Well this is it. it snowed about 5 inches last night here in k zoo, and the msp took it in stirde. I put on 16 inch steels and michilan snows and i spent about 600 $$$$$ ouch! but having driven in the snow late in the evening when it was icey as well i am very pleased with the money that I spent. Having come from a rear wheel drive s10 that sucked monkey ass in the snow i feel 100 time safer in the msp. that is the truth
My msp in snow
- Thread starter dafababa
- Start date
Silver Bullit
Member
- :
- Mazda Protege ES
dafababa said:
Hey, I live in Michigan too. South of Detroit. My ES sucked in the same snow you are talking about. I think my tires: 1)are not suited for snow to much, 2) I spun them in the summer too much........lol. 
Limited Edition
Member
Hey dafababa
i've gotta get a set of snow tires too. I was wondering what size tire you went with? I read over the manual today, and it says if you ever decide on putting chains on your tire, they say you should go with 195/50/16! as a snow tire..
Man, that's pretty low profile for winters..
Anyway, if anyone is wondering if 15" will fit on those 11" rotors upfront, i havea good feeling it WILL FIT! The spare tire is 15".
So, you tell me a 15" can't fit.
I think this is the best proof i can present w/o actually having to try and mount on 15" rims.
I did check the brake caliper and taking 2" off the Racinghart wheels to imagine what 15" would be like.
According to my estimate, it doesn't even look like there's space!!!
What a joke.
Oh well, Spare tire is 15", therefore, a 15" winter rim must!
i've gotta get a set of snow tires too. I was wondering what size tire you went with? I read over the manual today, and it says if you ever decide on putting chains on your tire, they say you should go with 195/50/16! as a snow tire..
Man, that's pretty low profile for winters..
Anyway, if anyone is wondering if 15" will fit on those 11" rotors upfront, i havea good feeling it WILL FIT! The spare tire is 15".
So, you tell me a 15" can't fit.
I think this is the best proof i can present w/o actually having to try and mount on 15" rims.
I did check the brake caliper and taking 2" off the Racinghart wheels to imagine what 15" would be like.
According to my estimate, it doesn't even look like there's space!!!
What a joke.
Oh well, Spare tire is 15", therefore, a 15" winter rim must!
the spare may be a 15" but I have heard that (and you should know from having taken delivery and read the manual) the spare is only to be put on the back. If you get a flat in the front I think you are supposed to take the back off on that side, put it in the front, and put the spare on the back....
I wasnt sure why this was, thought maybe it had something to do with a 7" wide tire and a donut skinny tire and the LSD or something, but maybe its because of the big brakes in the front.
I heard this from my salesman when he came back from street heat and while salesmen have been less than 100% guaranteed, it seems like a random and awkward thing to have mis-heard or misunderstood or something........
I wasnt sure why this was, thought maybe it had something to do with a 7" wide tire and a donut skinny tire and the LSD or something, but maybe its because of the big brakes in the front.
I heard this from my salesman when he came back from street heat and while salesmen have been less than 100% guaranteed, it seems like a random and awkward thing to have mis-heard or misunderstood or something........
Limited Edition
Member
slug420.
You are correct about this! I just remember looking for that line in the manual. it's true, looks like the front caliper's can use a 15" rim. it must be 7" in width too. There is Absolutely NO space for even a 6 4/5" width rim ( if they made one) to fit.
MSP owners: look at the spoke clearance with the caliper. There's next to no space to even fit a finger.
That really sucks of the front blows if you're on the freewy/highway. just imagine having to change the front to the rear. and putting the rear to the front. Imagine doing this in COLD weather! SUCKS. I think i'll just call for roadside assistance
Racinghart designed this wheel specifically for the Mazdaspeed.
For some reason, the caliper width is really wide! What for?
You are correct about this! I just remember looking for that line in the manual. it's true, looks like the front caliper's can use a 15" rim. it must be 7" in width too. There is Absolutely NO space for even a 6 4/5" width rim ( if they made one) to fit.
MSP owners: look at the spoke clearance with the caliper. There's next to no space to even fit a finger.
That really sucks of the front blows if you're on the freewy/highway. just imagine having to change the front to the rear. and putting the rear to the front. Imagine doing this in COLD weather! SUCKS. I think i'll just call for roadside assistance
Racinghart designed this wheel specifically for the Mazdaspeed.
For some reason, the caliper width is really wide! What for?
as for rotating tires if you get a flat.....I had been planning on ditching my spare anyways so i could put my amp in the spare tire well and my solution was to put a little air compressor and a can of fix-o-flat stuffed in the car somewhere. My friend has 16s on his teg and uses just a can of fixoflat but the pressure is a little greater on 17s so im getting an air compressor ot make sure it works. Im sure this will do the trick too cuz thats what corvettes come with.
as for cost Ill probably get a craftsman one or something at sears and a power inverter will already be in my car if needed, but i saw an ad from a discount store around here last week and they had a air compressor that you could plug into your cigarette lighter in your car and went up to......120psi maybe? cant remember, but it was plenty to blow up a tire, and it was only like 20 bucks
and my solution was to put a little air compressor and a can of fix-o-flat stuffed in the car somewhere. My friend has 16s on his teg and uses just a can of fixoflat but the pressure is a little greater on 17s so im getting an air compressor ot make sure it works. Im sure this will do the trick too cuz thats what corvettes come with.as for cost Ill probably get a craftsman one or something at sears and a power inverter will already be in my car if needed, but i saw an ad from a discount store around here last week and they had a air compressor that you could plug into your cigarette lighter in your car and went up to......120psi maybe? cant remember, but it was plenty to blow up a tire, and it was only like 20 bucks
Snow: rims and tires??
I looked all over the forum and saw several people have applied various rims and tires with various levels of satisfaction. We get enough snow in Michigan (5 inches predicted toinight) to get snow tires - what are my options?? Will a decent 17" snow tire do, or should I look for smaller and if so which rims will work?
Andrew
I looked all over the forum and saw several people have applied various rims and tires with various levels of satisfaction. We get enough snow in Michigan (5 inches predicted toinight) to get snow tires - what are my options?? Will a decent 17" snow tire do, or should I look for smaller and if so which rims will work?
Andrew
Limited Edition
Member
Re: Snow: rims and tires??
I suggest you go with smaller rims and narrower tires. If your plan is to mount the winters on the Stock 17" RacingHarts, think about all the crap it will go through. slush, snow and worse of all SALT! The Amount of $ you have to spent to get 17" winter tires, you might as well go with steelies and a cheap set of winter tires. Since a a few of us mentioned that 15" will fit, you should go with that size.
The fact is, the more narrow the tire, the better it will get you throw the snow.
andr3w said:
I suggest you go with smaller rims and narrower tires. If your plan is to mount the winters on the Stock 17" RacingHarts, think about all the crap it will go through. slush, snow and worse of all SALT! The Amount of $ you have to spent to get 17" winter tires, you might as well go with steelies and a cheap set of winter tires. Since a a few of us mentioned that 15" will fit, you should go with that size.
The fact is, the more narrow the tire, the better it will get you throw the snow.
Local tire shop is recommending Michelin Pilot, H-rated 195/55/15 on Steel or Alumunim. They actually were able to get right info for the MSP after a bit of digging. I think that is what I will go with for a few months and take Limited Editions advice and save the Racing Harts.
I know is is old news now since others have taken delivery but I am so geeked to take delivery of my Speed on Monday! The sales guy called me, it just got driven off the truck and will have final alignment and prep done on monday. Not sure how dafababa beat me to being the first in Michigan since Bill Cook is the biggest Mazda dealer in the state and I was first in line there - but I am happy to finally getting the car.
I know is is old news now since others have taken delivery but I am so geeked to take delivery of my Speed on Monday! The sales guy called me, it just got driven off the truck and will have final alignment and prep done on monday. Not sure how dafababa beat me to being the first in Michigan since Bill Cook is the biggest Mazda dealer in the state and I was first in line there - but I am happy to finally getting the car.
