Running +20 front +-0 rears.. Will i face handling issues?

[NMX516]

I'm not having a go at anyone I'm purely speaking from experience!

Same.

As Bigdog eluded to, in the 70's even F1 cars had the "stretched" look, but on much higher profile tyres. Note that in the interests of improved performance, that "style" didn't last. If we look at top level motor sport (such as F1 and CART) today, as the pinnacle of design and performance, then surely if the stretched look was the best option, all of the cars competing in those comps would also be running tyre/wheel combo's like that, but they're not. There is a better solution if performance is your goal. I'm not debating the look - I think green_comet has nailed it actually, not too much "stretch" but enough to look quite nice - but don't kid yourself that the combo you're talking about will give better performance than a wider stiffer tyre on the same rim.

[Steampunk]

... running anything more than a 6.5" wide wheel on a NA is illegal, as standard wheel size on the sticker is 5.5".

NA8 wheels are 14 x 6

[green_comet]

Yeah I know, but the sticker on the door has 5.5" on it. I have always been confused that.

[dorifta]

Go to Mazda n buy a NB8a sticker? Problem solved!

[Steampunk]

Yeah I know, but the sticker on the door has 5.5" on it. I have always been confused that.

Simple oversight I guess. Perhaps has something to do with the fact that NB8A wheels remain relatively narrow @ 15 x 6

[Sailor]

I think I'd be looking at having spacers drilled and fitted to the wheels to balance the offsets

[Adam_NAclubman]

I'm not having a go at anyone I'm purely speaking from experience!

Same.

As Bigdog eluded to, in the 70's even F1 cars had the "stretched" look, but on much higher profile tyres. Note that in the interests of improved performance, that "style" didn't last. If we look at top level motor sport (such as F1 and CART) today, as the pinnacle of design and performance, then surely if the stretched look was the best option, all of the cars competing in those comps would also be running tyre/wheel combo's like that, but they're not. There is a better solution if performance is your goal. I'm not debating the look - I think green_comet has nailed it actually, not too much "stretch" but enough to look quite nice - but don't kid yourself that the combo you're talking about will give better performance than a wider stiffer tyre on the same rim.

F1 also runs reasonably tall sidewalls on small diameter wheels but I'm not sure you'll find many people advocating you do that on the road (I don't mind the look but they do feel sloppy unless you've gone for semis to get nice stiff sidewalls.

I've never read about any of the Yanks having tyres roll off the rim with stretched tyres on 8 inch rims, and they almost all run them on the road and track on the US boards that I frequent. The only thing that has stopped me from running my 8.5's with 185's is that they are quite obviously illegal from a glance (especially when you have to run the car reallll low to fit them) and I'd rather not get pulled over

[Sailor]

It's all a matter of tyres design.
Those F1 tyres are designed to fit like that.
Car tyres are designed to fit on the rim size recommended by the designer/manufacturer of said tyre.
Stretcing onto a larger rim distorts the tyre mostly in the tread which becomes concave, stresses the area where the tread and sidewall meet, and doesn't allow the tyre bead to sit properly in the safety edge of the tyre.

Frankly..it's a really dumb practice, something that was used by hotrodders in the 50's and should be left as history.

[dorifta]

Is there such a thing as an "ideal" offset for a mx5 purely for performace reasons not cosmetic?

[stevesports]

i think the standard offset is ideal for performance. Something like +43 i think?

[Jeo]

Offset is entirely related to width, so no, there is no one ideal offset.

[mx52nv]

Most of the WA Motorsport Team run OEM offset or as close to it as possible.

+45 for NA
+40 for NB

These offsets allow us to work within the existing knowledge and parameters that have been successful for track work. Interestingly, I noticed that a lot of the Targa West constestants in EVOs were also using stock factory offsets and rims for that matter (granted that they are 4WD).

Les