Miata Wheels

I have original alloy '91 Miata Wheels:

I got the alloy wheels that came with the package on the Miata. Live in the
Northeast US and they get badly pitted. I can have them reconditioned and
repainted for around $150 a wheel or get replacements.

I don't like extreme or chrome ones and want to stick to painted silver, not
shiny wheels, like the original alloys.

I kind of like the looks of the MSW 15 at Tire Rack but only using online
photos.

http://tinyurl.com/otpdsh

Anyone have these or can comment?

Can you compare the relative look on the car, feel of the road, vs original
alloy wheels ???

"GParent" > wrote:

> Anyone have these or can comment?

I'd consider getting 15" wheels, it offers you a wider choice of tires.

As for looks, that's up to you, everyone's taste is different. Just
get what you like but pay VERY close attention to weight! Your
original wheels weigh 12.3lbs, don't get anything heavier or you'll
feel it!


--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
http://improve-usenet.org

On Mon, 18 May 2009 08:40:12 -0700, XS11E wrote:
> "GParent" > wrote:
>
>> Anyone have these or can comment?
>
> I'd consider getting 15" wheels, it offers you a wider choice of
> tires.
>
> As for looks, that's up to you, everyone's taste is different. Just
> get what you like but pay VERY close attention to weight! Your
> original wheels weigh 12.3lbs, don't get anything heavier or you'll
> feel it!

Weight makes a huge difference, and 15.5 lbs is a lot for a 14" wheel. I
replaced my 17's with 16x7 Rota Slipstreams wheels at the suggestion of
Lanny Chambers, a frequent and knowledgeable poster here. Rota wheels
(they make a number of models which will fit your Miata) are very light
for the money and I have not had a problem with mine. The 15" Slipstream
is listed at 11.8 lbs, which is really quite good.

http://www.machiii.net/Rota_wheels.html

Furthermore, try to find wheels with the same ET-value as the original
wheels. If the ET-value of the new wheel is too low, the rubber parts of
your suspension will take extra strain resulting in faster wear and tear.
The standard ET-value of MX-5 wheels is 45 and an ET-value less than 35 is
not avised for MX-5's.

Good luck with your search!

Jeroen Feelders
Technical Commissioner
Mazda MX-5 Club of the Netherlands
http://www.mx5club.nl / http://miata.feelders.com

---


"Carbon" > schreef in bericht
ng.com...
> On Mon, 18 May 2009 08:40:12 -0700, XS11E wrote:
>> "GParent" > wrote:
>>
>>> Anyone have these or can comment?
>>
>> I'd consider getting 15" wheels, it offers you a wider choice of
>> tires.
>>
>> As for looks, that's up to you, everyone's taste is different. Just
>> get what you like but pay VERY close attention to weight! Your
>> original wheels weigh 12.3lbs, don't get anything heavier or you'll
>> feel it!
>
> Weight makes a huge difference, and 15.5 lbs is a lot for a 14" wheel. I
> replaced my 17's with 16x7 Rota Slipstreams wheels at the suggestion of
> Lanny Chambers, a frequent and knowledgeable poster here. Rota wheels
> (they make a number of models which will fit your Miata) are very light
> for the money and I have not had a problem with mine. The 15" Slipstream
> is listed at 11.8 lbs, which is really quite good.
>
> http://www.machiii.net/Rota_wheels.html

I'm thinking Jeroen is referring to what we call 'offset' on this side of
the pond as they say.

Chris
99BBB

"Jeroen Feelders" <http://mailto.feelders.com> wrote in message
...
> Furthermore, try to find wheels with the same ET-value as the original
> wheels. If the ET-value of the new wheel is too low, the rubber parts of
> your suspension will take extra strain resulting in faster wear and tear.
> The standard ET-value of MX-5 wheels is 45 and an ET-value less than 35 is
> not avised for MX-5's.
>
> Good luck with your search!
>
> Jeroen Feelders
> Technical Commissioner
> Mazda MX-5 Club of the Netherlands
> http://www.mx5club.nl / http://miata.feelders.com
>
> ---
>
>
> "Carbon" > schreef in bericht
> ng.com...
>> On Mon, 18 May 2009 08:40:12 -0700, XS11E wrote:
>>> "GParent" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Anyone have these or can comment?
>>>
>>> I'd consider getting 15" wheels, it offers you a wider choice of
>>> tires.
>>>
>>> As for looks, that's up to you, everyone's taste is different. Just
>>> get what you like but pay VERY close attention to weight! Your
>>> original wheels weigh 12.3lbs, don't get anything heavier or you'll
>>> feel it!
>>
>> Weight makes a huge difference, and 15.5 lbs is a lot for a 14" wheel. I
>> replaced my 17's with 16x7 Rota Slipstreams wheels at the suggestion of
>> Lanny Chambers, a frequent and knowledgeable poster here. Rota wheels
>> (they make a number of models which will fit your Miata) are very light
>> for the money and I have not had a problem with mine. The 15" Slipstream
>> is listed at 11.8 lbs, which is really quite good.
>>
>> http://www.machiii.net/Rota_wheels.html
>
>

panasports are nice...
http://www.panasport.com/street.html

peter

In article >,
peter > wrote:

> panasports are nice...

Rather heavy, though, and expensive. Compare the Rota RB.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Lanny Chambers wrote:
> In article >,
> peter > wrote:
>
>> panasports are nice...
>
> Rather heavy, though, and expensive. Compare the Rota RB.
>
i seem to remember the ones i had on a hopped up 74 capri being pretty
light...i guess that was compared to steel rims and was a long time ago

peter

peter > wrote:

> Lanny Chambers wrote:
>> In article >, peter
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> panasports are nice...
>>
>> Rather heavy, though, and expensive. Compare the Rota RB.
>>
> i seem to remember the ones i had on a hopped up 74 capri being
> pretty light...i guess that was compared to steel rims and was a
> long time ago

Chect Miata.net, they give weights for a bunch of wheels.


--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
http://improve-usenet.org

In article >,
XS11E > wrote:

> peter > wrote:
>
> > Lanny Chambers wrote:
> >> In article >, peter
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >>> panasports are nice...
> >>
> >> Rather heavy, though, and expensive. Compare the Rota RB.
> >>
> > i seem to remember the ones i had on a hopped up 74 capri being
> > pretty light...i guess that was compared to steel rims and was a
> > long time ago
>
> Chect Miata.net, they give weights for a bunch of wheels.

Has anyone ever figured out how the difference in tire weight figures
into all this. I mean a 17" rim/low profile tire setup might not be
that much heavier than a 15" when you consider that the 15" tire has a
deeper and heavier sidewall. Some may say that the rubber is a lot
lighter than a similar amount of aluminum or magnesium alloy, but I'm
not so sure. I had a 911 Porsche some years ago that had forged alloys,
and I can tell you those were REALLY light wheels - much lighter than
the tires that went on them. That car also had aluminum lug nuts which
were also featherweight. Food for thought. . . . .

--Geary