Low Offset Clearance Issues
 

So, I recently put on some Rota Kyusha 15x9, 0 offset in the front and -15 in the rear. Imo they fit perfectly with the flares I've got on, but unfortunately I've had to do a LOT of cutting (to include some big chunks out of the flares *cringe), and I still can't get them to clear all the way. They clear the flares and the old fenders fine now, but once I get close to full lock the back of the tires rub on the firewall.

Mostly I'm just wondering if anyone has messed with wheels with this much offset, and what you did to get them to clear properly... I'd like to stay away from tubbing the firewall, but it's looking like that might be the best option at this point, as I don't know if I'll be able to bend it out enough with a hammer (especially considering I'd like to lower the suspension again... had to raise my coilovers all the way up to get the wheels to clear even this much).

Here's a picture of the new wheels... I can get some pictures of it with the wheels off if anyone wants, but it won't be 'til next week since I'm out of town for the holidays.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1387916902

*flamesuit on

Lower. More negative camber and more positive caster.

most people with that low of an offset don't run wide tires... CR.net lol


on the other hand, how badly is it rubbing? A little hammering might help without needing to tub.

I do plan on lowering it about an inch maybe an inch and a half from where it sits now, but I really don't want to add much more camber than what's there now... what's the point in putting on wide tires if you've only got a sliver of 'em touching the ground? :crx:

In the future, I'd also like to get some modded knuckles for extra angle while drifting (yeah yeah, super gay, should probably just sell the car to someone who will use it correctly... I know :dealwithit:). I don't think I'll run into any problems except for the firewall... everything else seems like it can either be ground down or it should just clear.

Right now it's just barely rubbing... a little more work with the 5 pound sledge and I'm sure I can get them to clear... but that's while it's sitting still. I'd like to get it to a point where I know they'll clear at full lock when the car is leaning hard in a corner.

Unfortunately these tires are WAY wider (and taller) than they are rated... they say they are 235s but imo they are closer to 255 (they've got almost no stretch at all on a 9 inch wide wheel). In the future when I need to replace these tires, I'll likely get some thinner ones, but for now I'm stuck with these.

Now maybe I'm crazy but... Why not just get some wheels that fit?

Looks like a 235/50 R888. It's not a particularly wide 235, but that tire doesn't fit under the car IMO. No matter what you do to rectify the issue at the firewall, they will rub the top of the shock tower and the top of the fender at full bump, which is material that can't be removed without seriously altering the unibody.

I can only assume that size wheel is done for aesthetics and not performance. If it was done with performance, this thread will be eye-opening for you. Extreme aesthetics are going to require that you make some usability sacrifices. If they only rub at full lock, consider yourself lucky and don't use full lock.

This is more of a tire size issue than wheel size, though i do somewhat agree here.

I'm guessing he's running the 235/50-15 R888s, which.... aren't exactly ideally sized for a Miata.


edit: Andrew beat me to the punch by a minute.

On my 1990 Miata I rolled the fenders hard. I mean really pushed the limits and then some . Pulled the plastic in liner back before hand and ground a lot of extra steal off where they sandwich it and spot weld everything together. Then I ground off some more. Put the plastic inner liner back . Elongated the mounting holes and put the liner behind the fender lip . Then rolled it to pinch the inner liner in place. Has been working for two yeara plus perfectly.
Now I then borrowed my buddies 949 racing 6'ul's 15× 9's with some worn out 225/50/15 R1r's .
Drove it hard but only on the street . Tried full lock to lock. No rubbing.
I have a 99 Bilstien PSS suspension with a racing beat 1 1/8 front bar with bracing , and NO rear bar. 1.2 negative camber up front and 1.7 negative out back. I also have diffusers on my frame rails and those did not have any clearance issues.
Tires never rubbed. To center them up I should actually use a 3 mm spacer to move them out a little.

Welp, sounds like I'm riding low (lolnotreally) and slow for a while 'til I can get some... 205s? to stick on the front. Wish they made a 215 r888 for 15" wheels... that seems like it'd be perfect...

In the mean time, I'll do a little more hammer work, cuz I think I should be able to get it good enough to where I can get them not to rub at full lock at low speeds... just won't be taking any corners at high speeds, which kinda defeats the purpose of the large tires in the first place :(

Totally different wheel? Check.

Different tire? Check.

I did realize that. I was offering exact fitment info that I know beyond a shadow of a dought will work.
His fitment does not work.
Every time I'm absolutely right and try to help I get slammed here.
Do you really want help or just want to degrade some one who actually spent money and time to do this and make it work and is willing to share All his secrets on something that currently does not work perfectly , yet.

I'm just not sure what it has to do with the thread. Wasn't meant to be a slam, just a tongue in cheek "whatchoo talkin bout, Willis?"

What fits under a stock body car isnt voodoo magic anymore.

Since this car will be smashed in to a wall soon anyways, just take a sawzall to everything that's in the way. :fael:

Nah, it won't be soon... there's no way I'll be able to spin the tires 'til I get much MUCH more power, and I don't plan on turbo'ing her 'til she has some other things done first (ie. clutch/flywheel, better brakes, seats/harnesses).

I'd have no problem slicin' and dicin' if I had access to a decent welder I could use to make sure everything retains it's structure.

Let me cast a shadow of doubt for you, then. ;) Had you driven that car hard, used full lock-to-lock steering, and then looked under the car you drove on 15x9 6ULs with 225/50 tires, you would have found tire marks and/or rubbing on the upper shock tower, the top of the inner fender, and contact at the FSB from the tire at full lock. 225/45 tires leave all these same marks, but it is a light brushing of rubber and nothing to be concerned about. The 225/50 tires, however, are a full 1" taller, and will contact all of those places significantly. The FSB isn't a big deal (don't use full lock), but the rubbage at the shock tower and inner fender would be significant.

If you didn't see these marks, you either don't have the car low enough or you didn't drive the car hard enough (or you didn't look hard enough).

225/50/15 tires do not fit this car. Anyone with any real experience setting up a Miata will tell you this. 225/45s fit the car perfectly, OTOH, so I'd suggest using them.

OP is a d0r1fto though, so his car see's full lock probably 90% of the time

Well, my car usually sees full lock whenever I'm pulling in/out of a parking spot, so since this is my DD for the moment, this situation has a lot more to do with it than just my UB3R 1337 D0R1FuT0 skills.

I'll definitely be putting a smaller tire on the front in the future, but I'm determined to make these work... they're already pretty close, so I don't think it'll be TOO much work. :vash2:

So you did all of this to your dd? And you also plan to modify the spindles for more angle when they rub already? And you plan to "drift" this car that you dd? And you put giant grippy tires on the back of an underpowered car in hopes it will break traction easily to actually be able to drift?

Where the fuck is that ROFL smiley?

:hustler:
:fael:

So you're going to tub the inner fenders front and rear, then? Because that's what it takes to put a 24.5" tall tire under a Miata.

Where are you getting 24.5 from? Wheels are 15s, sidewalls are 50mm (just under 2 inches, so 15+2+2... that's 19 by my count.
And if it takes tubbing the inner fenders, that's what I'll do I guess, but I haven't notice any rubbing other than the firewall (not saying I'm 100% sure it's not happening, but the firewall is the only spot I noticed).

:giggle:

:laugh: not sure if he's serious

Dead serious. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know why... that's why I'm here, obviously I'm doing SOMETHING wrong, or this thread wouldn't exist...

Yeah it doesn't work like that dude. Just pull up a tire calculator online or go out and actually measure your wheels with a measuring tape

Just did some research on tire sizing... always assumed that since the width of the tire is millimeters, the sidewall would be as well... learned something new :D

Well, if tubbing it is what it's gonna take, I guess I'm in the market for a new welder. The flux core welder I've got now isn't gonna cut it for structural welds :/


Thanks for all those who have helped thus far (even if you weren't meaning to, and just came in to laugh at the noob, it got me pointed in the direction I need to go, haha). Guess I'm pretty much done with this thread unless anyone that's got experience in making wheels this size fit wants to post what they did to make it work (some pictures would be much much appreciated).

For reals? A Slow Adult armed with a Flux Core welder and not a shred of a Clue, who is literally incapable of *measuring* a tire, is here talking about somehow relocating the fucking shock towers, on his DAILY DRIVER, so that he can run the retarded steamroller looking wrong sized tires he bought by mistake...?

Seriously?

Here's an idea; Leave the welder alone, and put away the Sawzall FaeFae. Just buy some goddamned /45's.

Google "tire aspect ratio", or take a tape measure to your car. Stock tires are 22.7". The tallest you can reasonably go is 23.0" (205/50). 225/45s are a smidge shorter (22.9). 225/50s are 24.0", which is too tall. Yours are 24.25", which is way too tall.

You haven't actually pushed the car hard yet, then. As I said before, the 205/50s and 225/45s polish the tops of the inner fenders as is. Putting a taller tire in will just make that small interference into a large interference.

You mad bro? Cuz I analyzed your post, and after extensive research and consulting, it appears as if you are, indeed, mad. :dealwithit:

If you're going to insult me, at least take a second to calm down, make sure you've read everything correctly, and come up with a response that makes at least a LITTLE sense...

Just to clear up the things you seem unsure about so you can sleep a little better tonight:
I'm fully capable of measuring a tire. I misunderstood how they came up with the number for the sidewall profile, and thus didn't use the correct equation to figure out the real size.

I never said anything about relocating shock towers... dunno where you came up with that.

I didn't buy these tires by mistake. This is the exact size I wanted to put on here... if you don't like them, that's all you. I like them... that's why they're attached to my car right now ;)
That being said, I WILL be buying some thinner tires for the front (mentioned that early in this thread), but for now I'm going to do whatever I can to make these work (also mentioned earlier in this thread).

Now let's have a nice big hug, take a couple shots, and once you've calmed down we can be friends again (bffl? I think so!)

Thanks man, I understand now. Looks like I've definitely got some work ahead of me, but it'll get done regardless of all the haters :giggle:

Good luck.

Nah Brah, I ain't mad. Incredulous maybe. But yeah, it was late, so I guess I misunderstood the part where you had no clue about calculating aspect ratio resulting in buying tires with a distinctly agricultural look to them. After re-reading this thread I see the error of my ways and how I clearly underestimated what you and a Buzz Box welder can accomplish. (I didn't catch the "went at it with a sledgehammer" part, which is of course the hallmark of fine craftsmanship, isn't it?)

So, really, sincere apologies my clearly Clue Possessing new BFFL. If you're anywhere near Florida I'd like to volunteer the use of my Plasma Cutter and complete Machine and Fabrication shop for this little clearance cutting you plan to do. I'll provide the beers and take the pics as long as my guys can hang around and watch. I mean, even though we do fabrication and customizing every day, we always enjoy watching someone more knowledgeable than us work; never know what tricks one might pick up.

I'll fire up the Buzz Box for you; we'll Par-Tay.

I've only seen one other dude run these tires on a Miata, was "Marlon The Great" or whatever his name is on ClubRoadster.

No real details on what he did to make it work, or if he actually ran the car like that on the track. He DOES do track work with it, but i'm unsure how serious, if the car is fast (doubtful), or if he actually drives it hard.

OP - if you're going to put smaller tires on the front, then you're also going to want to put smaller tires on the rear. The only conceivable reason to run different sized F/R tires on the miata is if you only plan to drive in a straight line; otherwise, the "performance" aspect you're so adamantly trying to achieve is pretty much thrown out the window.

So I spent a while looking at tires this morning, and I'm thinking about going for some 225/45 Hankook Ventus R-S3 when I can afford them (anyone want a set of R888s? xD). That should make the diameter about an inch and a half smaller, and there will be more strech as well... any input?

:brain:

Angle grinder with a cutoff wheel and engineer's hammer. This is the only way... Oh and longer bump stops.

On the bright side though: At least this guy is rocking some seriously meaty tires and not some uber stretched club roadster hard parking fgt look.

Smaller tires.

Afraid of the pics. If the car hasn't 300hp+ I can't understand why u put those wheels/rims in it. If u're planning to drift without huge power, IMO consider both, smaller tyres and rims.

Don't be scared, they won't bite.

Also don't choose to read only half of what I say before you reply. I said at the bottom of the first page that I'll be slapping on a turbo eventually.



Also just as an update, I already purchased some 225/45 Nitto NT01s and have them on there now. They have full clearance at stock height, but still hit the firewall just a tad bit when I get close to full lock, but it'll be easily taken care of.