Wheels and Tires List of Categories
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What were the stock wheel and tire sizes?
The Mark VIII, in all years and models, was delivered with 16 X 7 wheels, with 225/60VR16 tires. This applies to all of the different optional factory wheels as well.
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What's the bolt pattern on the stock wheels?
5 X 4.25, with a 39 mm positive offset. Some people will call this a FWD wheel, since it has a positive offset.
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What's the widest tire I can put on the factory wheel?
Some members have put a 255/50R16 on the factory rims, but whether or not it works seems to depend somewhat on the tire brand, model, and skill of the installer. 245/50R16's will fit more readily, though either way, they may not perform quite as well as a smaller tire, since the rule of thumb for tire/wheel sizing is rim width is greater than or equal to 80% of the section width of a tire. Using this formula, a tire with a 225 mm section width is about the biggest some people would recommend for a 7 inch wheel. The 245/50R16 is extremely close to the factory size tire in terms of circumference, but you can expect about a 3-5% difference in outside diameter, with the speedometer reading slightly higher than the actual speed. The 255/50R16 is even closer in diameter, sometime as little as half an inch difference in circumference.
You can find a good tire sizing calculator here:
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
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If I put a 17 inch wheel on my car, what size(s) will fit?
Some members have put 17 X 8 or 17 X 9 (or 18" and larger) wheels on their cars and have not experienced problems with the tire rubbing on the fenderwells. Proper offset is crucial for this to be true. A 255/45R17, 245/50R17 or 245/45R17 tire will clear the fenders, on a wheel with proper offset. When moving to larger diameter/width wheels, always consult with a professional who is willing to stand behind their recommendations if you run into problems, especially with clearance, once the tires and wheels are on the car.
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I have a vibration that feels like my tires are out of balance, but they were just balanced!
The Mark VIII is EXTREMELY sensitive to wheel imbalances. Be sure your dealer test drives your car to verify that there's no vibration from the tires/wheels before you leave the shop. Additionally, many users have found that by aligning the valve stem with the yellow painted stud, vibration is lessened. Some shops offer 'On-Car Balancing', which may also help reduce the vibration from wheels and tires. Many members have reported good results using the Hunter GSP9700 tire balancer.
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