Noob wheel and tire question

Mike998 · Post by **Mike998** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:08 am

I'm thinking of trying to run E stock or STS2 in a 94 miata, any suggestions on tire size? I was thinking 205/50R-15.

Also, what is a legal offset for the wheels that will not require the wheels to be machined?

Thanks,
Mike

Budman · Post by **Budman** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 6:11 am

If you are going to run ES than you can use R-compound tires (which I would recommend) and the wheels must be same size diameter and width as stock wheels. Wheel offset can not differ from stock more than 1/4" so you might as well just use the lightest & widest factory wheel that came on the 94 miata's.

In STS2 you can run up to a 225 series tire with a treadwear rating of 140 or higher. Wheel diameter and offset are open, but it can't be more than 7.5" wide.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 6:17 am

You can't legally run a 15" wheel/tire in ES on a '94. For ES, you're looking at a 14x6 wheel with a 45mm offset. The offset has to be within +/- 0.25". You can run any tire you can squeeze on there. Miata wheel info is here http://www.miata.net/faq/wheel_weights.html.

For STS2, you can run most any wheel diameter/offset you want with a width up to 7.5". There are two or three good tire choices for 15" wheels. Some are 195 and some 205. The STS/2 guys can tell you what's what.

Scuffcakes · Post by **Scuffcakes** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:52 am

If you're gonna run STS2, best choice is the lightest 15x7.5 wheel you can afford. The size of tire you run will depend on what brand of tire you choose and that's a whole different discussion.

Crash477 · Post by **Crash477** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:15 am

For the Miata in STS2, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R has proven to be the best!

Scuffcakes · Post by **Scuffcakes** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:27 pm

Crash477 wrote:For the Miata in STS2, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R has proven to be the best!

Not quite. It's was last year but the jury is still out on the Toyo Proxes R1R and Dunlop Direza Sport Z1.

Crash477 · Post by **Crash477** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:27 pm

True, but I am going off of National Results.

Scuffcakes · Post by **Scuffcakes** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:06 pm

Crash477 wrote:True, but I am going off of National Results.

That's the mistake I made last year when I bought Falkens.

whenry · Post by **whenry** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:16 pm

As a self-described newbie, I would recommend that you take the course of least resistance and use your stock rims(14x6) or a reasonable copy thereof with an aggressive 14" tire. My explanation is that with the steep learning curve of autocross, buying new wheels and tires will only confuse the process and cause you to develop bad habits in racing. There are so many components involved in autocrossing that you really need to concentrate on learning the effects of driving a car in an unnatural environment before trying to finesse the process with new parts, tires, wheels, etc.
Set up the car to the rules that you want to run to and go have fun! YMMV

Mike998 · Post by **Mike998** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:14 pm

Thanks for all the input. I was originally thinking of going with Falken Azenis RT-615's, but apparently those tires aren't what they used to be. I suppose I'll take a look at the Toyo, Dunlop, and Bridgestones as well.

To clarify, I did race last season but I was driving someone elses car.

Thanks,
Mike Sexton
(Formerly NES 111)

Post by **thrdeye** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:48 pm

Now, if your miata has the torsen, I don't think it can run in STS2 (?)

tscott · Post by **tscott** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:37 pm

thrdeye wrote:Now, if your miata has the torsen, I don't think it can run in STS2 (?)

Sure can't, that's what keeps my miater out of STS2.