How wide can I go on 16" wheels

[4n70n1n0]

How wide do you think I can go with a 16" wheels without rubbing or rolling my fenders

I want wider wheels so I can fit wider tires, but I don't want anything bigger then 16" wheels.

I was thinking Rota SlipStreams for now. They are light weight and they don't look bad.
http://www.rotawheels.ca/weights.html

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/08/IMG_3662JPG-1.jpg

[Huffer]

You're fairly aggressively lowered, so I think a 225 on a 16x7 wheel is about as wide as you can roll - 215 would be fine too.

[4n70n1n0]

cool

That's what I had in mind, but was not 100% sure

So 225/45/16 tires

THANKS

[decke48]

i fitted 225/50-16 on the stock snowflakes.. but needed 3mm spacers in the rear and a roll
if you got 225 go with a 50 aspect ratio. it will keep the wheel the same rolling diameter (well real close)

[sybir]

I'd stick with a 225/50....even that's a pretty big tire on an aggressively lowered car. I just put 16x7 slips with 225/50/16 Ziex 912's on a buddy's GF on Tein Flex's and they rub pretty bad in the rear.

The pic above is with my 17x8's and 245/40's, but that's a pretty atypical setup (it's a cheater 235 that's wider than the 245's on my STi)

[4n70n1n0]

I as waiting for you to drop in Master of multi rims

OK i'll go with the 225/50 and those are the exact tires i might be looking at or maybe something with more grip. What do you suggest. I want these for autocross so I really don't want them to rub

[Mr. Sociable]

What class are you setting yourself up for?

[impreza_GC8]

You could fit 225's on there but I think a 215 would be better. It all depends on which tire you decide to get. A tire that doesn't have a super stiff sidewall will bubble out if it is too wide for the wheel. Theoretically a "bubbly" 225 will actually give you a worse contact patch and be more prone to tire squirm under hard cornering than a well-fitted 215.
Just my $0.02

[sybir]

That's not a good auto-x tire....I love them for daily use, but you're going to chew up a well-siped all-season in short order. If you want a cheap abuse tire, I have to go with a Hankook RS-2 or an RT-615; both are inexpensive in 16" and while they'll harden up or get a bit greasy with a bunch of heat cycles tossed in with daily driving, you're not going to find something better for a dual-duty tire. My pick is the RS-2; it's what I run on the wagon all summer and it's awesome - quiet, grips great, and wears really well.

Are you going with a 16x7 or a 16x8? I can't remember if Rota still makes a 16x8.
Keep in mind that anything over 6.5 is going to bump you out of a stock-type class. If you're staying on a 7", a 225 is right at the outside of what you want to run in a 50-series, as you're going to get a pretty beefy sidewall. You're already going to be fighting a bit of tire roll and will need to keep your pressures dialed.

A 225/50 will be great if you're ok with rolling your fenders if necessary; I've never had to touch my fronts but my rears have some serious work in 'em.

[Mr. Sociable]

You fit right into STS competition, which means you want the widest tires/wheels allowed. This means you want a 7.5" wide wheel (preferably in 17" diameter IMO, but w/e) with 225 width tires. Current fastest tires in the class go to Bridgestone RE01R's, Dunlop Direzza Star Spec, or some Yoko that I know little about.

Your preferable (IMO) setup would be 17x7.5" lightweight wheels of your choosing with 225 width Dunlop Star Spec's on them. :cool:

[4n70n1n0]

I don't want 17" to autocross. plus my car is LOW. I think if I get 17" I will rub at every turn. The BE's can handle 17 easy.

I want 16X7 or 16/7.5 if possile , because I don't want to roll my fenders. I would love if my BD had rear fenders like the R32 GTR

http://temp.australianinfront.com.au/skyline_gtr/gtr_nismo/DSCN7884.jpg

But i don't want to put that much money into getting my car like that.

I think I'll stick to 16X7 or 7.5 on 225/50/16's. Plus 17" tires are expensive, but I did just pick up a expensive hobby

***EDIT***
Looks like the Hankook RS-2's 225 will fit just fine.

[Huffer]

Running a 17" wheel with the right tire is the same as running a 16" wheel with the right tire.

The center of rotation doesn't change, it just depends on how much rubber vs. metal you have in the actual wheel/tire combo.

But 16" is perfectly fine... I know some fellas that have 13" race rims...13x10 though. ;)

[Mr. Sociable]

You DO want 17" wheels for your application, the rolling diameter of a 225/50/16 is 0.1" away from being exactly the same as a 225/45/17, and the sidewall stiffness you'll gain from the 17" combo will be a better performing package (and better looking too). Both will fit with the same amount of rub (or no rub) as they are the same overall size.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html


No matter if you choose 16's or 17's, get a 7.5 wide wheel, as that's the max that's allowed for the class.

[deadlydave]

No matter if you choose 16's or 17's, get a 7.5 wide wheel, as that's the max that's allowed for the class.

What class? I have some huge fenders I may end up just tinkering with in the future for 17x9's.

[4n70n1n0]

The class is STS

I want to keep it 16's and many go for 16X7.5
Tires are cheaper for 16's then 17's

[xXGTBspecXx]

get some nankang NS1s there like 260 for all 4 on a 17'' rim 225,45,r17

[Mr. Sociable]

The class is STS

I want to keep it 16's and many go for 16X7.5
Tires are cheaper for 16's then 17's

That's a fair enough reason, and in that case 16x7.5 would be your best bet with 225 width rubber.


Dave - Your Baja is ineligible for STS (both because of your modifications and because it's got a turbo in the first place), so you're allowed wider tires since you'll have to run STX/STU.

[rougeben83]

The class is STS

I want to keep it 16's and many go for 16X7.5
Tires are cheaper for 16's then 17's

That's a fair enough reason, and in that case 16x7.5 would be your best bet with 225 width rubber.


Dave - Your Baja is ineligible for STS (both because of your modifications and because it's got a turbo in the first place), so you're allowed wider tires since you'll have to run STX/STU.

Neg, the street touring classes (sts/stx) have the same tire restrictions 225 width wheels, 7.5" width tires. You need to get to STU and higher to run some wider meats. Although, if Dave is running higher than stock boost on his car, it's not elligible for stx either.

Plenty of people run smaller rims for autox, to reduce unsprung weight. They run smaller tires too; it shortens your gearing and helps acceleration on top of the weight reduction.

[Mr. Sociable]

The class is STS

I want to keep it 16's and many go for 16X7.5
Tires are cheaper for 16's then 17's

That's a fair enough reason, and in that case 16x7.5 would be your best bet with 225 width rubber.


Dave - Your Baja is ineligible for STS (both because of your modifications and because it's got a turbo in the first place), so you're allowed wider tires since you'll have to run STX/STU.

Neg, the street touring classes (sts/stx) have the same tire restrictions 225 width wheels, 7.5" width tires. You need to get to STU and higher to run some wider meats. Although, if Dave is running higher than stock boost on his car, it's not elligible for stx either.

Plenty of people run smaller rims for autox, to reduce unsprung weight. They run smaller tires too; it shortens your gearing and helps acceleration on top of the weight reduction.


I stand corrected Dave. Ben knows more than I do I'd bet. :smile:

For a street tire class, esp. a narrow street tire class like STS where grip is going to be hard to come by, I would stick with a larger wheel/tire package. It's what all the local STS/STS2 cars do, and what almost all the national cars do from what I've seen. You really only see downsized wheels/tires in *SP and *P classes IME.

[rougeben83]

well I stand corrected as well, I was replying off the top of my head earlier :lol:

STS
Coupes/Sedans - 4 seats minimum except sports car-based
Engine size (maximum)
- 3.1L normally aspirated or
- small turbo/supercharged engines specifically listed
No Limited Slip Differentials except standard viscous-types
STS Rules (14.0 thru 14.10)

STS2
Sports Cars w/ 2 seats
Engine size (maximum)
- 1.9L normally aspirated (no forced induction)
No Limited Slip Differentials except standard viscous-types
STS Rules except engine displacement limits

STX
Coupes/Sedans - 4 seats minimum except sports car-based
Engine size (maximum)
- 5.1L normally aspirated or
- 2.0L forced induction (single turbo/supercharger)
STS Rules plus STX allowances/restrictions

STU
Coupes/Sedans - 4 seats minimum except sports car-based
Engine size (maximum)
- unlimited normally aspirated or
- 3.1L forced induction (single turbo/supercharger)
STS, STX Rules plus STU allowances/restrictions

The restrictions for tires are 225 width street tires (i.e wear rating above 140) for all classes. The 7.5" width isn't written, but 7.5 is technically the ideal width for 225 tires so maybe thats why that number popped in my head.

The popular tires for the ST classes are the azenis and rs2's.

You get R compounds, youre running street prepared.

2.5l turbo scoobs are STU no matter what. That's on factory boost setting (note rules don't say how that boost can be delivered, so you can still tune the car to a good extend) and some form of catalytic converter. Change any of those and you're running in street prepared.

My bottom line is that if this is your first couple of autox's just run whatever tires you have, regardless of whether its "ideal" or not. A great majority of what makes for a fast time is driver skill in autox. You'll get significantly faster only by doing more and more events, not how perfect of a combo your tires and wheels are.

[Sarra]

The LSD excludes you from STS as well.

[rougeben83]

The LSD excludes you from STS as well.

STS
Coupes/Sedans - 4 seats minimum except sports car-based
Engine size (maximum)
- 3.1L normally aspirated or
- small turbo/supercharged engines specifically listed
No Limited Slip Differentials except standard viscous-types
STS Rules (14.0 thru 14.10)

[4n70n1n0]

The LSD excludes you from STS as well.

Are you referring to my other thread?

I want to swap a 00-01 rear diff. from a RS or GT so I can get the LSD. So in doing so I will get bumped to STS2? or STU ?

Also for now I am going to run what I got, but I tend to try to get as much info as I can before hand and now I know what I want so I'll keep a eye out for any deals you know

THANKS EVERYONE!

FYI: Going autocrossing on Sunday again. I'm hooked

[wagonofdoom]

buy a fender roller and you can run 9s like i will be

[DOOK]

buy a fender roller and you can run 9s like i will be

better yet... rent my fender roller.

[Mr. Sociable]

The LSD excludes you from STS as well.

Are you referring to my other thread?

I want to swap a 00-01 rear diff. from a RS or GT so I can get the LSD. So in doing so I will get bumped to STS2? or STU ?

Also for now I am going to run what I got, but I tend to try to get as much info as I can before hand and now I know what I want so I'll keep a eye out for any deals you know

THANKS EVERYONE!

FYI: Going autocrossing on Sunday again. I'm hooked

STS2 is for 2 seat sports cars...Miata's and CRX's mostly. The LSD swap may not bump you up (I'm not sure...) but really with how little power the 2.5 makes relative to how heavy you are, just drive what you have and have fun with it, that's the point. That seems like a lot of work for little to no gain at the power levels of a 2.5 with I/E/H.


Have fun autocrossing, I'll be racing this Sunday too. :twisted:

[subieadam]

I have a 97 OB with stock suspension, and I just got some 16x8 rota slipstreams off a guy with +48 offset. Will these fit the car without spacers? or how much spacer do you think I will need? tires are 225/50/16

Thanks,

Adam

[Huffer]

The 16x8 will fit...they are the right offset. But the tire size will make or break it.

Use the miata.net tire calculator to figure out the right size for your odometer, and check your clearances.

[subieadam]

The 16x8 will fit...they are the right offset. But the tire size will make or break it.

Use the miata.net tire calculator to figure out the right size for your odometer, and check your clearances.

Cool thanks for the heads up, I just checked it and it seems it will fit, they will actually be a smaller diameter in total... will count the miles a bit faster though lol.. I am still not sure if it will rub against he strut but I guess I will find out for sure once I put em on!