[The Dude]

There seems to be varying opinions on this matter...

If the stock tire size is 205/50/17 with the 17x6.5" stock wheel, what exactly is the "recommended" tire size when switching to a 17x7" wheel? (disregarding changes in offset)

Would the half-inch increase in width make the stock tire size less than ideal?

Thanks!

 

[CarbonZ]

I would go with 225/45/17

A helpful guide: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

 

[snappertom]

id stick with the stock tire size 205/50/17 on a 7 inch wide rim, only consider 225/45/17 if it were a 7.5 inch wide rim

 

[EnFuego138]

Can you cram 215's on the stock wheel? Or is that out of the question? I think it's only 6.5" right?

 

[M3-GT]

Can you cram 215's on the stock wheel? Or is that out of the question? I think it's only 6.5" right?

You can definitely go 215 on the 17'' / 6.5'' stock rim. Last week, I stopped at my friend's tire shop and asked that same question. He looked at the rim, took some measurements and that's why I'm going 215/45/17 with T1-S or the new Proxes 4 this spring.

He said I would need to get other rims for 225 + tire size.

 

[LeeLee]

I believe if you take a look at the roll-out of the stock RS-A tires, there are many 215/50/17 tires that have similar specs. That's what I expect to do once the stock tires wear out.

 

[CarbonZ]

id stick with the stock tire size 205/50/17 on a 7 inch wide rim, only consider 225/45/17 if it were a 7.5 inch wide rim

You can put a 225/45/17 tire on a 17x7 rim with NO problems. My younger brother has 235/45/17 with 17x7 rims on his 03 Eclipse GTS with no fitment issues at all!

 

[snappertom]

id stick with the stock tire size 205/50/17 on a 7 inch wide rim, only consider 225/45/17 if it were a 7.5 inch wide rim

You can put a 225/45/17 tire on a 17x7 rim with NO problems. My younger brother has 235/45/17 with 17x7 rims on his 03 Eclipse GTS with no fitment issues at all!

hey dont get me wrong you can fit them no problems i was just speaking from an 'ideal' situation, matching tyre and rim width can have many performance variations

here in australia a 205/50/17 is a much more common tyre, and therefore much better pricing, i have no idea what its like for guys in your part of the world. do you guys get 17 inch wheels standard on any of the mazda3 models sold there?

 

[EnFuego138]

Can you cram 215's on the stock wheel? Or is that out of the question? I think it's only 6.5" right?

You can definitely go 215 on the 17'' / 6.5'' stock rim. Last week, I stopped at my friend's tire shop and asked that same question. He looked at the rim, took some measurements and that's why I'm going 215/45/17 with T1-S or the new Proxes 4 this spring.

He said I would need to get other rims for 225 + tire size.

Thanks for the info. I'm a big fan of the Yokohama Avid V4s. I've got them on my current car and they are the nicest tires I've ever ridden on. The problem was that they only make 215/50/17s, not the 205s.

 

[Kirk]

FYI, 93-97 Ford Probe GTs came with 16x7 wheels and Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks in 225/50/16 size. When I had my car, I upgraded to 225/45/17 Pirellis and then same-sized Potenza S02s on 17x7 TRM Typhoon wheels with no issues. There are many PGT guys that run 245s on the stock wheels.