2005 MazdaSpeed wheels/tires

On 7/16/2010 6:19 AM, pws wrote:

"Can a wheel be designed that is barely larger than the rotor?"

Make that, can a wheel that is barely larger than the rotor, and that
also operates properly with that same rotor, be designed and then built?

There are too damn many engineers around here to set myself up that
easily. ;-)

Pat

On 7/15/2010 6:41 PM, Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>
> "pws" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>>
>> Does anyone know what years or year/model combos that Mazda started
>> using brakes too large to clear 14" Miata wheels?
>>
>> Pat
>
>
> Pat, My 99 probably came with 14" wheels from the factory. It was (is) a
> base model car and that was still the standard in 99. I have a set of
> 14" steelies that fit and work fine with my brakes. I think 99 was the
> last year but I may stand to be corrected.
>
> Chris
> 99BBB

Thank you sir,

Now my question is, what in the heck are you (still) doing with a set of
steelies? ;-)

I have seen a 2000 model with 14" factory alloys, and it seems like 15"
was standard by 2001, maybe 2002. Was 1999 the last year that steel
wheels were an option?

Just looking to increase my useless miata trivia skills.........

Pat

In article >,
pws > wrote:

> I always forget, did you go with 15's or 16's?

15x6.5 Rota Slipstream.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

pws wrote:
> On 7/15/2010 6:41 PM, Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>>
>> "pws" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>>
>>> Does anyone know what years or year/model combos that Mazda started
>>> using brakes too large to clear 14" Miata wheels?
>>>
>>> Pat
>>
>>
>> Pat, My 99 probably came with 14" wheels from the factory. It was
>> (is) a base model car and that was still the standard in 99. I have
>> a set of 14" steelies that fit and work fine with my brakes. I think
>> 99 was the last year but I may stand to be corrected.
>>
>> Chris
>> 99BBB
>
> Thank you sir,
>
> Now my question is, what in the heck are you (still) doing with a set
> of steelies? ;-)
>
> I have seen a 2000 model with 14" factory alloys, and it seems like
> 15" was standard by 2001, maybe 2002. Was 1999 the last year that
> steel wheels were an option?
>
> Just looking to increase my useless miata trivia skills.........
>
> Pat

I replaced the 14" steel wheels on my '96 with a set of 14" alloys from a
1999 model, so at lease they were still available if not standard that year.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:14:19 -0500, Lanny Chambers wrote:
> In article >,
> pws > wrote:
>
>> I always forget, did you go with 15's or 16's?
>
> 15x6.5 Rota Slipstream.

16x7 Rota Slipstream. Thanks for the tip!

On 7/16/2010 12:09 PM, Frank Berger wrote:
> pws wrote:
>> On 7/15/2010 6:41 PM, Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>>>
>>> > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know what years or year/model combos that Mazda started
>>>> using brakes too large to clear 14" Miata wheels?
>>>>
>>>> Pat
>>>
>>>
>>> Pat, My 99 probably came with 14" wheels from the factory. It was
>>> (is) a base model car and that was still the standard in 99. I have
>>> a set of 14" steelies that fit and work fine with my brakes. I think
>>> 99 was the last year but I may stand to be corrected.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>> 99BBB
>>
>> Thank you sir,
>>
>> Now my question is, what in the heck are you (still) doing with a set
>> of steelies? ;-)
>>
>> I have seen a 2000 model with 14" factory alloys, and it seems like
>> 15" was standard by 2001, maybe 2002. Was 1999 the last year that
>> steel wheels were an option?
>>
>> Just looking to increase my useless miata trivia skills.........
>>
>> Pat
>
> I replaced the 14" steel wheels on my '96 with a set of 14" alloys from a
> 1999 model, so at lease they were still available if not standard that year.

Frank,

Chris D.'s 1999 Miata also came with 14" steelies, so they were also
doing those for at least 3 years after your car was made.

1999 may have been the last year before alloys became standard on every
model, as I don't think I have ever seen steel wheels on any miata from
2000 to now.
If someone knows for sure, feel free to chime in.

Speaking of alloys, I was told that if I put factory alloys on my Accord
that currently has steel wheels, that the highway driving comfort would
decrease somewhat due to the steel wheels having a small amount of
"flex", that the alloys have none of, or at least less of.

Is this a bunch of crap or not? I just figured that the alloy wheels
weighing a few pounds less than the steelies would make the ride more
comfortable from the lesser un-sprung weight.

Thanks!

Pat

"pws" > wrote in message

> Speaking of alloys, I was told that if I put factory alloys on my Accord
> that currently has steel wheels, that the highway driving comfort would
> decrease somewhat due to the steel wheels having a small amount of "flex",
> that the alloys have none of, or at least less of.
>
> Is this a bunch of crap or not? I just figured that the alloy wheels
> weighing a few pounds less than the steelies would make the ride more
> comfortable from the lesser un-sprung weight.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Pat
>

I'd say someone's feeding you a line of crap (or, misinformation). I don't
believe for a second that flex in the wheel has anything to do wit comfort
level. And, you are correct that lowering unsprung weight should benefit
both ride and handling. Whether that difference is noticeable on your butt
dino depends on the severity of the change!

Lighter is GOOD! ;-)

Chris
99BBB

"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote:

> Lighter is GOOD! ;-)

Obviously you don't recall Buick's "Roadhugging Weight" slogan of the
1950s!

--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/

On 7/18/2010 9:54 PM, Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>
> "pws" > wrote in message
>
>> Speaking of alloys, I was told that if I put factory alloys on my
>> Accord that currently has steel wheels, that the highway driving
>> comfort would decrease somewhat due to the steel wheels having a small
>> amount of "flex", that the alloys have none of, or at least less of.
>>
>> Is this a bunch of crap or not? I just figured that the alloy wheels
>> weighing a few pounds less than the steelies would make the ride more
>> comfortable from the lesser un-sprung weight.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Pat
>>
>
> I'd say someone's feeding you a line of crap (or, misinformation). I
> don't believe for a second that flex in the wheel has anything to do wit
> comfort level. And, you are correct that lowering unsprung weight should
> benefit both ride and handling. Whether that difference is noticeable on
> your butt dino depends on the severity of the change!
>
> Lighter is GOOD! ;-)
>
> Chris
> 99BBB

I researched it a bit and can find nothing related to comfort, just the
differences of steel bending versus alloys that tend to break. For my
use, the alloys would be better in every possible way.

OTOH, the steel wheels on there now work fine, this is far from a
performance vehicle, and I probably will not own it for long enough to
replace the tires on it.

There is a good chance that I will sell both the Miata and the Honda
Accord this year. Where to go from there, I am not sure yet.

Pat

On 7/19/2010 6:50 AM, XS11E wrote:
> "Chris > wrote:
>
>> Lighter is GOOD! ;-)
>
> Obviously you don't recall Buick's "Roadhugging Weight" slogan of the
> 1950s!

That's even better than Pontiac's "wide-track" advertising!

I had a friend in high school who slid off the road in his Datsun 280Z,
and started looking at 1960's Camaros because of their "road-hugging
weight", as he put it.

He was sure that he would have made that curve if he had just had more
weight pushing down.

Pat