Tire

[DooMer_MP3]

Alright, now I'm confused. Why does it matter what a Protege ES runs? We're talking MP3s here. I can't imagine the MP3 ECU wasn't calibrated for the larger size tire it came with. Otherwise it would be off 1.5mph from the factory which would be crazy.

Chris

 

[70]

Alright, now I'm confused. Why does it matter what a Protege ES runs? We're talking MP3s here. I can't imagine the MP3 ECU wasn't calibrated for the larger size tire it came with. Otherwise it would be off 1.5mph from the factory which would be crazy.

Chris

The speedo doesn't run off of the ECU, it is mechanical. Most speedos operate off of the tranny...

If the speedo is calibarted at the factory to be accurate with in a given range, it would be spec'd for the most often used tire diameter.

Which would mean it is calibrated off of either the 15" wheel or the 16" wheel. It doesn't make sense for Mazda to go out and recalibrate a speedo just to run 17" wheels on 1500 cars. Does it?

 

[dolphin]

For the streeet, I got the ES100 in the 205/45-17. I am very happy with these as street tires.

For autocrossing, I got the SP9K in 215/40-17 on sale at TireRack. The 215/40 fits fine on the wheel, puts a little wider rubber on the road and slightly shortens the gear ratio. A stock MP3 does not have a large surpluse of power so I went with the 2% shorter gearing. This is not much but for autocrossing evry bit helps. I had even considered the 205/40-17 for autocrossing but I am not sure I want to go that low.

 

[rowan]

StuttersC .. umm I dunno wtf you get your info but the MP3s came from the factory with the RacingHart wheels. So the speedo would have in fact been calibrated to the correct size tires. i.e. 24.1" o.d. 205/45R17 Dunlop SP9000's.

Only the stereo, spoiler, rear skirt and front splitter were installed at port.

 

[70]

StuttersC .. umm I dunno wtf you get your info but the MP3s came from the factory with the RacingHart wheels. So the speedo would have in fact been calibrated to the correct size tires. i.e. 24.1" o.d. 205/45R17 Dunlop SP9000's.

Only the stereo, spoiler, rear skirt and front splitter were installed at port.

Um, I know what the MP3 came with from the factory. You obviously missed my point entirely.

Why is Mazda going to spend the money to get a new speedo gear in the same tranny used on every other third gen Protege to make up for a ~2% difference between the stock car and a limited production car?

And, speedo accuracy isn't that big of a deal for non-police cars. Get a grip...You assume Mazda cares how off your speedo is with different sized wheels from the factory?

 

[70]

Ok, I will spell it all out for those of you who seem lost here.

In 1999 the Mazda Protege was redesigned, bringing out the thrid generation. The car came with 15" wheels running a 195/55/15 tire.

The upgraded 16" wheels came in 2001 on the ES running a 195/50/16. Then came the MP3 with a 17" wheel and 205/45/17. Then the MSP with a 215/45/17.

So, we will say that when the Protege was built, the speedo gear in the tranny (which is the same tranny and speedo gear across all version of the third gen Protege, with the MSP exception of LSD) was calibrated for the 15" wheel.

That means, there is a 1.0% (reads slower) difference between the 15" tire and the 16" tire. Moving on to the 205/45/17 used on the MP3 is a 3.5% difference, again reads too slow, between the 15" and 17" on the MP3.

The difference is 5.0% difference (reading to slow) with the MSP 215/45/17...

So, the 215/40/17 would give us a 1.4% (reading slow) over the 15" sized 195/55/15...

Now, with a max of 5.0% difference, that is tolerable in Mazda's eyes...If the speedo says 60 and you are actually going 63, what does it matter since speedos are notorious for being off from the factory. Once again, the only cars from the factory with a calibrated speedo are police cars!

Get over it...The 215/40/17 is a better match for the stock sized wheels that the speedo was originally calibrated for...

 

[70]

After more research I found out I am slightly wrong int he post above...

For the thrid gen, the cars with rear drums have one speedo sensor for calibration...The cars with rear discs have another.

So, the ES in 2001 got the larger 16" wheels and rear discs which gave it the new speedo sensor. And, go figure it is the same sensor used on every rear disc Protege in the third gen cars, to include the MSP, MP3 and the Protege 5...

So, the 16" rim tire of 195/50/16 and 215/40/17 are the best match with only a .4% difference...(bicker)

 

[rowan]

Well I guess I never thought that the speedo wouldn't be calibrated correctly...

Still, a 205/45/17 fits better on the stock rims than a 40-series.

 

[OceanPark]

(boom06)

I am getting more frustrated now than when I originally made the post. Since MSP is running on 215/45/17, do they have the rubbing issue too??

P.S: Thanks StuttersC for the infos, I never knew that before.<O</O

 

[70]

(boom06)

I am getting more frustrated now than when I originally made the post. Since MSP is running on 215/45/17, do they have the rubbing issue too??

P.S: Thanks StuttersC for the infos, I never knew that before.<O</O

No worries. I think the reason the MSP went with the 215/45/17 rather than the 215/40/17 is because some tires will have a very small side wall in that size. With the bubbling issues the stock 205/45/17's had on the MP3 over big pot holes, it made Mazda think twice.

But they still wanted to have a wider tire for slightly more lateral grip. Hence the 215/45/17. I think the shape of the stock MSP tires do not have a rubbing issue. But, MSP owners have not been very happy with the performance of those tires from what I've seen on here.

 

[DooMer_MP3]

Well it all makes sense then. I guess I recall reading once about a speedo gear in the tranny but forgot. Thanks for explaining what you meant .

Chris

 

[jtmarlin6]

How about four 215/45R17 Falken Azenis D1 Sports for $400?? I have another member looking into those right now.

I have these tires! They are good all season tires! I bought mine online at Discount Tire Direct
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/home.jsp

 

[rowan]

Falken Azenis D1 are not all-season tires!

 

[jtmarlin6]

Falken Azenis D1 are not all-season tires!

Sorry I meant the regular Falkens!

 

[OceanPark]

hey people, I have narrowed my choice now, and I need some opinion/recommandation.

Falken Azenis ST115 D1 Sports (215/45/17)
Yokohama Parada Spec-2 (205/45/17)
Yokohama AVS ES 100 (205/45/17)

Thanks

 

[Murray]

I've driven about 17k miles on 205/45/17 Parada Spec-2s and while they're decent, I'm trying something else next time. I'm actually getting worse tread wear with them than I did with the Dunlops (although my driving habits may account for that) and they are noticeably less sticky and much noisier (screechy and general road noise). They are cheaper than the Dunlops (~$30/tire cheaper when I bought them), though, so the decreased performance is somewhat expected. Like I said, I'm not unhappy with them, just looking for slightly better.

I'm looking at getting 215/45/17 Nitto Neo Gens for my next set (at 20k miles) ... I'll be getting them for about $106/tire locally which is only a little more than the Spec-2s were. If nothing else, I'm hoping to get better tread wear than I have been.

 

[rowan]

I would suggest the ES-100 over the Parada.
Haven't seen any reviews of the new Falkens yet .. may come down to a price difference to make the decision?

I've heard the ES-100 last quite a while.

 

[scott42]

I've got the Falkens and I like them ALOT. Best feature, VERY little road noise when compared to the stock Dunlops...like going between two different cars w/r/t road noise.
They stick very well, and ride quality is great. Very high treadlife rating to boot. I don't have a bad thing to say about them at all...and that is tough! (I paid $99 shipped per tire) good luck! Im pretty sure all the tires you have picked will be very good.

 

[OceanPark]

My friend can get me a set of Dunlop FM901 for a good deal, so I probably will put that on next week. Thanks for all the inputs!! You guys rock!