WolfBoy

could i get wider tires for my stock rims ?
since if i wanna get a bigger rim i have to drop the car proper and i dont have the money for that, and i kinda like the original rims, could i fir 225 or 215 , 55 ,16's on them ??

18anatak

i'm not 100% sure, but i dont think you can fit a 225 on our stock rim. i'd say 205 is the max.

superj721

when I had stockies disount tire tried to sell me 225/50/16's, they said rolling diameter was about the same. I think someone on the boards had 225's on the stockies and it looked kinda silly, they bubbled out a lil'.

I agree with Katana, I would stick with the 205's, just get a higher performance tire-I had good luck with Kumho Ecsta.

WolfBoy

!!! 205 is the original size man !! i though i would go atleast one size bigger ..
so 215,55,16 .. the diameter wouldnt change .. or would it .. since tirewall 55 is 55% of the width (am i write ???) so wider tire with 55 would be larger tire walls .. so i guess i could go 215,50,16 !!
im saying this casue we got 225,55,16 on stock 16" steelys for my buddys 323i beemer (winter tires and yes i know wider is worse for winter) and it did fit perfectly and looks kinda sick too .. looks really wide .. the original bmw size for 16's are 215,55,16 ..
someone posted this really informative thread about tires and sizes and everything .. im gonna go look for it ..

wilp99

i think aaron has 225's on his.

sumdumguy

I asked this before, I think someone had 215/50s on the stock wheels

azian21485

the width of a tire is independent of the diamter of the rim..you have to look at how wide the rim is..stock cl rim measurements are 16x6...bmw's rims usually come in 7 inches or wider

with a 16x6 rim, USUALLY the widest optimal width you can go is a 215 size..i say usually because it depends on the manufacturer's specs

for example, the 215 falken azenis requires a 7 inch rim but the 215 falken ziex can fit on a 6 inch rim

you CAN fit a 225 tire on a 6 inch rim but then you will get excessive tire flex, poor turn in, and basically even though the tire is wider it might decrease handling

cliff notes: tire width is independent of rim diamter, go with 215's, 225 is too wide and will cause tire flex...will also make your tire mounter mad

sumdumguy

LSN2ME

I have 225 55 16 on mine. 235 will fit also, but barely.

WolfBoy

does it fit properlly or it bubles out ??? does it change the drive in anyway? does it even look good ? do u have a picture by any chance man ?

wilp99

just get some nice 215's and call it the day.

pebe

215 50 16, they ride nice and look better than 55's. thats what i have on my stockers now.

WolfBoy

so u went one size down on the tire wall aswell ?
that changes the standard diameter of the wheel and tire doesnt it ?

pebe

yeah, it actully rides and looks better than 205 55. not as much squealing

WolfBoy

sounds good man .. only thing .. does the car sit lower or the space between the tire and the fender is more since u have 50's ??
sorry for the annoyin questions . a picture would answer all my issues !!

pebe

u can check my page but i have my 17's on in the pics. also, i am lowered, so the car sits nice with the 50's. are u lowered?

azian21485

uuhhhh 215/45/16 has the same sidewall height as the 205/50/16

remember sidewall height is a percentage of the width measurement

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

vansonrider

undefinedOur cars have 205/55/16 stock not 205/50/16 so 215/45/16 is a bad idea. That will throw your Speedo off by 3 mph. I would go with a 215/50/16. It will throw your odometer off by a little bit, 1 mph. When your speedo reads 60 mph you will be going 59 mph. With a 215/55/16 your speedo will read 60 mph but you will be going 61 mph. The 215/50 will give you a lower profile and handle better but will give you a slightly rougher ride, not by much. 225/50/16 is an exact match but I personally would not do that.

Rim/Wheel Widths
Each tire has a specific rim width range on which the tire can be mounted. Failure to follow rim width recommendations may result in poor tire performance or possible wheel and/or tire failure. Choosing a wheel near the middle of the range will give a balance between ride quality and handling. A wider wheel will improve handling at the expense of ride quality, while a narrower wheel will improve ride quality at the expense of handling. Consider these compromises when selecting wheels.

Metric Rim Widths Aspect Ratio
Metric Size Designations
Approved Rim Width Ranges

50 Series
225/50R16
6.0-8.0

55 Series
205/55R16
5.5-7.5

You can go 225/50/16 if you don't plan on racing around a track but you are push the limit there. I hope this helps.

Remeber with a 6" rim the tire will appear to bulge out some what.

18anatak

honestly, that little bit wont make that much of a difference. just stick with stock, or get some rims that are wider for better handling.

proaudio22

No point in doing this with a stock suspention. The limits of a GOOD 205mm tire are right at the body roll limits of the car. Just get a good set of 205s and call it good (I've got Michelin Pilot XGT H4s, love em').

Also keep in mind you'll lose 1-2mpg with the large tires too, more rolling resistance.

azian21485

oh sorry i read the other guy's post wrong..i thought it said 205/50 =)

"50 Series
225/50R16
6.0-8.0"

the approved rim width for each tire really depends on the manufacturer..not all tires sit the same..look at falken azenis 215 series vs falken ziex 215 series..i posted it above

btw i'm running tires 1 inch smaller in diameter than stock tires...been riding on them for a lil under a year with no problems with my speedo (i'm sure it's off but it doesn't matter if you're going 42mph or 45mph or whatever)...it helps with gearing though since our trannies have the longest ratios ever created (exageration of course)