Not sure if a 215/60/13 is available but it is much closer to the stock size being they are 23.16 diameter

 

I used to run 205/60s on my SA and it was "iffy". I had to run 22-24psi in the front tires and 20-22psi in the rear tires to prevent massive center tread wear. In short the rims are too narrow for the tires!

Grip was great due to the low tire pressure (more surface area) however the handling felt a mite mushy.

It was a night and day difference when I switched back to 185/70s. Much better responsiveness (could actually run 40-44psi without suffering odd tire wear), much better tracking (longer narrower contact patch), and go figure the tires had just-as-good traction in cornering, probably because I was comparing new tires to dried out old tires.

I only ever ran S rated tires on the street. I used to drive to work at a constant 115-118 MPH too You can safely exceed the speed rating for short periods of time - the speed rating means that is the maximum speed the tire can handle for 5 hours straight before it is allowed to overheat and self-destruct. If you plan on doing track days where you're really throwing heat into the tires, consider a second set of rims and a set of DOT-R tires. That way you can have those nice fat tires and some wider rims to GO with them. Like 13x7s, which is what you want for a 205/60.

FWIW a 205/60 is slightly smaller than a 185/70. A 195/60 is a *lot* smaller. So is a 215/50, and you'd really want to think about a 13x7 or 13x8 for a 215/50.

BTW - 16 inch tires?

 

Thanks for the info. I'll check for funny wear and mushyness as soon as I can (get it running).

 

Note some tires are larger than others for a given tire size.

My tires were Goodyear Eagle ST's, and if you happen to have a set, sell them on E-bay because these tires are sought after by car collectors. Goodyear hasn't made them in a decade or so.

 

Cooper Cobra GTS

 

Ditto on the post about the 205/60/13 Sumitomo's having too much sidewall flex. I have an idea that they perform as well or better than my Yoko AVS's, but the feel is terrible. Ultimately, skip everything short of Toyo RA-1's in 205/60-13.

 

Just picked up some Pirelli P400's for 45.00 each in 185/70/13

 

I've just finished doing my research yesterday - I wanted Falken' s because everyone speaks so highly of them, but they don't seem to be available for 13 inch wheels. I need a good, safe, smooth riding highway tire for my 110 mile daily commute on interstate 85, typically cruising at 80 but sometimes needing to stop and turn fast, especially when I get into the Atlanta area. I settled on the Yokohama Avid Touring 185/70-13, not quite a performance tire but highly rated for handling, braking and wet traction. They also say the ride is exceptionally quiet and smooth and the tread life is guaranteed for 80,000 miles. Best of all was the price, $211.52 plus tax for everything (tires, shipping, mount/balance and some other services that Discount Tire provides). I'll put the new tires on tomorrow, I have high expectations!
Ray

 

According to this site:

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

A 215/60/13 is almost the same as a 185/70/13, just wider. A 215/50/13 is quite a bit smaller in diameter. Almost 2 inches to be exact. A 215/60/13 is exactly the same diameter according to the site.

A 205/60/13 is about half an inch smaller in diameter compared to stock.

Toughguy must have a 14" rim. That would give what he said.

For me, when I get new tires, i'm getting some 215/60/13's for the rear and 185/70/13's for the front. Can you guess what I'm into???

PS: Just read peejay's reply and I just wrote pretty much what he did. If you guessed drag racing for what I'm into then you are correct. The lucky winner gets to pay for the tires!!!!

 

I'm so freeking stupid. 215's don't come in 60's. Only up to 50. There goes that idea.

 

My Cheviots are 13X5.5 , same as stock.

Toughguy

 

If you're going to drag race on tiny little sidewalls, be prepared for the traction to suck.

 

Got the new Yokohamas on, wow what a difference! Smooth and responsive, it's like a new car. I think the Mazda engineers knew what they were doing when they went with the 185/70-13s.

PS, peejay or anyone else that might be interested, I took off a set of Goodyear Eagle STs that have practically new tread but also have dry rot. I drove them for a few days to see if I could use them, but they were a little rough, either because of not being well balanced or maybe a little out of round. They did hold up nicely at 80 mpg for my 100 mile commute for the two days I used them. They hold pressure and aren't falling apart. Anyway, since peejay mentioned that some folks are looking for these tires to restore old cars, I had the tire store hold on to them. If anyone is interested, I will pick them up and bring them home to Jefferson GA, where they can be picked up for free.

Ray