15" winter wheels? on Mazda5?

[red headz]

I have the 18 RX8's for summertime, and could run the stock 17" M5 wheels for my winter setup, but I want something different.

16" wheels are tough to come find.
Can I run 15" wheels on a Mazda5? Tires we can work around, but the wheel size... and clearance with the brake rotor?

Anyone have experience or advice?
TIA.
michael.

pic for clicks:
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/hagdizzle/2009-9-15144Medium.jpg

[sethro_GT]

Many have stated that 15" will not clear the brakes. I think I recall discounttiredirect saying 16" was the smallest I could do as well.

Do a search at car-part.com, should be able to find at least steelies for a lot less than new. I searched 2007 mazda6 and found a bunch of 17" alloy's.

[AwaKeN]

X2 16" is the smallest you can go.

[DKaz]

15" might clear the brakes in the back too no?

I kinda wish we could downsize the brakes or something like off the 2.0L 3. :( It's not like the car is that heavy that it needs big brakes.

[the_saint]

Why would you ever want to downsize brakes???

[coolmazda5]

I remember seeing this in one of the Mazda sites for Europe where 15in are sold. I can only see it in the one for Germany, but in short, the brakes for the 15in are smaller in diameter, so the wheels might not clear (dunno):

Bremsen

Typ vorne innenbelüftete Scheibenbremsen
Typ hinten Scheibenbremsen
Durchmesser bei 15" Bereifung, vorne/hinten, mm 278 / 280
Durchmesser bei 16" Bereifung, vorne/hinten, mm 300 / 302

And Translating with Google

Brakes

Type front ventilated disc brakes
Type rear disc brakes
Diameter with 15 "Tires, front / rear, mm 278 / 280
Diameter with 16 "Tires, front / rear, mm 300 / 302

Source:
http://www.mazda.de/Showroom/Mazda5/Specs/specs.htm?model=Mazda5&panel=technic&dataid=8349&index=3

[morethan5]

It's not like the car is that heavy that it needs big brakes.

~3500lbs empty...

[DKaz]

Why would you ever want to downsize brakes???

Cheaper winter tires.

Moot point I guess, I wanna go with 18s as soon as the tread on my 17s wear out. :D Maybe trade the 17" OE alloys with 16s to use for winter.

[AwaKeN]

The price you will pay to get smaller disks + install you will pay more than the difference of price between the 15" and 16" tires !

Also, you have worst brake performance ... So i don't think it's a good move ...

[coolmazda5]

I even felt a little bit down when seeing one in Europe with 15in wheels a couple of years back, and they were alloys (dunno) (see thumbnail)

[AwaKeN]

LOL, he can go do some 4X4 track with that !

[thaxman]

Why would you ever want to downsize brakes???

OUCH! Sure winter tires would be cheaper, but losing braking capacity is not a good enough trade off IMHO. Its not 1968 anymore when everyone had drums. If a car ahead brakes, you need to be able to match their brake rate, and smaller disks no doubt will add to stopping distance.

Besides, its never cool to look btw the spokes of 17" or 18" wheels and see teeny tiny discs.

[sethro_GT]

...

[coolmazda5]

(boom06), yeah, please keep it on the topic, remember the Mazda5 section is not just for dudes

Thanks guys...