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Author Topic: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets  (Read 501 times)

Online sbhaven

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GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« on: November 10, 2011, 04:30:51 PM »
Due to the aggressive fuel economy targets set by the government, some auto makers, chief among them GM, are removing the spare tire and replacing it with inflator kits in an effort (weight savings) to make the cars more fuel efficient. Industry analysts are saying that losing the estimated 25 pounds worth of spare tire and its associated jack/tools saves less than 1 mpg.

Check Your Trunk: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires…to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
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Online MrNuke

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2011, 05:07:09 PM »
Quote from: sbhaven on November 10, 2011, 04:30:51 PM
Due to the aggressive fuel economy targets set by the government, some auto makers, chief among them GM, are removing the spare tire and replacing it with inflator kits in an effort (weight savings) to make the cars more fuel efficient. Industry analysts are saying that losing the estimated 25 pounds worth of spare tire and its associated jack/tools saves less than 1 mpg.

Check Your Trunk: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires…to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets


My 2011 Hyundai Elantra didn't have it either. Most imports already eliminate the spare tire and swap in an inflation kit.
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Online GreggAndrews

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2011, 06:21:52 PM »
Aaaaandddd... here comes Andrew in his totally Eco-Unfriendly Crown Victoria *waves as I pass on freeway, WITH fullsized spare TIRES in trunk* :lol:

« Last Edit: November 10, 2011, 06:22:25 PM by GreggAndrews »
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Offline MadSmith

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2011, 06:39:24 PM »
lol

1985 Mercedes Benz 300 Turbo Diesel.  Full sized spare, which the car doesn't notice as it weighs over 4,500lbs empty!

Fuel economy?  Well, if we're talking about miles per gallon of *diesel* used, how about +100mpg?   :P

It only uses diesel on startup and purge on shutdown.  Basically the first 2 and last 1 mile.  The rest of the trip is on the waste vegetable oil and the rendered remains of dead swine.  (heated non-food-safe waste lard).  That makes it quite *literally* a 'road hog'.  :)
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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2011, 08:40:10 PM »
I carry two fullsized spares in the trunk. Both are Hoosier slicks for my trips to Lebanon. Softer than a pencil eraser.  :-*

They make holeshots so much more fun.  8)
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Online GunTechie

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2011, 08:43:04 PM »
6 tires?  Who needs 6 tires?  You and you're high capacity vehicle.  Ill call the media

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Online GreggAndrews

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2011, 08:51:13 PM »
The guy who needs to do those pesky quarter-miles in style.  8)
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Offline MadSmith

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2011, 09:07:45 PM »
Hmmm...  You use extra-soft rubber tires for added traction, yes?

I've always wanted to try out a neat idea:

Press a button, and the suspension lowers.  The ground effects skirt has a bottom that's maybe an inch of dense bristles, which now contact the ground, forming a semi air-seal.  Then a big suction fan activates.  Perhaps in the trunk, venting upwards.  It might double as a really powerful intercooler.  Anyway, the fan, either electric or perhaps powered by a leaf blower or lawn mower engine, sucks the air out from under the car, forming a moderate vacuum. 

Assuming a vehicle footprint of 6ft width and 17ft length, that's 72in x 204in = 14688 square inches of surface area.

1 atmosphere is 14.7psi.  If it can generate just a 2% atmospheric pressure difference, you are looking at downforce of over 4000lbs. 

Not mass.  Downforce.  LOTSA grip.

Needless to say, the ground effect skirt must be customized to seal around either the inside or outside of the tires when the air or hydraulic suspension lowers the body.  And the under body needs sealing as well.

Adjustable downforce, even at a standstill.  You don't lose grip where you need it most, when slowing down around corners, or from a standing start.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2011, 09:13:10 PM by MadSmith »
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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2011, 09:09:22 PM »
CAFE standards should be abolished.  They have a lot to do with destroying the US auto companies.  I hate environmentalists. 
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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2011, 09:10:49 PM »
Quote from: MadSmith on November 10, 2011, 09:07:45 PM
Hmmm...  You use extra-soft rubber tires for added traction, yes?

I've always wanted to try out a neat idea:

Press a button, and the suspension lowers.  The ground effects skirt has a bottom that's maybe an inch of dense bristles, which now contact the ground, forming a semi air-seal.  Then a big suction fan activates.  Perhaps in the trunk.  Either electric or perhaps powered by a leaf blower or lawn mower engine, and *sucks* the air out from under the car, forming a moderate vacuum. 

Assuming a vehicle footprint of 6ft width and 17ft length, that's 72in x 204in = 14688 square inches of surface area.

1 atmosphere is 14.7psi.  If it can generate just a 2% atmospheric pressure difference, you are looking at downforce of over 4000lbs. 

Not mass.  Downforce.  LOTSA grip.

What kind of friction would be created?
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Offline MadSmith

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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2011, 09:18:05 PM »
Not that much.  It's bristles, not an encompassing rubber skirt like a hovercraft.  The bristles are to allow it to conform to the imperfectly flat road surface.

I did this a decade ago with my niece's battlebot.  She's a robotics genius.  Anyway, she had the problem where to ram, you needed mass and velocity, which required powerful motors.  But there wasn't enough mass in a battlebot to give her machine much traction, so it spun out.  Weaker motors wouldn't spin out, but you are limited by the amount of grip, even if you had lots of torque.  So I gave her bot a reverse air cushion.  Her bot weighed in at just a hair under 95lbs, but had a 'virtual mass' of close to a thousand pounds.  It could operate on walls or upsidedown, and was unflippable.

It could push any bot off the ring with ease, even bots which massed 5x as much as hers.

I figure, why not try it on a bigger platform?

It's totally impractical for anything other than racing, where raw engine power is less important than grip.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2011, 09:20:37 PM by MadSmith »
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Re: GM and Others Canning Spare Tires to Meet Gov’t Fuel Economy Targets
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2011, 09:32:06 PM »
Umm...

I know lots about goin' fast in a line. None of this 'hurr computer talk.  ;)
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