Nubee here-my 9th Mazda/ 1st RX7- questions about steering wheel size and tires.
03-10-03, 09:33 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Morristown, TN
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nubee here-my 9th Mazda/ 1st RX7- questions about steering wheel size and tires.
I did a search- and after 20 minutes of looking through threads I decided to post these questions.
1. Has anybody changed the stock steering wheel to a smaller diameter with manual steering? I am 6ft 5, and love driving my 7, but my right leg is wedged between the steering wheel and console (see pix). I just wanted to know how much going to a smaller wheel increases the turning effort (I made the mistke of trying to drive with coffee in one hand and cruise a tight parking lot only once).
2. I have the stock alloy wheels (added by the previous owner- thanks BIll for taking such good care of this car https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=155180 - I am suprised one of this forums members didn't buy this car). The tire are 185/70/13, and are about gone (tread is slim and they are getting dry rotted/ cracked). WHat is a good performance 185/70/13 tire for the money? Most made in this size are econo tires, and I want something with good wet.dry grip.
1. Has anybody changed the stock steering wheel to a smaller diameter with manual steering? I am 6ft 5, and love driving my 7, but my right leg is wedged between the steering wheel and console (see pix). I just wanted to know how much going to a smaller wheel increases the turning effort (I made the mistke of trying to drive with coffee in one hand and cruise a tight parking lot only once).
2. I have the stock alloy wheels (added by the previous owner- thanks BIll for taking such good care of this car https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=155180 - I am suprised one of this forums members didn't buy this car). The tire are 185/70/13, and are about gone (tread is slim and they are getting dry rotted/ cracked). WHat is a good performance 185/70/13 tire for the money? Most made in this size are econo tires, and I want something with good wet.dry grip.
03-10-03, 11:06 PM
#2
Stratoflattener
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Lincoln, NE; Cambridge, MA
Posts: 475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I've been looking around for ages, and the best 185/70-13 tire available (I think) is the Yokohama AVID T4. You can also get Bridgestone Potenza RE900's, I think, but those are a bit more expensive.
However, most people that buy performance tires for the stock 13" rims don't get the stock size. The general consensus is that the 205/60-13 or 195/60-13 Sumitomo HTR 200 is the best tire available for those rims, and if you need good snow traction as well, people have also given good reviews to the 205/60-13 Sumitomo HTR 4.
The only drawback to the 205 width tire is that you get more sidewall flex that the stock tires, but then again, you also get more grip, due to the increased contact patch. People have said that going with the 195 width Sumi's would be a good compromise between flex and traction, but the tradeoff there is the fact that the tire is slightly more undersize than is traditionally recommended. This won't affect the car at all, but your spedometer will be off, although not by much--plus, when you get the new tires, you should have the car aligned, and you could just have those guys recalibrate your speedo for you.
However, most people that buy performance tires for the stock 13" rims don't get the stock size. The general consensus is that the 205/60-13 or 195/60-13 Sumitomo HTR 200 is the best tire available for those rims, and if you need good snow traction as well, people have also given good reviews to the 205/60-13 Sumitomo HTR 4.
The only drawback to the 205 width tire is that you get more sidewall flex that the stock tires, but then again, you also get more grip, due to the increased contact patch. People have said that going with the 195 width Sumi's would be a good compromise between flex and traction, but the tradeoff there is the fact that the tire is slightly more undersize than is traditionally recommended. This won't affect the car at all, but your spedometer will be off, although not by much--plus, when you get the new tires, you should have the car aligned, and you could just have those guys recalibrate your speedo for you.
03-11-03, 08:28 AM
#3
Full Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by 357
Well, I've been looking around for ages, and the best 185/70-13 tire available (I think) is the Yokohama AVID T4.
Well, I've been looking around for ages, and the best 185/70-13 tire available (I think) is the Yokohama AVID T4.
03-11-03, 08:28 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Morristown, TN
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanx for the tire info. A 195/60/13 tire has a 4.5% smaller circumference than a 185/70/13 tire. So the speedo would be 4.5% fast (showing 73mph when you are actually going 70mph- not that big of a deal).
tire circumference formula
[ ( [ (treadWidth x aspectRatio) / 25.4] x 2) + wheelDiameter] x Pi == tireCircumference in inches
Nobody has put a smaller diameter steering wheel on a non-power steering car?
tire circumference formula
[ ( [ (treadWidth x aspectRatio) / 25.4] x 2) + wheelDiameter] x Pi == tireCircumference in inches
Nobody has put a smaller diameter steering wheel on a non-power steering car?
