Tire Sizing

[Kaliv]

I feel like a total moron right now. Been waiting for my new tires to come...they arrive...and they look small.

Doubt check the tire size currently on my car and they're 245/45R16. Doh, I ordered 225/50R16. /smack

I guess I was just looking at too much research, I must have screwed up the tire size when I went to order. I have 205/55R16 on the front, and because people talk so much about putting 225/50R16 on the back to match...I must have overlooked that I have 245/45R16.

So here's the question. Will they fit? And if they do fit...what issues am I facing?

[Oh Haha]

Not a problem if you have 8 inch wheels or better yet 9's on the rear.

I run 245/45 on my SC without issue.

What brand tire are they? You might be able to sell them if you absolutely can't stand them.

EDIT: I read the problems back a$$wards. The 225/50 will work great on an 8 inch wheel. They might be a little stretched on a 9, however.

[Kaliv]

What is this 8 and 9 you talk about? Where do I measure that? And it that on a number scheme that stands for something or is that actual inches or something?

Oh, and they are Kumho Escta SPT. My original tires are Kumho Escta Supras, complete with a nail in the sidewall.

[Oh Haha]

Alrrrrighty then:

the 8/9 that I posted is the wheel width. You have 16 inch diameter wheels205/55/16 is the size of your front tires. 225/50/16 are the tires you purchased.

205 and 225 is the section width in milimeters.

if you have stock wheels they will most likely be 6 or 7 inches wide in front with 8 or 9 inches wide in the rear. 205 and 225 width tires are factory sizes so you will have no problem fitting your new tires.

[911s55]

The 225/50 is obviously 20mm .7" narrower and 6mm .3" taller, No fitment issues at all, I think those are OEM optional sizes for your car, the 245 is for the Turbo.

[83-911SC cab]

If your wheels are factory Fuchs, then the size 16x8 or 16x9 will be on the backside. Most aftermarket wheel will also have sizes on them somewhere.

Gregg S.

[Kaliv]

Thanks everyone for the tire lesson. Now to go get them installed and balanced before the shop closes.

[FPB111]

Fuchs rim size This is 8x16" Fuchs (fox) rim marking on the back of the rim. The triangle is the Fuchs logo

[Joe Bob]

I run 225s on 7s and 245s on the 8s....

[Kaliv]

Ugh, the shop closed earlier than I thought. Although they weren't closed yet, they said there wasn't enough time to do the work. Well, I'll be back today.

Got a different question. Why would you want to run wider tires? Is there any benefit or is it just looks?

And seeing how the tires I got are a wee bit taller, I wonder if it will finally make my speedometer read correctly. It has been reading about 5mph faster than what I actually go.

[JeremyD]

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

http://www.wheelsmaster.com/rt_specs.jsp?item=Wheel-Tire%20size%20comparer&showRim1=1&showTire1=1&sw1=185&ar1=70&bd1=15&rd1=15&rw1=6.0&et1=36&showRim2=1&showTire2=1&sw2=205&ar2=60&bd2=15&rd2=15&rw2=7.0&et2=23&text1=Deep%20sixes&text2=carreras

[JeremyD]

Oh - and stock speedometers are traditionally VERY optimistic. At 130mph indicated - I was about 10% off - GPS speed was 117.