Hi All -the recent postings on powder coating issues have put me off of getting my tired rims re-finished. I think my current wheels are standard Mazda 16 x6.5(si 4412 with 205,45ZR16 tyres) -I would like to replace them with 16x7 non mazda rims-I am thinking of getting Advanti SG40 rims with Pirelli tyres- they are sold as a set for the MX5 with 195,45,16 tyres. Is this size correct for the car and does anyone have an opinion on these wheels?
My car is a 2003 1.8vvt-splash green- great little car that makes me smile…
You need to make sure the off-set is correct with these, otherwise it might not drive right…
Having driven on so many rims that are “for the MX5”. Some say they are for an MX5 but most simply fit the stud patten (4x100). You normally find out too late when you drive with them…
It doesn’t make sense to me, increase the width of your rim by 0.5", 12.5mm, then decrease the width of your tyre by 10mm, 205 to 195? Thats a difference of 22.5 mm from your current setup
Yes, definitely fit the standard sized tyre, not a narrower one.
The other thing that doesn’t make sense is your maths. Wheel width has very little effect on tyre contact width. Certainly if you make a wheel wider and a tyre narrower you don’t add the two numbers together to get the difference.
I’m no expert in tyre & wheel sizes so I’l bow to your knowledge captain. Surely though the contact width must bear some relation to the width of the tyre at the bead/inner diameter (wheel width)? I can’t believe you could stick a 235 or 245 wide tyre on a 5" or 4.5" rim, I know this is taking it to extremes but hopefully you understand what I mean.
Wheel width does make a small difference to the contact patch (as I said in my post), but that effect is dwarfed by the difference in the 10mm steps in tyre width. Also the difference is hugely dependant on tyre shape and construction - the tread is reinforced by steel cables and all of the “stretching” for different widths is done by the sidewalls.
One of the main reasons you can ignore it though is that the tyre manufacturers recomend a limited range of wheel widths for each tyre size - a 205 tyre should only be fitted to wheels within a small range of about 6" to 8" wide (or a smaller range depeneding on who made the tyre).
My old MR2 went from a 205 wide tyre on 7" wheel at the front to the exact same tyre on a 8" wheel and I didn’t notice any change in grip or response. I’ve had the same 195 wide tyre fitted to 5.5, 6, 6.5 and 7" wheels and I honestly noticed no difference in grip - they may have been some, but it wasn’t enough for me to tell. That said I’m not a particularly gifted driver.
Wider wheels do look significantly more awesome though.
I have only seen problems if the finisher does not go down to bare metal and apply the correct primer. Decently re-finshed wheels will survive corrosion longer than many mfr OEM coatings where most of whees go to Japan etc.
Thanks Captain, I consider myself better educated for reading that :) I had no idea that 1 tyre width could fit across such a wide range of wheel widths.
