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Wheels, Suspension, Brakes & Tyres questions and answers

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wun911
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Postby wun911 » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:39 pm

Yep if I were to upgrade to 17\" those enkeis are what I would buy.

Aproximatley the same weight as an OEM 16\" wheel except you get an extra 1cm of rubber.

And are generally regarded as an afordable light weight weel.
every ounce counts

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meanmx
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Postby meanmx » Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:13 pm

My 17's felt like they only weighed fractionally more than the stock 14's I took off. I think it has to do with the quality of the rim and also at a guess I would say the thinner the spokes the less metal to weigh it down. With my wheels the plus is the extra grip I get from them and less sidewall flex. When I went around a corner with the 14's on the backend would get very loose wheras with the 17's I always feel connected. The choice is yours. I ultimately went for looks but I am very pleased with the handling on the 17's. Having said all that, I know what some people mean about wheel weight as I recently had on a set of chrome show wheels and my car has never felt so sh*t. Go with 17's for look and lower it to sit nicely over them but be careful with your choice.

Ben
2014 VW Mk7 Golf R
2001 Black NB8B viewtopic.php?f=57&t=58136
1986 Mazda Luce Royal Classic (13BT Mazda 929)

shelleriffic
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Re:

Postby shelleriffic » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:30 am

fastfreddygassit wrote:oh, and did I mention 17's look awesome?? :P :P *flame suit on*
Image


Ohh wow. I absolutely LOVE those rims. That car looks amazing! Where on earth can I get a set? :P

I haven't dríven my car anywhere other than on regular roads, although I have a friend trying to convince me to go to a track day in Melbourne some time this year.

So if it were possibly to find a set that were very close to the original stock rims weight .. 17's would be fantastic to have. But I'm still open to 16's if that ends up being a safe, better option.

I've been told (mostly by my dad who is quite a car nut) that any change in the offset is unacceptable to him. He won't approve :P
Last edited by shelleriffic on Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Vroommm.

shelleriffic
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Re:

Postby shelleriffic » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:37 am

Okibi wrote:Personally i'd recommend against 17" wheels, i'd go 15" or 16" if you want something bigger to fill the wheel arch.

The stud pattern for the wheels are "4x100"
I think the offset is +45 (someone correct me if i'm wrong)

The hardest part will be finding aftermarket rims that are as light as or lighter than your stock wheels.

If you get heavier wheels you'll loose the fantastic handling your car has and find your wheels will be more inclined to tramline and bump steer.

You will really appreciate the input from some of the motorsport gurus at your local MX-5 club, they'll help you track down the right wheels.

I'm betting that most of the wheels available at your average everyday wheel/tyre store will be too heavy for the MX.


Thank you.

So the 4x100 means it's a 4 stud pattern? What does the 100 mean?

Does anyone know the weight of the stock wheels by chance? :S
Vroommm.

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Okibi
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Postby Okibi » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:59 am

100 is the Pitch Circle Diameter or \"PDC\" in mm, basically the spacing between the 4 bolt holes.

ie. not every wheel with 4 stud holes will fit.

Weights
http://www.miata.net/faq/wheel_weights.html
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

shelleriffic
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Re:

Postby shelleriffic » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:49 pm

Okibi wrote:100 is the Pitch Circle Diameter or "PDC" in mm, basically the spacing between the 4 bolt holes.

ie. not every wheel with 4 stud holes will fit.

Weights
http://www.miata.net/faq/wheel_weights.html


Why thank you kind sir!
Vroommm.


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