type5

Has anyone tried 14" steel rims on their MP5 yet? I want to go with 14" because of the cost savings.

jeffro

Won't fit over the brakes. You have to go 15".

iroc326

what about on a P5?...aren't the calipers the same as a regular Protege ?

chuck

Winter Tire Issue again

HAS ANYBODY REALLY REALLY REALLY TRIED A 14" rim on 2002 Mazda Protege5 because I am hearing that a 14" rim will not fit and 15" rim is much better.

I am thinking that 14" will not fit because of the disc calipers.

AM I RIGHT???

WANTING TO GET WINTER TIRES BEFORE THE SNOW FLIES!

JJB

I did not try it, but from reading posts on this board, and others, it seems that the 14" rims will not make it on the rear as they do not clear the brakes... no idea how true it is... I opted for a 15" steel rim package w/ Bridgestone Blizzak tires... should be here Friday

type5

I started the last big 14" thread and never really got a definitive answer. Time is wasting so I decided just to get 15" rims and Michelin Artic Alpins 195/55/15.

If you are in Canada, Canadian Tire and Walmart sell 15" rims for $40 where as my dealer wanted $90. The rims are for a 99-00 626.

deejayspinz

I talked to Mazda service (Canada) the other day about this. They were suggesting a 15" rim. He mentioned that 15's from an older 626 would fit, but I am not sure which year. I came across a great deal on Blizzak's - the size that I am getting are 205/55/15. I did some number cruching and determined that the total diameter (rims+ rubber) of these new wheels would be 0.3" smaller than the total for the stock wheels (not bad). Note - don't take this info as fact - it is based on my numbers. Do your own math as I may be wrong.

Dave

JJB

well, I went and ordered some steel rims and tires for winter use on my P5. What I did not think of was that the current lug nuts are not going to cut it as they are intended for the alloy wheels..

Am I right in that assumption? If that is the case, then does anyone know what nut need to be used (thread type)? I have managed to come across different ones when looking and I did not see it in the owner's manual.

TIA!

iroc326

Here is the final verdict for winter rims ( and too bad for those that bought 15"!!!) :

I talked to a couple of dealers here in Montreal and it seems that some of them are sleeping with Mazda Canada because they follow their advice on putting 15". By putting a 15" tire on, you automatically put a higher speed rated tire. This is what Mazda Canada wants, to prevent any potential legal problems resulting from blown tires.

A few dealers however view this differently : they say, the hell with Mazda Canada, we are putting 14" rims so that our clients will have a safer drive at normal speeds !!! Anyone who does more than 160 km/h with winter tires is asking for trouble and is an idiot. Winter tires compound is not made for high speed driving.

So that's about it, I'm getting 185/65R14 Nokian Hk1 from a group buy and putting rims that are more offseted towards the outside.

KrisA

hummmm... I'lll still believe it when I see it with regards to 14 inch wheels on the 4 wheel disk Pros.

About the Nokians? Why the 1's? The Q's are a newer design are they not? I had a set of Q's on my AE86 Corolla GT-S and LOVED them! The only reason I went with something different (Yoko Gaurdex 600's) is that in Calgary the roads are clear 95% of the time and I wanted something with better treadlife.

I truely believe that Nokian Happapalita Q's are the best winter tires money can buy for EXTREME conditions.