tire width

I've heard that a 215/50-17 or a 225/45-17 are the widest that will fit the stock rim.
 
225 is pushing it. It's possible, depending on the particular tire you choose, but not recommended.

(I like the new avatar, Tom (2thumbs))
 
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goldwing2000 said:
(I like the new avatar, Tom (2thumbs))

Thanks! Doc Brown is one of my favorite 80's icons. Heck, in another life, I could've turned out to be somebody like him. (lol2)
 
Why do you want to go wider? Too much tire will slow the car. Unless you added copius amounts of horsepower, stay with the 205/50/17.
 
Shiney_McShine said:
Why do you want to go wider? Too much tire will slow the car. Unless you added copius amounts of horsepower, stay with the 205/50/17.

Straight-line traction, maybe. These cars are hardly straight-line monsters, though. A 20mm wider tire will help a LOT with cornering and will barely slow the car down, if at all.
 
goldwing2000 said:
Straight-line traction, maybe. These cars are hardly straight-line monsters, though. A 20mm wider tire will help a LOT with cornering and will barely slow the car down, if at all.
Thats my point. Considering the low horsepower, that last thing I would want to do is create drag. If anyone here thinks their driving skills require a larger contact patch, I would love to see it.
 
Shiney_McShine said:
Thats my point. Considering the low horsepower, that last thing I would want to do is create drag. If anyone here thinks their driving skills require a larger contact patch, I would love to see it.

That little of a size difference isn't going to create any amount of drag worth mentioning but it will help a lot in cornering. A great deal of driving skill is not required to need a bigger contact patch. If you seriously want to see it, show up for this:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108216

Do you have any basis at all for the statements you are making?? Have you even attempted to push this car anywhere near it's limits??

If a 225 is too much tire for this car, then why did the Mazda Rev-It-Up cars have 225s? Just for looks?
 
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goldwing2000 said:
That little of a size difference isn't going to create any amount of drag worth mentioning but it will help a lot in cornering. A great deal of driving skill is not required to need a bigger contact patch. If you seriously want to see it, show up for this:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108216

Do you have any basis at all for the statements you are making?? Have you even attempted to push this car anywhere near it's limits??

If a 225 is too much tire for this car, then why did the Mazda Rev-It-Up cars have 225s? Just for looks?
Well, considering my primary use of my car is transportation, I do not see a need to play Speed Racer on public roads. A few times I have and my arguement is with the tire and not the size. Consider the Mazda Rev it Up cars are prepared for slalom use, so no doubt a larger tire will help. Since I and many of us use our cars for daily driving, the stock sized tire is more then sufficent.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I'm just chiming in on what I consider incorrect. I'll trust the engineers that designed that car and the tire and wheel size for this car. Call me kooky.
 
Shiney_McShine said:
Well, considering my primary use of my car is transportation, I do not see a need to play Speed Racer on public roads. A few times I have and my arguement is with the tire and not the size. Consider the Mazda Rev it Up cars are prepared for slalom use, so no doubt a larger tire will help. Since I and many of us use our cars for daily driving, the stock sized tire is more then sufficent.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I'm just chiming in on what I consider incorrect. I'll trust the engineers that designed that car and the tire and wheel size for this car. Call me kooky.

Ok. You're kooky. (cabpatch)

The tire was chosen for this car based on a lot of factors, and I think traction was pretty close to the bottom of the list. Fuel economy is probably their highest concern.

And I would agree that the 205 is sufficient for daily driving. If you do any kind of competetive or spirited driving, a wider tire is warranted.
 
If you do any kind of competetive or spirited driving, a wider tire is warranted.

I do no racing or autocross, but when I feel like taking an underpass u-turn ramp at 50mph, I do it with confidence with my 225s. (Something I attempted and almost ate curb with the stock Goodyears). I notice a very slight difference in straight line performance with these wider tires, but I'm happy to trade that for the rail-like handling I got in return. If you want 225s, get 'em.
 
It's all about the size and shape of the contact patch.
Skinny tires and rims are great for fuel economy, but slow everywhere else.

In road racing, autocross and most motor sports situations, a fatter tire generally makes for faster course times.

We can all believe otherwise, fortunately, the clock doesn't lie or care very much about what our opinions are, one way or the other.
 
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