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    Tire/wheel help

    I have a 2002 Protege ES GT and I'm a newb when it comes to buying wheels/mags. The 2002 Protege ES GT is the Canadian version of the US ES-spec Protege with stock 16" wheels, 5x114.3 bolt pattern, wrapped in 195/50R16 rubbers.

    I'm looking into buying a new wheel that is 17x7, 5x114.3 bolt pattern and has an offset of 42.

    First question: should I go with 205/40R17 or 215/40R17? Which tire size will provide a more accurate speedometer/mileage reading? According to the Miata tire size calculator, 215 is more accurate when comparing to the stock 195/50R16 size, but when comparing to the 185/65R14 (my winter tires) size, 205 is more accurate.

    Second question: with 17x7 and either 205/40R17 or 215/40R17 is a 42 offset on the wheel sufficient for the sedan Protege?

    Third question: what's a better choice for the tire: Falken FK451 or Toyo Proxes 4? The Toyos are $40CDN more per tire. Are they really worth the price difference?

    Thanks in advance

    #2
    in response to the first question, I'd go with the 215 for two reasons, one: better traction, two: the speedo is going to be more accurate, your winter setup probably isn't as accurate as the tires that came from the factory. however, the speedo is probably off +/- 2 mph anyways. as far as tires, I'm partial to Falken as a brand, but don't have direct experience with 451's, I have 512's and love em, and the Azenis are the top choice among auto-x-ers.

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      #3
      Thanks for the tip, but I'm afraid the 215 tire with a +42 mm offset wheel may rub on the 3rd gen sedan Pro. Has any one else had rubbing issues with such a set up?

      I don't plan to push the car too hard, and I'm a little bit more concerned with ride comfort/noise. That being said, I think I may look into the Falken Azenis ST-115 tires as they seem to be rated well in terms of noise. Otherwise I'll probably just end up with the Falken 451s or 512s (too many decisions), or possibly even the Toyo Proxes 4.

      Comment


        #4
        Great, now I'm hearing great things about Fuzion ZRi tires... add those to the mix, take out the Toyo Proxes 4 because they're too expensive. So now it's:
        Falken 451 vs. Falken 512 vs. Falken Azenis ST-115 vs. Fuzion ZRi

        Any opinions please?

        And again, will a 215/40R17 on a 17x7 +42 offset rub on a 3rd gen Protege ES?

        Comment


          #5
          i think you could pull off a 40 offset or maybe even a 35 offset. It would look better.

          Comment


            #6
            An Alternate Suggestion

            Originally posted by daMaster
            I don't plan to push the car too hard, and I'm a little bit more concerned with ride comfort/noise. That being said, I think I may look into the Falken Azenis ST-115 tires as they seem to be rated well in terms of noise. Otherwise I'll probably just end up with the Falken 451s or 512s (too many decisions), or possibly even the Toyo Proxes 4.
            Since you're more concerned with ride comfort and noise, why don't you consider buying 16" alloys. Then you can use a 205/45 tire with only a 1.7% too fast speedo error. The 45 aspect ratio sidewall will give you a smoother, more comfortable ride than would the 40. Additionally, you'll get superior handling compared with your OEM because of the wider tread and lower aspect ratio. As a bonus, all else being equal, the 16" wheel will improve your acceleration compared with the 17" because it is both lighter, and having its weight closer to the center, there will be less inertia effect to overcome.

            In my own set-up, I'm using 16 x 7", +42 mm offset wheels and 205/45 tires. Compared with my OEM (195/55-15's), and even before I installed my MSP suspension components, the improvement in handling was very significant and yet the ride never felt harsh or bumpy. Absolutely no interference problems either even with a full load on rough roads.

            Happy Motoring!
            02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
            MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
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            Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
            Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
            Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
            Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
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            Comment


              #7
              Greg is running 215's on his mp3, I know that much.

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                #8
                Thanks for all the help. After hours of research I ended up with Fuzion ZRi 205/40R17 tires mounted on Fast Inferno black 17"x7" wheels with a +42mm offset. I had them installed last Thursday and I love the new wheel/tire combo. The ride is smoother than it used be with my stock Dunlops, it feels harsher but the harshness seems to be at the wheels more than it is in the car (rattles in the car have actually strangely been reduced). The Fuzion tires are amazing and they grip the road very well in both dry and wet conditions. Overall handling of the car has been greatly improved.

                When I was researching wheels I wanted to make sure to get a lightweight set, but I ended up with the Fast Inferno blacks based on looks as I couldn't find weight specs for them anywhere. Fortunately, the wheels are very light, 16 lbs only!

                For all 3rd gen Protege sedan owners out there, here's some handy info:
                - +42 mm offset with a 17x7 wheel wrapped in 205/40R17 tires does NOT rub
                - Fuzion ZRi tires are great and don't hesitate to add them to your shortlist of tires

                I've attached pics of the final product.
                Attached Files

                Comment


                  #9
                  Those look awesome

                  92 Protege DX - Sold.
                  91 Dodge Dakota - Sold.
                  95 Ford Contour GL - Crashed.
                  96 Dodge Caravan - Sold.
                  90 Honda Accord LX - Sold.
                  98 Mazda 626 LX - DD.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    they look a lot like rota torques or subzeros. i like the black on black.

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