genise

If I put 45 series tires on my r-spec will it soften the ride a little? Wanting to do that and install coilovers to drop it around 1-1.5". In combination will this reduce my wheel gap by 1.5-2"? I know it will only lower my car by .5-1". Any thoughts?

TsukubaRed_PA

You will likely throw-off your speedometer a bit. Why not buy a set of 18" after market rims and tires? Might be a bit more expensive, but you will maintain the correct wheel diameter. Also, I suspect (more knowledgeable people jump in please!) the ride stiffness is more from the higher stock spring rates than the tires so you may gain very little.

Others may have done something similar as a lot of members here have been putting on different tire combinations. Read though the wheels and tires section as somebody may have done this and posted a relevant opinion.

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2011 Base 2.0T, 5AT
OEM Trunk Lip Spoiler, OEM Fog Lights
Rear Wing Badge / Blackened Front Logo
Garage Line 22mm Rear Sway Bar
Saikou Michi Catch Can - Intake
JEGS Oil Separator - Turbo
NGM Defender Intake with K&N Cone Filter

-- previous ride --
Salsa Red 2004 Vibe GT

Red Raspberry

I have 45s on 18" for my track and it is a bit softer. You really need to go to a 50 series tire for some cushion.

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2010 Red 2.0L track

onesight1

seriously? its a sports car...

get a used grand marquee, would be cheaper that new wheels/ tires and still unsatisfactory ride

krautastic

Wrong. Go jump in a BMW or Audi and say it needs to be stiffer because the handling isn't right. Stiff doesn't equal performance. Silly americans.

Your wheel gap will decrease marginally with a taller tire, but will also raise the car itself off the ground. I picked up some BC coilovers from Invision Automotion and they ride very nicely (supposedly megans are near identical and cheaper, and can also go soft). I have them almost full soft (had them at 6, now they're at 3, but I'm going to try out 4 and 5 because 3 seems to bob around over bumpier roads). The coilovers on soft settings really soaks up alot of the small imperfections, but big imperfections are still clear as day and will jostle the car pretty bad. I drove a friends base model with 18's and her car was much softer in general.

Also, despite the fact that I softened the ride, the handling is as sharp as ever. Haven't taken it to the track to see what it does at the limits, but don't really want to anymore. It needs to be to responsive just to dodge potholes and bumps now that I'm lower, but I enjoy the nicer ride it gives.

I say, if your tires still have good tread and aren't in need of replacing, get the coils first. If you need softer from there you can look at 18's and tires, and can size those wheels accordingly as well.

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2010 "2.SLOW" R-spec - with or w/out mods - keeping it simple because the car's simply beautiful.

1994 Mazda Miata - SCCA SOLO II E-stock racer

Quality is so subjective...

Red Raspberry

Seriously?

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2010 Red 2.0L track

Blumagic

bag it

carfiend

19 inch wheels are the probelm really the bigger the wheels the worse or harsher the ride is so really get some 18s or some special offset 17s that will fit. the tires wont change much going to a 45 series from a 40 its barely gonna be noticable and making the suspension softer will ruin the car as it is the rear shocks have to much rebound in them any ways making the rear lean alittle around corners and it does bounce a little at freeway speeds. but this is not the car for you if you want a softer ride or return yours and get a base model and then bag it as said before hahahahaha

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2.0T r spec 6spd in tsukuba red
So far
-stage 3 comp clutch kit
-BR stage 1 tune
-AGP catch can
-SFR adjustable clutch rod
-K&N typhoon CAI

krautastic

full soft coilovers and the car handles great and I don't go bouncing down the highway everytime I hit a separation crack in the road (that front rear oscillation over bumps is long gone). The damping on the stock shocks and the tall bump stops make for a terrible ride despite the very apt chassis and sharp handling the car is capable of. She said she's looking at coilovers, not springs with the stock shocks, so the ride will be improved as long as she doesn't grab full on racing coilovers.

Another thing to consider is if there are others in your area that meet up, you can take a ride with them and compare. We have a pretty active group in our area, which makes knowledge sharing pretty easy.

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2010 "2.SLOW" R-spec - with or w/out mods - keeping it simple because the car's simply beautiful.

1994 Mazda Miata - SCCA SOLO II E-stock racer

Quality is so subjective...