Alloy change - need help!

[Sammie86]

Hi guys,

I've got a 1990 imported MR2 T-bar 2.0 non turbo. It's got the standard alloys at the moment but I've got the chance to have some 18" Calibers. Before I take them I just wanted to know if it would be a straight away or would I need spacers etc?

Thanks in advance.

Sammie

[GazRev1Tubby]

First off, we need to know the widths and offsets.

[MR2DI4]

Get a set of stock 15's. The stock 14" are just not good, even worse on a turbo as you simply cannot get good rubber for them and the 205 rear was a big mistake.

The Stock 15's bolt straight on using the same wheel nuts, perfect fitment and with 205/50R15 front and 225/50R15 rears more than enough rubber.

Unfortunately no one made the perfect set of 17" or 18" rims for these cars and you have to stuff about with spacers and rings to get them to fit. The staggered front/rear is also a major problem and you wind up with the wrong rolling radius as well as the 15" is a smaller tyre circumference than what is available in 17" or 18".

[MRturboTom]

No good available tyres in 14" or 15". 16" has limited tyres available.
17s are best option for weight and tyre sizes and good brands. Perfect staggered 17s are available.
Plenty of 16" sets out there perfect for the mr2 also
18s aren't the best for the mr2 as far as handling or appropriate tyres sizing, but they can fit straight on if widths and offset are ok

[MR2DI4]

Wow you may be right, looks like Toyo have dropped its range of 15" tyres like the T1R, so its not looking good so you have to move to 17" rims or run Toyo race rubber like I do.

Looks like plenty of great front size like 205/50R15 still in manufacture (but probably hard to get) but no rears to match.

Should be no problems getting the R888's as racing is a different category, lots of older classic cars like the MR2 and Porsche and even open wheelers using these still.

[Howlin_Mad]

16” or 17” is the way to go. Hardly any good tyres for the MR2 14" or 15” now.

HM

[MR2DI4]

16” or 17” is the way to go. Hardly any good tyres for the MR2 14" or 15” now.

HM

Still some stunning 15" made for the fronts but no rears to match.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearc ... iameter=15

Can still get Toyo T1R or the T1S over here no problem, front and rear.

Just found my next tyres for the Legacy the new Bridgestone RE-71R in 215/45R18. The MR2 came out of the factory in 1990 with the RE-71 and this updated version with the vastly improved rubber compounds available these days looks awesome.

[TonyleFrog]

Unfortunately no one made the perfect set of 17" or 18" rims for these cars and you have to stuff about with spacers and rings to get them to fit. The staggered front/rear is also a major problem and you wind up with the wrong rolling radius as well as the 15" is a smaller tyre circumference than what is available in 17" or 18".

Sorry, but that's simply not true.

Lenso D1R Samurai - 8J front/9J rear. No spacers required.


Until they were discontinued last year (due to falling demand for the right PCD and offsets for a MR2 making importation no longer financially viable) they were available off the shelf from various suppliers. I was an early adopter in 2009 and got mine direct from the importer. Quite a few people on here subsequently followed my example. I also bagged the last set they had in stock in 2014.

Spigot rings are required with the majority of aftermarket wheels, irrespective of diameter, in order to centre the bore to the hub flange.

The rolling radius comment is flawed too. With 215/40/17 on the front and 245/35/17 on the rear, the difference is minuscule. If you doubt it, plug the data into this calculator and see.
http://www.willtheyfit.com/

A brand new tyre has ~8mm of tread. When worn down to 2mm the difference in diameter is 12mm which is greater than that between the 15" & 17" wheel/tyre specs. This will have a knock-on effect on the circumference as well.

[baileydom]

What he said ^^^ haha

I run lensos as well (cheers Tony!) And there are NO fitment issues at all. Perfect stagger and offset with no rubbing.