larger tires but hope it didn't ruin anything, I'd just write it up as a manufacturing defect and warranty repair it.

But if you come into the shop demanding this or that or explaining how you nearly died when the power steering failed or threaten to call corporate or a lawyer, then we'd just say, your oversize tires caused the problem because the power steering system is designed for tires of the specified size in your doorjamb, and show you out. We have plenty of other business (and nicer customers).

Thank you so much for your answers. I did not know I could take the Maverick tires (new) and get a credit. Sweet..

 

[hsinking1932]

I'd take the factory tires to Discount Tire while they have <500 miles on them, get a buyback credit, and use that toward some true winter/snow tires.

I'm confused. I think we need factory tires after winter

 

[notfast]

I'm confused. I think we need factory tires after winter

@Harleyguy001 said

Personally, I'm going to leave the steelies/factory tires for winter and go with a set of nice 18"x8" wheels with 245/55R18 tires.

To me, that implies he's going to have two sets of wheels and tires:

1. OEM steelies + factory tires for winter
2. Aftermarket alloy wheels with summer/all season tires for summer.

Since he's got the nice alloys with summer tires for use after winter, he should just sell the factory tires immediately and get a nice set of dedicated snow/winter tires for, well, winter.

 

[JASmith]

Any sort of weight change will effect the mpg, the more your engine has to exert to move the wheels, the more gas/electricity it uses. So if you put on bigger heavier rims on the hybrid, I’m sure you’d lose some mpg.

Yup, and not just the extra horsepower needed to spin them up, but added rolling and wind resistance too. Still, while it certainly will reduce fuel economy, the question is by how much. Even if it reduces it 2%, would you really feel it in the pocket book?

Generally speaking the only thing that really ruins fuel economy is when people screw up the offset, as many truck owners do and have the tires stick out of the wheel wells which creates massive turbulence on both sides of the vehicle on the highway.

BTW, if the goal is just having two sets of wheels, I'd see if you can wait to find some factory takeoffs. I bet a lot of kids will be upgrading their wheels and selling their stockers cheap, so you could put XT steelies on for winter perhaps just wrapped in gloss black would look nice, and use XLT hybrids for summer. Saves a bunch of money on a second pair of TPMS!

 

[fbov]

going to a wider custom wheel, either 7.5” or 8” would affect fuel economy with a hybrid

Wheel width alone will not affect a tire's rolling resistance. It's the choice of tire you put on that wheel that matters.

The Escape comes with three tire sizes across its trims, and Bronco Sport uses one of them for all but the off-road package. All the OEM sizes are interchangeable for size and speedometer calibration: 225/55-19, 225/60-18 and 225/65-17 .

Hybrids suffer weight far better than conventional drivetrains. Regen braking allows recapture of 85-90% of the car's energy, so the actual mass of the car becomes a much smaller factor. Otherwise, why steel wheel on the base model?

Hybrids benefit tremendously from low parasitic loss, my Escape rolls very well. It has 19's. Stiffer ride, but better rolling from shorter sidewalls. Again, RR varies with tire make and model, so no guarantees!

 

[oljackfrost]

Wheel width alone will not affect a tire's rolling resistance. It's the choice of tire you put on that wheel that matters.

The Escape comes with three tire sizes across its trims, and Bronco Sport uses one of them for all but the off-road package. All the OEM sizes are interchangeable for size and speedometer calibration: 225/55-19, 225/60-18 and 225/65-17 .

Hybrids suffer weight far better than conventional drivetrains. Regen braking allows recapture of 85-90% of the car's energy, so the actual mass of the car becomes a much smaller factor. Otherwise, why steel wheel on the base model?

Hybrids benefit tremendously from low parasitic loss, my Escape rolls very well. It has 19's. Stiffer ride, but better rolling from shorter sidewalls. Again, RR varies with tire make and model, so no guarantees!

I’m using the factory XLT gray wheels for my winter tires. Plan on using the factory tires on new wheels for the summer. Since aftermarket 17” wheels vary in width from 7” to 8” is why I asked the initial question. If I happen to like a wheel design that is 8” wide, will that width affect economy at all using factory tires? Many of the choices are 7.5” wide which is not quite so big of a difference. What I’m looking at are listings for Bronco Sport wheels because no one has Maverick listed yet.

 

[FirstFord]

I’m using the factory XLT gray wheels for my winter tires. Plan on using the factory tires on new wheels for the summer. Since aftermarket 17” wheels vary in width from 7” to 8” is why I asked the initial question. If I happen to like a wheel design that is 8” wide, will that width affect economy at all using factory tires? Many of the choices are 7.5” wide which is not quite so big of a difference. What I’m looking at are listings for Bronco Sport wheels because no one has Maverick listed yet.

You can safely fit a range of tire widths on any given rim width. As you note, factory tires on 7.5" rims are probably NBD. But you can use the selection tool on TireRack to check width compatability. Search for wheel/tire packages, select a wheel and then see what tire sizes they present to you. Like others here, I have used the Bronco Sport as a proxy. Maverick is loaded in the vehicle selector, but they have not matched any wheels to the truck yet.

Regarding fuel mileage, rim width will impact the effective cross section of the tire. Additionally, if you decide to go with a wider tire to match better with your wider rims, this will result in a wider section. This does increase the vehicle's aerodynamic cross section and consequently reduces fuel efficiency. As someone asked before, "but by how much?" If you're hypermiling, you wouldn't want to do it. Otherwise the difference isn't likely to be an issue.

 

[fbov]

Regarding fuel mileage, rim width will impact the effective cross section of the tire.

True, but that's small compared with the impact of a high-RR tire. Try some bias-ply tires if you want to kill mileage.

 

[Rolandus]

Does anyone know if these Touren 17" TR60's fit a Maverick XL Hybrid?

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