Best setup for 3-season daily driving?

[Brachinus]

I'm currently planning this spring to either get a FFS Coldside for my 2001 LS, or to upgrade my car in other ways in preparation for doing it later (depending on how far overbudget we go in our bathroom renovation).

My question is, what's the best wheel/tire setup for daily driving (including wet roads) including road trips and club runs, but no AutoX or track driving? Ideally, I'd be looking for a setup that won't hurt my driving if I have it for a year before adding the supercharger, but will let me take the most advantage of the 190-200 rwhp I'll have after I pull the trigger.

Width: Is it worth going to wide tires like 225's, or will that cause me problems for everyday commuting (e.g. hydroplaning in rain) without much added benefit for spirited driving? If the tires are too skinny, will I find myself spinning out at stoplight starts on a damp road?

Weight: Will I get a big advantage from dropping 5 or so pounds per corner (currently at about 34 lbs with stock 16's, which I'll probably keep for winter), or do those differences become irrelevant with an extra 70-plus horses and foot-pounds making the wheels go 'round?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

The tire charts I have seen recommend 6-8" rims for 225 wide tires. I agree that 6" is on the small end. I run 7" rims and I think they are great for street/track. If I was autocrossing, I would want the 8" rims.

[Brachinus]

Thanks, Tom! Do you run 225's on your 7" rims, or something smaller? Do you have an idea what most of your street drivers tend to have for wheels/tires, and whether they're happy with their setups?

And if I go with 15x7's for maximum flexibility (presumably I can go from 205 to 225 with no major issues), is it worth spending hundreds more to get really light rims (10 lbs or under, maybe SSR's or Volks), or will I not notice a difference of 3-5 pounds?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

That is like asking if Fords are better than Chevys. :) There are as many answers as there are drivers.

I have two sets of Kosei K1-TS 15x7 rims. One set for the T1-r tires and one set for the RA-1 tires. They are ~10.5 pounds. So far they are great. There are probably better rims out there but the price was right. I got them from http://www.good-win-racing.com/. The tires came from http://www.edgeracing.com/.

If there is a place to take weight out of the car, the wheels/tires are the place to do it. The math gets pretty intense but it is all that rotational mass that you have to accelerate. On the other hand, if it is a street car, it is probably un-noticable in difference between a stock wheel and the light one. I keep threatening to buy a set of knock off spoke wheels but I think they are over 30 punds and that keeps stopping me. :)

You could run the 195s or 225s on the 7" rims.

[99mx5]

For auto-x/track have the 949 6UL 15x8 wheels with 225/45-15 tires. For spirited daily driving/light track duty, I have the stock 15x6 wheels with 205/50-15 Falken Azenis RT-615 tires. I used the Falkens at my last time-attack on the track and they held up very well.

The lighter wheels will make a big difference in the Miata's handling, acceleration and braking. Bigger wheels don't mean higher performance, lighter weight does.

I think 15" wheels are the sweet spot for the Miata. For 15x7 wheels, I like the Enkei RPF-1 wheels and the Motegi Track-lites (~10 lb. per wheel) and for the 15x8 wheels the 949 6UL (~12lb) is the way to go.

[99mx5]

Here are a few good links for wheel weights and how weight affects performance...

http://www.miata.net/faq/wheel_weights.html

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=40082

Hope this helps...
-Ari

[Brachinus]

Thanks, guys, for the info on unsprung weight, but I was already aware of the importance of lightness, just wondering if it still applied as strongly with the extra horsepower -- apparently it does.

99mx5, is there a reason you don't use 225's on the street? Are there driving disadvantages, or is it just because they cost too much to wear out every year?

I was leaning toward either the 6UL 15x8 with Hankook 225's, or super-light SSR or Volk 15x7's with Toyo T1-R's (I had them on my NA with stock rims and liked the lightness and grip) or maybe the Azenis. Am I correct in thinking that as long as I'm not tracking the car I'd probably be better off with lighter rims and skinnier tires, even with all that extra power?

[99mx5]

I haven't any found 225/45-15 tires that I like. They all seem to be 225/50-15 which is a little taller.

[Brachinus]

I haven't any found 225/45-15 tires that I like. They all seem to be 225/50-15 which is a little taller.

What is it you don't like about your AutoX 225's (Hankooks, I presume)? And are the 225/50's too tall to fit under your fenders, or do you find the height undesirable for other reasons?

I had been thinking that if I went with 225's, I might try the Toyos (only available in 225/50) to avoid hydroplaning in rain (they're great rain tires, or at least my 195/55/14's were on my NA). Is there any major downside to them in a car with stock ride height? Aside from that extra bit of diameter making it harder to spin them around?

[99mx5]

I have Avon Tech-R race tires for auto-X, next time ill go with Hoosier A6. I use a trailer to transport tires. Both have the 225/45-15 size. Id like to get Kumho V710 tires, but they are 225/50 size. I haven't tried 225/50-15 but would like to try that size before buying them.

[Brachinus]

D'oh! I should have realized you wouldn't have street tires on dedicated AutoX wheels.

Thanks for all the advice and help -- you too, Tom!