Running taller tires to increase ground clearance

[neoplasticity]

I have a 2012 Grand Touring and like everything about the car except the ground clearance is terrible. I go camping quite a bit and some of it involves alot of dirt driving and I see corollas and civics on some direct roads and I realize that those cars have better ground clearance than I do. My stock tires needs to be changed now and I was wondering if anyone has tried running taller tires on the stock rims to improve ground clearance. What's the biggest tire I could put on without causing rubbing and other problems? I think my current size is 205/50R17

 

[Vasy]

Stock Honda Civic has 140 to 155 mm ground clearance, depending on the model.
2012 Mazda 5 has 140.
So you got about same clearance on the bottom end and 15 mm less on the top end.
You would have to go to 205/55 R17 to get the top end clearance.
Generally I don't see why 5mm adding to the top of the tire will cause any clearance issues, our cars are not super tight in that area, just the spedo will be off by a bit.

 

[phunky.buddha]

205/55-17 will give you another 10-11mm of ground clearance without any issues, and it'll be about 2-3% fast (speedo will show slower than real speed) depending on which model tire you use. I'm running 225/50-17 which is a little taller still and wider. 215/50-17 will give you about a 7mm boost and make your speedometer almost perfect.

 

[thaxman]

205/55-17 will give you another 10-11mm of ground clearance without any issues, and it'll be about 2-3% fast (speedo will show slower than real speed) depending on which model tire you use. I'm running 225/50-17 which is a little taller still and wider. 215/50-17 will give you about a 7mm boost and make your speedometer almost perfect.

I got my car with 215/50R17 on it back in 09. Been through many makes of tires, but currently have Silver Editions from Discount Tire. After measurement, I have determined that I travel 51 miles when the odo says I travel 50. That also translates to the speedo, so if its posted 55mph, probably want to be doing 53-54 if you see the Long Arm of the Law in the median.

And back to topic, I have no problems with clearance, but its an 06; and though I have the Touring body-color rails below the door, they don't seem to be the lowest part of the body.
But remember, these have almost 10" more wheelbase than the usual compact car, and trying to compensate for that will just make things look funny.

 

[90210]

THis is what I did to add ground clearance to mine:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...ded-800-lift-kit-to-my-Mazda5&highlight=90210

 

[phunky.buddha]

I got my car with 215/50R17 on it back in 09. Been through many makes of tires, but currently have Silver Editions from Discount Tire. After measurement, I have determined that I travel 51 miles when the odo says I travel 50. That also translates to the speedo, so if its posted 55mph, probably want to be doing 53-54 if you see the Long Arm of the Law in the median.

And back to topic, I have no problems with clearance, but its an 06; and though I have the Touring body-color rails below the door, they don't seem to be the lowest part of the body.
But remember, these have almost 10" more wheelbase than the usual compact car, and trying to compensate for that will just make things look funny.

Stock suspension?

 

[thaxman]

Stock suspension?

KYB shocks and struts. If changes were made in the 1st 3 years/27K, I highly doubt it.

 

[MarkVII88]

I got my car with 215/50R17 on it back in 09. Been through many makes of tires, but currently have Silver Editions from Discount Tire. After measurement, I have determined that I travel 51 miles when the odo says I travel 50. That also translates to the speedo, so if its posted 55mph, probably want to be doing 53-54 if you see the Long Arm of the Law in the median.

And back to topic, I have no problems with clearance, but its an 06; and though I have the Touring body-color rails below the door, they don't seem to be the lowest part of the body.
But remember, these have almost 10" more wheelbase than the usual compact car, and trying to compensate for that will just make things look funny.

If you have a Scangauge II, you can program a correction for the speedo to compensate for non-OEM size tires.