- My model of MX-5 is: NC 2007 1.8__
- I’m based near: Milton Keynes__
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: I’ve just purchased this car and it looks to me like someone has fitted aftermarket wheels with a spacer and the wheel nuts are not fully engaged on the threads. The tyre size is 205 45 R17
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I’m no wheel expert but they don’t look good, get some OEM alloys on, there’s plenty floating around for sale.
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Don’t drive that!
You will be in trouble if they let go at speed.
Plus a police stop and inspection will pull you up for it.
As MickAP says, there are plenty out there to change to👍🏻
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I wouldn’t drive it like that to be honest. Doesn’t look like there’s enough of the wheel nut threaded on to me.
At least take one wheel off to investigate further and properly.
Also looks like there’s one OEM nut on there, and 4 random nuts they had lying about! I might have a set of OEM NC nuts spare, which you could use with some proper Mazda wheels.
Cheers,
Steve
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I must say I was shocked when I took the hub cover off. I would be interested in some oem nuts and wheels. Can you let me know what you have and how much please.
Will the wheels fit without the spacer? That should solve it
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I’m not sure, I will need to get a wheel off to investigate further. What is the tyre size for a standard oem rim?
Your 1.8 NC would have been originally fitted with 16"alloys. Nowt wrong with fitting 17" OEM alloys say from a Sport or the later Sport Tech, same fitment for the 1.8 and 2 litre, they have the same hubs, same size brake discs and calipers etc.
As suggested remove the spacers and see how it looks, fits.
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Standard 17" alloy NC tyre size would be what you have on those alloys 205 45 17 or like my previous NC 17"alloys you can go 215 45 17 tyre size too.
Thinking will those alloys fit if the spacers are removed?
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Dreadful, from what I can see you have 3 different type of nuts on 'That" wheel alone.
Best advice follow what Mick AP is telling you. 
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Tl;dr: As others have already advised, remove the spacers and fit the wheel properly if you can, then either proper spacers or other wheels. Please read on if you want to learn more about spacers 
Based on the images it looks like pass-through spacers has been used which I wouldn’t recommend.
More specifically, pass-through spacers without a shoulder have been used with the standard wheel bolts.
I was going to try and summarize spacer types etc. but there are just so many variations so I am going to keep it brief and focus on the types you can “generally” fit to an MX-5:
Pass-Through
Pass-Through with Shoulder
Bolt On with Shoulder
I would always fit a spacer with a shoulder as the minimum so that the wheel is supported properly. Following this, if you are fitting pass-through spacers you should fit longer wheel studs so that you have full engagement with the wheel nuts (if it is only a few millimetres then you can sometimes get away without longer bolts but I would not recommend this).
Most spacers available for the MX-5 are the bolt on with shoulder kind as sold by MX-5 Parts:
However, I am aware these don’t fit the NC which could be part of the reason this style haven’t been fitted. For reference if you are looking for replacement spacers you need a set with a 5x114.3 PCD (bolt pattern) and a centre bore (hub bore) of 67.1 mm based on my research such as these:
I hope this gives you a better understanding of spacers and what has likely been fitted!
Eibach have a great page with all their different types here for more reading if you want (it is also the source for the images I have used):
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These are the standard wheel nuts from my 2010 NC 1.8 SE.
I replaced the locking wheel nut from each of the four 16 inch wheels, with a standard (non-locking) nut - and these were actually supplied with the car, in with the service manual and handbook.
(I took the locking wheel nuts off, because I have experienced problems with them as the years go on-especially if tyre fitters are using power tools to tighten them).
Photographs are intended for information and to show you what you need to look out for. Top photo is the locking wheel nut.
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Invaluable information thank you for your time and effort in answering my question. Fortunately the car is a bit of a project so I can get this sorted without driving it.
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Laid up at the moment with a cold. As soon as I am better I will investigate further.
Great info, thanks, I agree with your advice on locking wheel nuts, for the same reasons
You can see the front brake condition is also not good so I suggest you go through the car very carefully before you put it on the road. I have a set of wheel locking nuts, four, you can have for free.
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Thank you for your offer of the locking wheel nuts but I plan to remove them as I think they are more trouble than they are worth. Yes I intend to go through the car before it goes on the road.
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Spacers are a terrible idea even when they aren’t unsafe.
You might also find that the wheels are made for flat seated nuts and some or all of those fitted are tapered/radiused. As they are aftermarket wheels they almost certainly have a centre bore bigger than the wheel spigots so (disregarding the spacers) should have spigot rings which given what we can see might also have gone astray.
All of these are undesirable or even dangerous so I would definitely have have the wheels off to see what’s going on:)
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Not to forget…a potential insurance injured 3rd party law-suit waiting to happen. That car needs a finger tip check over but it’s all fixable…no biggie no worries so long as not driven till fettled. Enjoy once you get as Hiroshima designed for you.
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I’m also not a fan of spacers as in my opinion they put additional stresses on bearings etc for no real benefit. They will be coming off and probably returning the wheels to stock
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