SCCAForums.com

What are the Wheel options for a Miata?

Assumptions

1) Running 225/45R15 Toyo R1R (When they come out)

2) Has to be 7.5 width to properly run the above tire.

 

With these above assumptions, I ran down the options as follows

A) Volks TE37, 15x7.5 +43 ~10lbs $500

B) 949Racing 6UL, 15x7.5 +34 12lbs $150

C) Rata Slipstreams, 15x7.5 +40 ~13lbs $125

 

The Volks are just too expensive, the 6UL have the wrong offset, and the Rota's are just crap.  People are complained about rubbing issues with the 6UL with 225/50, so of course they are going to be a problem with the 225 Toyo's.  I have a set of Rota's and felt and saw why they are crap.  They are no true.  I saw them on the balancer and commented that the wheel was not on correctly.  My buddy said, "No, they are just not true, it's a Rota."  Which leaves the Volks.

 So the question is, am I forgetting another option for a 15x7.5 wheel?  Is my assumption that the 225/45R15 Toyo has to be on a 7.5 wide wheel true?  My concern with running 7.0 wide wheels is that they are the minimum width suggested for the 225/45.  Being that people are commenting that the sidewalls are “soft” I think having proper support will be more critical with these tires.

If my assumption about the 7.5 wheels is not a grave concern, then I’ll get the Enkei RPF1.

 

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"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller

Rubbing w/ the 15x7.5 6UL is a new 1 to me. with just over 1.7* of camber (rear, more front) running the bridgestones, I haven't once had rubbing...

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Andrew
STS2 114 - 1992 Miata

Quote from Peppler33CS on this thread http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/284320.aspx

Peppler33CS:

I ran a 35 offset wheel (ATS complite) on my 92 Miata for the first season, it would rub during extreme braking and turning.  It was a little less after I rolled the fenders a bit, but was still there.  But this was with a 15x7 wheel.

 I went to 15x7.5 Slipstreams (for sale now with Azenis mounted) with a 40 offset and all is good now!

I'm not saying 949's wheel will rub, I just saying a somewhat similar wheel rubbed on my car.

emilio700 responded on this thread http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?p=2789941#post2789941

I have roughly 190 customers on the 15x8 +36 which stick out 4mm further than the 15x7.5 +34.  Of those, only one customer has notified me that his 225/45's rubbed the steel fender lip above 12" front ride height with less that -1.5* camber. That was unrolled, after rolling, no problem. The other 3 or 4 that had fender lip rubbing either had stock camber with 225's, were below 12" and hitting driveways or were running 225/50's. The remainder of 5 or so rubbing issues were all the plastic liner and attributable to super low ride height/bump travel.

 I'm very confident that 98% of the guys who run these with the new 225/45/15 Toyo R1R and any more than -1.2* front camber wil have zer rubbing.  Unless they spin, then all bets are off :)

Comclusion- Peppler is the only guy so far commenting that the 225/45 on the 15x7.5 +34 will rub.  He came to this conclusion by running a different brand tire and wheel.  Emilio says otherwise and has more concrete evidence to support no rubbing.  Thus I think I'm wrong in my assertion that the +34 offset wheels rub.

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"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller

It is important to note that the wheel I was running were not Emilio's.  I would trust amaff's setup, though he probably doesn't have 225's mounted either.

I had moved to 15X7.5 +40 Slipstreams and I had no rubbing, and I have since moved to 15x7 +41 RPF1s and haven't heard any rubbing either.

 

Oh ya, and that (rubbing) was with the 205 Azenis.

Peppler33CS:

I had moved to 15X7.5 +40 Slipstreams and I had no rubbing, and I have since moved to 15x7 +41 RPF1s and haven't heard any rubbing either.

 

 

Let me guess, Crap wheels?

 

Now that you have the RPF1's, Is my concern that they are to narrow a valid reason to want 7.5? 

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"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller

15X7.5 6ULs for me no rubbing ever..can post action pics if ya want..I have 2 sets.

Kerry

 

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Kerry Coughlin
1994 Miata R
197 STS2
Cenla Region SCCA

Thx for the comments on the rubbing.

 

What about my assumption that the 225/45 Toyo's will need a 7.5 wheel?  if this is true, what are people going to do with their 15x7 wheels?

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"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller

I don't think rubbing will be an issue with the extra 6mm, especially since you will have you camber maxed out, and fender rolling is allowed.  I know you have Rota's already and have got a very poor opinion of them, but you have seen and driven on my Rotas in person and they don't suck too bad do they?  I got lucky i guess cuz mine are true and didn't take much weights to balance, the distributor warehouse has a huge stack of them to pick from, they might let you handpick a set if you slip the guy a $20.

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Schooner
95 Miata STS2

Well, as a reference, here's what you're looking @ in terms of bump travel on the 15x7.5 6ULs. This was @ the Atlanta NT running 195 'Stones

 

Will the 225 toyos fit? Who knows... they're not out yet lol. And by the time they come out, will they be the best tire for the class? Again: Who knows ;)

I'll have the rear suspension apart here in a month or so regardless, so it won't be a much of a stretch for me to pull the springs off and run the suspension through its range of travel and take some pictures and measurements of what kind of room we're looking at.

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Andrew
STS2 114 - 1992 Miata

gaha:

Peppler33CS:

I had moved to 15X7.5 +40 Slipstreams and I had no rubbing, and I have since moved to 15x7 +41 RPF1s and haven't heard any rubbing either.

 

 

Let me guess, Crap wheels?

 

Now that you have the RPF1's, Is my concern that they are to narrow a valid reason to want 7.5? 

I have two sets of the 15x7.5 Slipstreams and a set of the 15x7.5 Volk TE37. Obviously the Volks are fantastic. I am almost as happy with my Rotas as I am with the Volks though. I bought my first set as part of the initial group buy that got Rota started making this wheel and bought another set used this summer. Both are outstanding. No bends, look great, durable finish, no extra weights needed to balance. For the price, they are a great buy. I highly recommend them.

Since I bought my first set, the 949 wheel came out. If I were to buy another set of autocross wheels, I would give them a try though I am not crazy about the offsets.

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90 Miata/89 CRX - STS2 #90/190

Of course the OP found the holy grail of STS2 wheels and picked up a set of gently used and uber rare SSR 15x7.5's, at around 10lbs a piece I believe... plus a tasty offset of +43... compared to those my Rotas really are crap i guess.

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Schooner
95 Miata STS2

 Would the 7x15 Enkei RP-F1 35mm offset work?

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Mike H
91 Miata #43 STS2
Digital Immigrant

You would be better off with the 15 x 7 with the 41 mm offset.

Yep, they would work but another vote for the +41 offset. Less chance of rub and a narrower track.

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90 Miata/89 CRX - STS2 #90/190

Sclippy96:

Of course the OP found the holy grail of STS2 wheels and picked up a set of gently used and uber rare SSR 15x7.5's, at around 10lbs a piece I believe... plus a tasty offset of +43... compared to those my Rotas really are crap i guess.

 

Thx for the ideas guys, but as Schooner pointed out, I found a set of SSR Comp locally.  I couldn't live with myself if I passed them up.  If 7.5 width turns out to be too much (Which I dought) I'll get the RPF1s.

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"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller

gaha:

Sclippy96:

Of course the OP found the holy grail of STS2 wheels and picked up a set of gently used and uber rare SSR 15x7.5's, at around 10lbs a piece I believe... plus a tasty offset of +43... compared to those my Rotas really are crap i guess.

 

Thx for the ideas guys, but as Schooner pointed out, I found a set of SSR Comp locally.  I couldn't live with myself if I passed them up.  If 7.5 width turns out to be too much (Which I dought) I'll get the RPF1s.

 I hate you. I've been looking for a set of those forever.

gaha:

Sclippy96:

Of course the OP found the holy grail of STS2 wheels and picked up a set of gently used and uber rare SSR 15x7.5's, at around 10lbs a piece I believe... plus a tasty offset of +43... compared to those my Rotas really are crap i guess.

 

Thx for the ideas guys, but as Schooner pointed out, I found a set of SSR Comp locally.  I couldn't live with myself if I passed them up.  If 7.5 width turns out to be too much (Which I dought) I'll get the RPF1s.

Dibs, if the 7.5" width doesn't work out for you

From Brian  at Goodwin Racing

 

It is true that 41mm is the easier fit. But the 35mm has proven faster when
we have had drivers test these choices blind. This may depend on the course
style you see, here we have pretty fast courses with big sweepers...almost
like a road course. Thus, it is no surprise that running a wider offset is
faster here...much like the 30mm has proven faster in Spec Miata (and Spec
Miata guys are starting to move to 25mm).

But as of this week the new Toyo 225/45/15 R1R is available...I added it to
the website just an hour ago. And certainly this new wider size will fit
much better with the 41mm offset.

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Mike H
91 Miata #43 STS2
Digital Immigrant