Looking for new wheels

[drdking]

I'm trying to buy new wheels right now and shopping online. I know the stock wheel size is 17x7, but I want to go slightly larger, around 17x7.5 or 17x8 with around a 245 tire. Anyone know what offset I should go with, and if there is a way on TireRack.com to shop by wheel size, and not just off of the stock wheel size for a vehical?

[haze20]

I don't think you will be able to get the 245 tire on there. I could be wrong. I have a +48 offset with 18's. I think you can go a little lower offset with the 17's.

[livelyjay]

If you are stock ride height, you may be able to fit a 245 if you go with a smaller sidewall, like a 30 or 35. I have rubbing problems in the rear with a +42 offset and 225 Azenis. If you go with a +48 offset you might be ok in the rears.

Check other web sites other than TireRack as most of their wheels are pretty expensive. DiscountTireDirect.com is a good place as well as EdgeRacing.

[livelyjay]

Go here (http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html) and put in the two different tire sizes. That will give you the measurements for the width of the tire. Put some weight in the trunk to get the car squatted down like you have people in your back seat. Measure how much room you have right now between the current tire and the wheel well lip and how much room between the tire and strut.

Draw up a picture of the setup with measurements, then move things around with different offsets and tire sizes. That should give you a good idea about tire fitment and offset.

[livelyjay]

Nevermind about the Miata site I linked in the previous post. It doesn't give enough information about the tire size. This site (http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp?action=submit) gives a lot more information. Looks like between 215/45-17 and 245/35-17 you gain 30mm in width and lose 10mm in sidewall height.

If you go with a +48 offset wheel here's what happens:
Between strut and tire you gain 7mm of room.
Between tire and wheel well you lose 7mm of room.

If you go with a 245 tire here's what happens:
Between strut and tire you lose 15mm
Between tire and wheel well you also lose 15mm.

So if you go outside and measure you stock setup right now, you need 8mm of room between the tire and strut and you'll need 22mm of room between the tire and wheel well. Hope that helps and it makes sense.

[livelyjay]

I made a mistake, my wheels are +45 offset with 225/45-17 tires. Now I don't think you will be able to put 245 width tires without rubbing the rear wheel well.