Oversize tyres (relative to rim width) look good but compromise handling because the sidewall is pinched in and less rigid. You're better to slightly stretch the tyres onto a wider rim so the sidewall is braced against lateral forces. This applies for auto-x or track work anyway, where the tyres are pushed to the limit and get hot (and therefore less stiff)
I'm currently running 225/45-17s Pilot Sport 4S on 17 by 8 inch Konig Ampliform wheels and the FM alignment for the streets/canyons on my ND3. It has a 1.5 inch drop courtesy of MiesterR coilovers (they are excellent BTW). The car went from playful puppy on stilts to a corner carving beast. It rides better, handles better, certainly looks better and has a lot more grip. For me it's perfect but it all depends on what you want out of your car.
The wider setup definitely looks better. I have the boat (NC) and running Enkei 17x9 45 with 245/40 tires, yes the fenders and quarter panels are rolled. Car is lowered with coil overs.
Any issue with rubbing on the 215/45R17 under load? I just want a bit more grip for occasional autocross events, I don't plan to change anything but the tires.
The stock 205/45-17 is best. I had 215/45-17 and the extra weight lost some of the playfulness of the Miata. I can only imagine how much more playfulness is lost with even bigger heavier tires/wheels.
I just purchased a 2022 ND2 GT RF and have read conflicting information on moving to 215/45/17 tires. The car is completely stock. Will I have any rubbing issues moving up to 215/45/17 vs the stock 205"s? Thanks, Mark
I run the 215/45/17 tires, as my winter tires, on the stock wheels on my lowered Miata and don't have any rubbing so you will be fine on a stock height Miata.
Hi there, thanks for your video. I just bought another MX5, 😂 an ND3 ST. Do you avoid any rubbing or clearance issues with the tyre sizes you are running?
I have no rubbing, even in autocross and on track, with my 17"x8" wheel and 235/40r17 tire or with my 17"x7" (stock) wheel and 215/45r17 tire. If you are wanted the widest tire, you can go to a 17"x9" wheel and 245/40r17 tire but would have to roll fenders and reposition the rear brake lines.
@@Killobyte Thanks for your reply. I’m surprised that the 215/40 R17 tyres are ok with the extra width and diameter and your video said you were lowered too. It’s that shiny paintwork not wanting to get damaged!
So how was turn in, ride feel and grip on the 215 compared to the OE 205? Also have you driven the 235 on street/canyon and noticed any negative of the higher unsprung weight?
The taller 215s turn in is slower, the ride is softer, and the grip is much better than the stock tires. Part of that is the sidewall height and the fact that the continentals have a soft sidewall. The 235s feel a lot like the 205 (same sidewall height and stiff sidewall) but are much more grippy. I've not noticed any negatives from the higher unsprung weight, but I'm sure acceleration is slightly slower. Though the high grip may overcome that.
215/45/17 continental ECS 02 vs 205/45/17 ECS 02 , which one would you recommend? want the most comfort for highway drives/ less noise with sportiness around canyons.@@Killobyte
Is there a noticeable performance difference between the 205 and 215s? I just think the look is better with slightly wider tire keeping the original wheels? I have a 2022 Grand Touring and want to add a few conservative improvement mods with tires exhaust, and perhaps air filters.
If I was buying tires for my 7" original wheels, I'd get the 215s again. I don't think most people will notice any difference in the performance and the 215s look better IMHO.
Where do you go to get a custom alignment? I'm trying to also get the FM specs but all alignment/tire shops are refusing to do it. One guy said it will be a huge pain in the ass and was saying how just aligning the front two wheels will cost me $200.
What about going to 205/55 16 on ND1 Club will those work with stock brakes? Do you know? I dont have the edition with Brembos and BBS ...I dont track just the twisties. I like the idea of a better ride and cheaper tires/ lighter wheels AND that I could swap tires myself on my no-mar tire changer
@@Killobyte Sport trim ND’s come stock with 16x6.5 rims with 195-50-16 Yokahama Advan V105 and tread ware 280. I just switched to Enkei RPF1 16x7 rims and mounted RE-71RS 205-50-16. Which were on sale. Next time I will get RE-71RS 205-45-16. I have Ohlins coilovers set to one inch lower than stock. Progress sway bars front and rear, stainless steel brake lines. No rubbing or issues of any sort. I stayed with the 16’s so when I go back to a lower profile, I will keep my acceleration. The weight of the 16 inch rims alone no tire mounted is 13.7 pounds.
I just got another set of OEM wheels and winter tires, do I need to do anything special with TMPS? Or will driving 20 mins or so will auto set. I have 22 RF
So I could easily upgrade for 17"x8" Japan racing wheels with 235/40 17" without any rubbing or further mods? I do not want to use spacers or drop the car, just upgrade the wheels and tires.
If I did my +/- offset math right, a +40mm offset wheel will be 5mm farther away from the chassis than a +45mm offset. So for outside clearance, it should be like running 245 tires instead of 235 tires, which normally would require rolling the fenders if lowered. So, how you plan to use it and the actual width of the tire may be a factor. Please note that different 235 tires are actually wider or thinner than others. I believe Tirerack lists the actual width.
I want to run 205/45r16 to get shorter gearing with coilovers to adjust the ride height lower as well. The wheels i'm looking at have a 38mm offset, would I need to worry about rubbing with a smaller tire? I'm assuming not
I have an 22 ND2 RF with the brembos and the wheel gap bothers me so much . I got guy ask when I was entering into the monster jam how tall she sits . Any suggestions on what I springs I should install to lower it ?
I just recently purchased a 2023 ND2 Gt RF. I had stock 205/45/17 Bridgestones but I hit a pothole and 2 of the 4 tires were ruined. I replaced them with 225/45/17's on stock wheels.I Iike the look but I feel the car is not as quick off the line and the gears dont feel like they did before or Im just bugging. Feels more stuck to the ground but slightly more sluggish if that makes any sense. Im thinking of going to a 215/45/17, but I will keep these 225s on for a week to see if they grow on me. I want the car to feel as close to stock as possible but I dont want the 205's. IYO is 225/45/17 overkill? Also would you suggest I get an alignement regardless of which tire size I get? Thank you in advance. Nice looking Miata you got there.
I personally don't like the 225/45s as I think the diameter is too much for the Miata. 215/45 is about the limit for diameter. A good alignment is worth it. I run the FM specs and they work great on the street and do okay for autox and track. Tire wear is fine.
I don't adjust my speedometer. I just know that when I have the 215s on that I'm actually going a couple MPH more than the speedometer is showing at 70. At lower speeds it's even less.
@@Killobyte Thank you , I spoke with the manager at my local tyre shop and they told me the same thing… what about the steering is it noticeable heavier with the 215 ? I big motivation for me is the price Bridgestone 003 are a full $100 cheaper per tyre in 215 than the standard 205 here in Australia currently.
Yes, 225/40r17 on 7" wheels seems to be a new thing. I've not tried them myself, so can't speak from experience about the ride, but it will be 20mm wider and a little shorter than stock. This should help with grip and acceleration and your speedometer will be a little off but not too bad.
Let’s talk about rubbing liners and fenders for the 235. There is a lot of videos of enthusiasts out there saying there is never rubbing anywhere which of course I don’t believe. Surprisingly, your car is lowered which is not an advantage for rubbing. So, what is your opinion on this.
Yes, mine is lowered and I've not had any rubbing with the 235s on my wheels. If your wheel offset is different, that might move them in/out enough to cause a rub.
@@Killobyte You think you'll run into rubbing issues on the 235s if you increase negative camber to ~2.5? I had issues on the track with 225 45s but perhaps because of the material change in height
A lowered car has more available camber. So if you are running say 2 degrees of negative camber that tucks the top of the tyre inside the wheel well. That's where rubbing will happen so lowering and adding camber reduces rubbing, not the other way round. The car will still bottom out at a similar height
I ordered 215/45 17 in the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S from TireRack and got a phone call from their customer service having some concerns. Said 215/40 17 would fit better. Thoughts?
No. Just No. I mean, if you want a shorter diameter tire (with larger fender gap) that would be okay I guess. But I like my 215/45 17s. They are only one size up from stock.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
Oversize tyres (relative to rim width) look good but compromise handling because the sidewall is pinched in and less rigid. You're better to slightly stretch the tyres onto a wider rim so the sidewall is braced against lateral forces. This applies for auto-x or track work anyway, where the tyres are pushed to the limit and get hot (and therefore less stiff)
I'm currently running 225/45-17s Pilot Sport 4S on 17 by 8 inch Konig Ampliform wheels and the FM alignment for the streets/canyons on my ND3. It has a 1.5 inch drop courtesy of MiesterR coilovers (they are excellent BTW). The car went from playful puppy on stilts to a corner carving beast. It rides better, handles better, certainly looks better and has a lot more grip. For me it's perfect but it all depends on what you want out of your car.
Thanks for video - buying same rims for my ND2 and HPDE events!
The wider setup definitely looks better. I have the boat (NC) and running Enkei 17x9 45 with 245/40 tires, yes the fenders and quarter panels are rolled. Car is lowered with coil overs.
i like the meatier 235 look for summer driving on these California streets
Any issue with rubbing on the 215/45R17 under load? I just want a bit more grip for occasional autocross events, I don't plan to change anything but the tires.
No rubbing at all on mine.
Hello, this is with no spacers?
@@lafamilia3014 No spacers
@@Killobyte
Really~? My computation tells me otherwise, tho~ 😮
The stock 205/45-17 is best. I had 215/45-17 and the extra weight lost some of the playfulness of the Miata. I can only imagine how much more playfulness is lost with even bigger heavier tires/wheels.
I’m considering to put 18/7.5/43 on my ND, does it fit without any problems?
I just purchased a 2022 ND2 GT RF and have read conflicting information on moving to 215/45/17 tires. The car is completely stock. Will I have any rubbing issues moving up to 215/45/17 vs the stock 205"s? Thanks, Mark
I run the 215/45/17 tires, as my winter tires, on the stock wheels on my lowered Miata and don't have any rubbing so you will be fine on a stock height Miata.
Thanks for your reply.
Hi there, thanks for your video. I just bought another MX5, 😂 an ND3 ST. Do you avoid any rubbing or clearance issues with the tyre sizes you are running?
I have no rubbing, even in autocross and on track, with my 17"x8" wheel and 235/40r17 tire or with my 17"x7" (stock) wheel and 215/45r17 tire. If you are wanted the widest tire, you can go to a 17"x9" wheel and 245/40r17 tire but would have to roll fenders and reposition the rear brake lines.
@@Killobyte Thanks for your reply. I’m surprised that the 215/40 R17 tyres are ok with the extra width and diameter and your video said you were lowered too. It’s that shiny paintwork not wanting to get damaged!
So how was turn in, ride feel and grip on the 215 compared to the OE 205? Also have you driven the 235 on street/canyon and noticed any negative of the higher unsprung weight?
The taller 215s turn in is slower, the ride is softer, and the grip is much better than the stock tires. Part of that is the sidewall height and the fact that the continentals have a soft sidewall. The 235s feel a lot like the 205 (same sidewall height and stiff sidewall) but are much more grippy. I've not noticed any negatives from the higher unsprung weight, but I'm sure acceleration is slightly slower. Though the high grip may overcome that.
215/45/17 continental ECS 02 vs 205/45/17 ECS 02 , which one would you recommend? want the most comfort for highway drives/ less noise with sportiness around canyons.@@Killobyte
Personally, I like the 215 over the 205. @@ahmedeo4529
is the 205 more tail happy with better comfort/fuel economy but 215 is just more grip?@@Killobyte
The 205 is more tail happy and quicker off the line. The 215 has more grip and comfort/fuel economy. @@ahmedeo4529
Is there a noticeable performance difference between the 205 and 215s? I just think the look is better with slightly wider tire keeping the original wheels? I have a 2022 Grand Touring and want to add a few conservative improvement mods with tires exhaust, and perhaps air filters.
If I was buying tires for my 7" original wheels, I'd get the 215s again. I don't think most people will notice any difference in the performance and the 215s look better IMHO.
Thank you!@@Killobyte
@@Killobyte Another question, do you drive the summer/track tires daily during the summer? Or just for track day? Thanks!
@@kavalere I only drive mine about once a week and I do leave the summer/track tires on during the summer once I put them on.
Where do you go to get a custom alignment? I'm trying to also get the FM specs but all alignment/tire shops are refusing to do it. One guy said it will be a huge pain in the ass and was saying how just aligning the front two wheels will cost me $200.
A lot of alignment places just want to adjust toe and call it good. Find a local car/race club and someone should know of a good alignment shop.
Do you have any rubbing/ did you have to roll your fenders to accommodate any of the sizes you’re running?
No rubbing and I did not roll the fenders.
What about going to 205/55 16 on ND1 Club will those work with stock brakes? Do you know? I dont have the edition with Brembos and BBS ...I dont track just the twisties. I like the idea of a better ride and cheaper tires/ lighter wheels AND that I could swap tires myself on my no-mar tire changer
I have heard of people running 16" wheels on NDs but I don't know what sizes.
@@Killobyte Sport trim ND’s come stock with 16x6.5 rims with 195-50-16 Yokahama Advan V105 and tread ware 280.
I just switched to Enkei RPF1 16x7 rims and mounted RE-71RS 205-50-16. Which were on sale. Next time I will get RE-71RS 205-45-16.
I have Ohlins coilovers set to one inch lower than stock. Progress sway bars front and rear, stainless steel brake lines. No rubbing or issues of any sort.
I stayed with the 16’s so when I go back to a lower profile, I will keep my acceleration. The weight of the 16 inch rims alone no tire mounted is 13.7 pounds.
I just got another set of OEM wheels and winter tires, do I need to do anything special with TMPS? Or will driving 20 mins or so will auto set. I have 22 RF
As long as the wheels have the correct sensors, they should auto set after driving for a bit.
@@Killobyte yeah, I found out once I drove it. It worked with no issues!
So I could easily upgrade for 17"x8" Japan racing wheels with 235/40 17" without any rubbing or further mods? I do not want to use spacers or drop the car, just upgrade the wheels and tires.
yes, with +45mm offset
@@Killobyte how about 8" wide with 40mm offset?
If I did my +/- offset math right, a +40mm offset wheel will be 5mm farther away from the chassis than a +45mm offset. So for outside clearance, it should be like running 245 tires instead of 235 tires, which normally would require rolling the fenders if lowered. So, how you plan to use it and the actual width of the tire may be a factor.
Please note that different 235 tires are actually wider or thinner than others. I believe Tirerack lists the actual width.
@@Killobyte Thank you! I get it clearly now.
I want to run 205/45r16 to get shorter gearing with coilovers to adjust the ride height lower as well. The wheels i'm looking at have a 38mm offset, would I need to worry about rubbing with a smaller tire? I'm assuming not
My guess is that you would be fine, but I'd check with Goodwin Racing on that one. They know their stuff and have been helpful.
I have an 22 ND2 RF with the brembos and the wheel gap bothers me so much . I got guy ask when I was entering into the monster jam how tall she sits . Any suggestions on what I springs I should install to lower it ?
Progress RF springs are good: www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Performance-Part/61-1847RF.html
I just recently purchased a 2023 ND2 Gt RF. I had stock 205/45/17 Bridgestones but I hit a pothole and 2 of the 4 tires were ruined. I replaced them with 225/45/17's on stock wheels.I Iike the look but I feel the car is not as quick off the line and the gears dont feel like they did before or Im just bugging. Feels more stuck to the ground but slightly more sluggish if that makes any sense. Im thinking of going to a 215/45/17, but I will keep these 225s on for a week to see if they grow on me. I want the car to feel as close to stock as possible but I dont want the 205's. IYO is 225/45/17 overkill? Also would you suggest I get an alignement regardless of which tire size I get? Thank you in advance. Nice looking Miata you got there.
I personally don't like the 225/45s as I think the diameter is too much for the Miata. 215/45 is about the limit for diameter. A good alignment is worth it. I run the FM specs and they work great on the street and do okay for autox and track. Tire wear is fine.
@@Killobyte thank you, I agree, 225 isn't working for me, Im going to 215.
What brand rim is the one with the 235? Looking for a wider tire and rim combo
Konig Hypergram 17x8 4X100 ET45 Matte Black
I’m considering 225 45 17 on the stock 7 inch wheels
I've heard of some running them but they are pretty tall.
How do you adjust the speedometer if you change up too 215 from 205 please can anyone tell me ?
I don't adjust my speedometer. I just know that when I have the 215s on that I'm actually going a couple MPH more than the speedometer is showing at 70. At lower speeds it's even less.
@@Killobyte Thank you , I spoke with the manager at my local tyre shop and they told me the same thing… what about the steering is it noticeable heavier with the 215 ?
I big motivation for me is the price Bridgestone 003 are a full $100 cheaper per tyre in 215 than the standard 205 here in Australia currently.
I don't think so.
Does anyone run 225 40 17s on the oem BBS 17x7 rims??
Yes, 225/40r17 on 7" wheels seems to be a new thing. I've not tried them myself, so can't speak from experience about the ride, but it will be 20mm wider and a little shorter than stock. This should help with grip and acceleration and your speedometer will be a little off but not too bad.
Anyone running on 15 with their nd2 without spacer?
I had problems with brakes
Let’s talk about rubbing liners and fenders for the 235. There is a lot of videos of enthusiasts out there saying there is never rubbing anywhere which of course I don’t believe. Surprisingly, your car is lowered which is not an advantage for rubbing. So, what is your opinion on this.
Yes, mine is lowered and I've not had any rubbing with the 235s on my wheels. If your wheel offset is different, that might move them in/out enough to cause a rub.
@@Killobyte You think you'll run into rubbing issues on the 235s if you increase negative camber to ~2.5? I had issues on the track with 225 45s but perhaps because of the material change in height
I think the 235s would be fine, but I've not tried it. I'm at 1.8.
A lowered car has more available camber. So if you are running say 2 degrees of negative camber that tucks the top of the tyre inside the wheel well. That's where rubbing will happen so lowering and adding camber reduces rubbing, not the other way round. The car will still bottom out at a similar height
I ordered 215/45 17 in the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S from TireRack and got a phone call from their customer service having some concerns. Said 215/40 17 would fit better. Thoughts?
No. Just No. I mean, if you want a shorter diameter tire (with larger fender gap) that would be okay I guess. But I like my 215/45 17s. They are only one size up from stock.