[Mk2] [NA] Help with tyre fitting on MR2

[dexter]

So it's 2 months until Japfest and I have been slugging away at getting the car ready. One of the last mods to do is fit the OZ rims I have refurbished myself.

The situation is this:

- The car is lowered on HSD coilovers and is pretty much slammed
- Arches have already been rolled
- Front needs a 15mm spacer to clear suspension
- Unsure what the off set is
- Already tried 215/50/R17 to no avail

I'm aware that the tyre will be stretched in order to tuck inside the arch.

My question is what tyre size would you suggest and what low budget tyre brand is decent?

I have looked at tyre stretch and so far I can imagine that 8.5_185_35/40_R17 or 8.5_195_35/40_R17 will fit?

I can find out the offset tomorrow morning to help with this pandoras box of a puzzle.

This is my first time at dealing with wheels that do not fit and didn't intend to go for a massively stretched look but i'm dead set on the alloys and my budget is low So any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Please let me know if you need any more information and i'll try my best to find it. Can upload some pictures when i'm home

[Donato]

Get some pictures up so we can see clearance etc

[jimGTS]

front or rear?

50 profile on a 17, im not surprised the issues!

i have some used 245/35/17s for your rear if any good to you??
quality brand, falken 452s, was going to pop them in the for sale section soon, loads of life left.

[Nic]

My question is what tyre size would you suggest and what low budget tyre brand is decent?

I have looked at tyre stretch and so far I can imagine that 8.5_185_35/40_R17 or 8.5_195_35/40_R17 will fit?

Narrow, low profile, budget tyres stretched onto over wide rims is not going to end well! Minimum width I'd use on an 8.5" wheel would be 225.

You will struggle to fit 8.5" wide wheels under the stock front arches. My advice, sell the wheels and get some that fit.

[RST]

Personally I'd think carefully about stretched tyres. The handling goes down, they don't look right and expose the rim (not that you would curb anything but if you hit a pothole etc), lastly (I know it's easier "down south") but allot of places won't stretch tyres onto rims because they're outside OM specs. Iknow some folk got caught out with that before. Just don't stretch too far IMO.

...I had HSD's and stretched tyres for a very short period. Thought it was OK at first but it really was horrid over time - just way too harsh!

[dexter]

Thanks for all the replies guys, some food for thought indead. Just so people know the car is never used on track and is generally a show piece so the handling aspects etc aren't too much of a concern especially as I've been dubbed James May behind the wheel

In an ideal world I'd sell them and get rims that fit better but I am truely skint and can't see me selling them and buying a new set before Japfest. Also my mate is a mechanic and I'm down his garage with him tweaking the cars all the time so there isn't issues with not being allowed to stretch the tyres

Found 4 195/40/R17 tyres so will get on it soon and post pictures of clearence etc for future reference for people.

[dexter]

And RST HSD's on mine and were notoriously harsh as well when first fitted! Eventually adjusted them so that they are now "comfortable" for coilovers

[dexter]

That's the rims in question (unfinished)

[ceejay]

i ran 195 on 9s with my old car.. was fine! tbh its not that much stretch.. when i was into the unpractical 1.4 lumps with only 1 inch clearance i ran 165 on a 8.5 but it was so harsh and took loads of effort to seal!

but beware as it makes the lip of the rim very easy to curb!

[dexter]

cheers ceejay, gonna try it and see how it goes!