How wide of a tire can the P5 alum 16" rims handle?

[Cleeve]

Hi guys,

I thought I'd ask here: maybe you P5 owners will know the answer.

I got a Mazda3 GX... comes with 15" tires and ugly hubcaps.

I've always liked the P5's aluminum rims, so I bought myself a set. (I hope the 5 bolt pattern is the same as on my 3, if it isn't someone shoot me...)

They come factory with 195/50 R16 tires... do you think the rim would handle 205/55 R16 tires (which I'd need to make the wheels the same diameter as my stock 195/65 R15s)?

How can you tell how wide of a tire the 6" wide rim will take?

Thanks folks,

- Cleeve

 

[dmitrik4]

205 is no problem. i know that 205/55/16 is waaay too tall for the P5/ES, but seems right for replacing a 195/65/15.

i think people have fit as wide as a 215 Azenis on the stock rim. that's probably the limit of what i would feel comfortable w/ on the street. but 205 is fine.

edit: if you go to the tire rack's website and look up the specs/sizing for a tire, it will tell you the rim width range the tire was designed for. some same tread-width tires will fit different width ranges, depending on sidewall height and construction.

 

[Cleeve]

Thanks dude!
That's what I figured.