Tyre / wheel recommendation please

[Noddycar]

Hello. I am in the process of doing some minor upgrades to my new ( ) 1993 MX-5 LE. The tyres currently fitted are Simex 205/45 ZR16 with a relatively nice set of mags. The ride is very firm and you feel every bump, but the consolation is that it corners very nicely. As the rubber is getting really low, I want to replace them but would like some advice on how I might improve the ride on the open road. Currently, you feel every single bump. There is a bit of vibration, which my mechanic said is due to a slight flat spot on tyre (possibly on the rim as well, we have not separated tyre from rim), plus he said alignment and balance are probably out a little. Regardless, he recommended a softer tyre and possibly a size change. He took a god look at the suspension and said that everything seems to be fine, so he was more inclined to feel the rough ride was coming from the wheels.

Can anyone please provide a recommendation to help improve ride comfort (especially soaking up the bumps a little better), without overly compromising cornering etc? I don't want to go so passenger oriented that I lose the sports car feel, so if I have no choice, I would err on the side of handling over comfort.

I appreciate any feedback.

[AJ]

Michelin Pilot Sport 3's mate, more coin than other tyres, but the best on the market, long life, awesome wet & dry performance, quiet on the road & exceptional at road vibration absorption.
However, because you are running 16's & a low profile tyre on a car that origionally came out with 14's, you will always have a harsher ride & some tramlining.

I'd suggest if you're willing to change rims as well, go back to a 15" rim with PS3's, it'll transform the car completely, and as always when fitting new tyres, get yourself a good wheel alignment done. specs on different wheel alignment settings for NA's can be found in the wheel/tyre/suspension forum on this site. be aware that everyone is different with what they want out of their car & wheel alignment settings reflect this need.

[Fatty]

agreed. my car had aftermarket 16's when i bought it, going down to oem 15's was a big improvement in both ride and handling, and then again down to 14's was even better. also it's not just the size of the rim that is important, but also the weight. i'd say there is a fair chance that your aftermarket rims are a fair bit heavier than the oem 14's or 15's that the car was designed to use.

[de Bounce]

There is a bucket load of discussion on tyres on this forum, search and read.
Your requirements and expectations will decide what type of tyre suits you as what works for one may not work for others.

As for ride and handling, what is the condition/type of shocks and springs currently fitted?

[Noddycar]

According to the mechanic, pretty much everything is standard on the car, apart from the wheels (and the gear shift knob). He said the suspension looks fine, so the tyres/wheels should solve the ride/handling issues. He didn't recommend a size, but suggested I go to a softer tyre like a Yokohama. I don't mind if they wear faster, as my new baby won't be dríven on a daily basis. I am trying to keep the k's down during the week and really enjoying it on the weekend. My kids are getting older, so pretty soon we won't be taking them everywhere on the weekends, so we are planning on lots of weekend day trips. Driving it back from Nanango the other day, I felt every little bump in the road and was paranoid about even the smallest potholes. What I really want is a combination that will provide a little less noise, a bit more comfort, but also a little more protection for the rims if one of those damned pot holes manages to get me... Having said that, I don't want to feel like I am "floating" around corners either. I am sure there is a compromise. I just need some advice to find it >

Thanks again for the replies. I appreciate the help, as I this is my first MX-5 and I want to keep this car for a long time.....

[Hellmun]

I'd lose the 16"s, a lightweight set of 14"s/15"s and a normal side wall tyre will do wonders. With some good quality 15" tyres you should come out without having to make any compromise. It'll be more comfortable and have more grip. The low profile 17"s that came with my NB8B are almost as bad as my race tyres on 15"s.

[NMX516]

NB8A factory wheels (15 inch) can be had for a few hundred dollars a set, are light weight, strong, the correct offset, and also look good on an NA. Tyre size will be 195/50/15.

Another vote here for the Michelin's. The PS3's are the new model which supersedes the PP2's. I've had a couple of sets of PP2's now, and they're fantastic for grip in wet and dry, and are also quiet and provide a good ride and give long life. You won't be disappointed with them, that's for sure.

[Noddycar]

Thanks NMX/Hellmun....

Looks like it will be new 15" rims and some Michelins. I'm going to get a new rear window put in the soft top mid next week and will then take it down to get some new wheels....

I appreciate all comments.

[Guran]

I've read on here that 1993 LEs came standard with 5.5 JJ x 14 BBS alloys with 185/60R14 tyres. You might have a hard time finding a set of these alloys, but you could pick up a set of standard "daisy" wheels in 5.5x14 for next to nothing. They regularly show up for sale on the forum. I have stock everything on my NA6 and regularly marvel at the amazingly compliant ride. I'd recommend going with 14".

viewtopic.php?p=490458#p490458


As for tyres, they are very cheap in 14" compared with 16", so you stand to save yourself some dollars too. The range of performance tyres available in 185/60R14 is fairly limited, but I've been perfectly happy with Bridgestone Potenza RE001 Adrenalin tyres at around $115 each (185/60R14). I'm on my second set.

[Noddycar]

Thanks Guran

I actually found a set of wheels that I like the look of:
RJR Quest - Hyper Silver Machined Lip 15"

According to the Bob Jane website, these match up well with Michelin Pilot Preceda PP2 in the following sizes:
* 15" - 195 - 50
* 15" - 205 - 50
* 15" - 195 - 50

From reading the above responses, I assume the PP2 may not still be available, so I would imagine they have the same size in the new PS3's?

Also Bridgestone Adrenalin Potenza RE001 in these sizes:
* 15" - 205 - 50
* 15" - 195 - 50

Or, I can get the same wheel in 14" and match up with Bridgestone Potenza in 14" - 185 - 60.

Not sure what to do...... Any thoughts? I will ask the advice of the tyre shop, but I know sometimes these guys will recommend whatever they have the most stock of, or what they will make the best profit from.

[Fatty]

please don't just buy wheels you like the "look" of. make sure that you buy wheels that are not too heavy. this is really important! as mentioned previously, the standard 15" NB wheels look really nice on an NA, and they are not heavy. when looking at aftermarket rims, i would make sure that you didn't buy anything heavier than the NB wheels. oh and make sure you get the correct offset, too. this is another vital factor.

[Noddycar]

Hi Fatty

Any suggestions on where I might get a set of NB wheels (ie. would Mazda still carry them)? In regard to offset, can you tell me what sort of range I should be looking for if I can't get a set of NB wheels?

Thanks for your help.

[Fatty]

this page shows most of the standard wheels

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

the nb8a wheels in question are 15x6 with an offset of 40, weighing 13.1 pounds (american imperial measurements sorry)

the other popular wheel is the 14x6 "hollow spoke" with an offset of 45, weighing 10.8 lb.

so aim for something around that.

there have been a few sets of the 15's sold on the forum recently, you could always post a "wanted to buy" ad in the for sale section. otherwise check with all the forum sponsors who's links you will find at the bottom of the page.

[Noddycar]

Great info.... I will keep watching for a set of wheels. Once I find a set, I can go tyre shopping

[Mr Morlock]

I do not think one should lose sight of the fact that a standard MX5 is a real sports car- it does not handle like a pmv sedan. Personally I would not tolerate a hard riding car- it causes rapid fatigue and passenger discomfort. Any driver will find the car very competent in its handling. Mazda did not arrive at the handling characteristics by accident- it suits most. Guran and Fatty comments make sense to me at least ( as Guran says 14" std.. The tyre debate always seems to revolve around soft fast wearing rubber and a grip level most do not need- one merely needs to drive within sensible limits which are already high. Nice that folks think cost is no issue.
I would have thought the best plan is simply use standard wheels and reasonable tyres. If the vehicle is still riding very hard then the problem has to be suspension related. Unless one is MX5 savvy I doubt that most mechanics will know what a standard set up is and after 17 yrs the componentry may be at end of life.