tires and wheel sizes

[bchoi]

i have 2002 mazda protege5. and someone told me that this model is more of a sport car than passanger type (b/c od tight suspension and etc..)
i dont really know too much about cars, but the riding feels to be rough and noisy.
right now my car has factory tires of 195/15R16
im wondering if the car is meant to be run that way, or the wheels and tires are .
what can i do to make this car runs more like a passenger car type than performance type
can changing the size of wheels and tires improve the concerns that i listed above?
if so then what would be the best specs and still doesnt conflict with what manufacturer recommend

 

[goldstar]

Re: tire and wheel sizes

I'm sorry you're not enjoying the performance abilities of your suspension. In terms of mitigating the harshness of the ride, the only thing I can think of regarding tires is to switch to a higher profile tire. You currently have 195/50-16 tires. The sidewall height has an effect on both the rigidity (resistance to squirm) and the harshness of the ride with a lower profile tire having more of both.

If you switched to a higher profile tire such as a195/55-16, the extra sidewall height may give you noticeably smoother ride with some loss of cornering performance. This tire would also have a larger rolling diameter thus throwing off your speedometer reading to some extent.

Your OEM tires are V-rated. You also might consider switching to an H-rated tire, as size for size, they tend to have more flexible sidewalls and generally are designed more for comfort and longevity than performance.

I don't know how much difference this kind of change would make since the P5 tends to have a relatively stiff suspension for a passenger car. However, it might be worth a try if the stock set-up really bothers you.

 

[goldstar]

I should have added that to see how tire size change affects speedometer error, go to:
www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

02 DX Millenium Red

 

[mp5user]

To move to a more touring-ride quality, via wheel and tire changes, I suggest going for the smallest diameter and lightest wheel that fits and fits the budget. A smaller diameter and/or lighter wheel will better the ride quality due solely to the lower mass. A corresponding higher sidewall height, while keeping the rolling radius the same, gives more compliance and the tire acts more like a suspension component, absorbing road irregularities rather.

A suggestion is a 14x6 wheels with 205/60-14 tires mounted. The rolling radius will be almost exact to the OEM application, though this 14 application may be hard to fit and expensive.

* The load rating is increased, allowing for lower air pressures, resulting in more tire compliance
* The wheel mass is lowered, given the same or better technology
* The sidewall height is increased, i.e. more sidewall compliance.

The earlier suggestion of changing tires according to targeted markets is a good one. A forged aluminum 14 wheel, with a Grand Touring tire mounted, should change the character of the cars feel and possibly out-perform the OEM configuration on bumpy surfaces.

Fred

 

[dolphin]

Another option would be see if someone with a Protege sedan and 15" alloy wheels wants to swap. If you can find one near you, perhaps you could swap for a day and make sure that you like the new feel. If you do, then start haunting. the classified section of the forum.

 

[dmitrik4]

i don't think the 15" sedan wheels are 5-lug. the ES is the only 16", 5-lug sedan, IIRC. same suspension, wheels and tires as the P5.

not sure why you bought a protege if you wanted a smooth-riding car. a corolla might be more like it.

 

[bchoi]

Thanks 4 411, but have other ?s

thank u all for ur information
first of all, i bought pr5 purely based on looks.
i didnt bother to find out anything else which was my fault.
i still have some questions
will 195/55/16 tires fit in my pr5 without any modification?
how about 205/50/16
which size will be better for passanger car like handling?
i visited tirerack.com
is there any other site or places where i can get better deal on tires?
once again thank u all for ur information

 

[rowan]

For cushier handling, run 205/55/15 on 15x6.5" rim and get a "touring" tire instead of "high performance".

But 205/50/16 tires will fit your stock rims and give you a little more sidewall but not much. In that case it's mostly the type of tire you select that will give you a softer ride. 195/55/16 will be too tall.

Also, check your tire pressures !! Maybe they are too high?


As for mp5user's suggestion of a "14x6" forged aluminum wheel" ...
- good luck finding a 5-bolt 14" rim
- if you want forged, be willing to drop about $400 each rim
- 6" is kinda skinny for a 205 mm wide tire.
- with a whole 10% more sidewall, plus a Touring grade tire, you'll go from "rough and noisy" to "sloppy" and that may be more of a change than you're looking for.

Aftermarket 15x6.5" rims are much easier to find in our 5x114.3 mm pattern than 14" ones.