Help with wheel size

[skytek]

I might be getting my first mr2 in the next couple of months (whoohooo!) off an imoc member if everything goes to plan . Anyway, the only things I would want to change would be to lower it a bit and put a nice set of 17s on. I'd like the devil split rim h204s but could you guys tell me what will fit on the mr2 rev2? The options on the alloy website for this wheel are as follows:

W/size PCD ET T/size Price
7x17 5/114 40 215/40/17 £649.00
7x17 5/100 35 205/40/17 £649.00
7x17 4/114 40 205/40/17 £649.00
7x17 4/108 40 205/40/17 £649.00
7x17 4/100 40 205/40/17 £649.00

So which is the right fit? And what do PCD and ET mean?

Sorry for sounding like an idot but I'm not experienced with this type of thing.

If you want to see the rims I'm talking about check out:

http://www.lenso.co.uk/index.php?page=s ... 9&pageno=2

Half way down on the far right

And one other question (sorry chaps) - How much should I lower a standard rev 2 mk2 mr2 to have these rims looking really well while still being able to drive the thing and get over the odd speedbump every now and then without ripping the car to shreds? And would I be looking at somewhere around the £200-250 mark to have the lowering springs fitted by a garage? Oh, and what springs can I get on a very tight budget?

Thanks very much guys!

[shafster]

first one

the mr2 has a pcd of 114.3 the space the holes are or something, 5 = number of holes, offset is how far they stick in or out so 40mm in this case.

you can get 40mm lowering springs for about £100 from places like dcdezign.com

[prezjamin]

Remember that your back wheels should be wider than the front and so you will need wider back alloys than front (I think that is right maybe someone can confirm)

[jamief]

Yeah your rear wheels should definately be wider than the fronts. Most common is 205 front 225 rear, although some people do go a bit wider on the back.

[skytek]

Thanks for the help guys. It's a pity the website doesn't have them in 225 for the rears. I've seen these rims on a mr2 before. Does anyone know ehre I'd get them in a 225/205 combination?

Thanks alot.

[shafster]

speak to dan at dcdezign or andy at wheelbase in oldham. they'll both be able to sort you out.

[skytek]

Thanks shaf! I'll give them a call.

All the best.

[skytek]

Ok, I contacted dcdezign asking for a 205 front, 225 rear setup.and they said this:

"Thank you for contacting us regards your wheels.
Firstly you should run 215 front and 235 rear tyres on
the MR2."

And the price including tyres was £755 + delivery

It's more than I was hoping for.

Any thoughts on the size confusion here?

[steve]

205 - 225 combo is fine, thats what i've got on my standard wheels (15x6 & 15x7)

some people think 235 is too wide for a 7' rim - others use them with no problems....

i've gone for 215/40/17's for my 17x7 ET35 fronts & 245/35/17's for my 17x8 ET35 rears

[jimGTS]

mate, from what ive been told, the tyre sizes should go like this on an mr2! someone may quote me wrong, but ive heard these dimension time and time again! suprised there not mentioned on this thread!

15inch wheel, F 195, R 215
16inch wheel, F 205, R 225
17inch wheel, F 215, R 235.

you can see a pattern forming here!

[steve]

standard 15's have 195/55/15 & and 225/50/15's on though Jim

[jimGTS]

standard 15's have 195/55/15 & and 225/50/15's on though Jim

oh, you sure??? i was told 205/225 was perfect on 16s, is this wrong then???

[steve]

yeah 225/50/15's are standard rear tyre widths, it's all to do with wheel width & the rolling radius of the tyres

[jimGTS]

yeah 225/50/15's are standard rear tyre widths, it's all to do with wheel width & the rolling radius of the tyres

oh yeh i know that, im talking about my 16s now, i was told 225s on the rear were perfect for 16s, but they cant be if the same is used for 15's??? (ive 205/45/zr16, and 225/45/zr16s).

[steve]

yeah 225/50/15's are standard rear tyre widths, it's all to do with wheel width & the rolling radius of the tyres

oh yeh i know that, im talking about my 16s now, i was told 225s on the rear were perfect for 16s, but they cant be if the same is used for 15's??? (ive 205/45/zr16, and 225/45/zr16s).

not sure about 16's mate, i think most people use the same combo as you.

[Grajey]

What's wrong with 225 on the rear if the wheels are 15 or16" diameter.

The stock 15" wheel are 7" width with 225/50 tyres.

To retain the circumference of the increased wheel size as close to stock as possible you can fit the same width tyre i.e. 225 but reduce the profile to 45. The reasoning behind the rim width is the tyre seating on the wheel. If a tyre sits OK on a 7x15 then it will sit OK on a 7x16

225/50/15 and 225/45/16 produce a circumference diffence of 0.3". This equates to 60mph and 60.3mph, respectively, as a given speed comparison.

Any doubt, see here http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

HTH

[jimGTS]

What's wrong with 225 on the rear if the wheels are 15 or16" diameter.

The stock 15" wheel are 7" width with 225/50 tyres.

To retain the circumference of the increased wheel size as close to stock as possible you can fit the same width tyre i.e. 225 but reduce the profile to 45. The reasoning behind the rim width is the tyre seating on the wheel. If a tyre sits OK on a 7x15 then it will sit OK on a 7x16

225/50/15 and 225/45/16 produce a circumference diffence of 0.3". This equates to 60mph and 60.3mph, respectively, as a given speed comparison.

Any doubt, see here http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

HTH

ah right, its to do with the profile!
cheers!

[Leon.]

can confirm standard setup for standard 15's are 195 front and 225 rear. When changing tyres, most change to 205 front to minimise understeer.......

[Fizzy]

just read the post which states that you should have different wheel widths - piffle! Keep a difference of 20 between tyre widths and as a rule of thumb thats it!!!! PHAH!!