Rubber question... 96 850 200K +

bistrohenry · Post by **bistrohenry** » 22 Dec 2008, 20:47

Got a great deal on some Hakka snows (just got 1 1/2 ft snow here in VT).
They are 185/65.
Any one think of any issues using the slightly lower (than stock 195) profile tires?
Daily driver. 15- 20 miles/day. Very little highway speeds.
Thanks,
Henry

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 23 Dec 2008, 08:18

They should work just fine, the speedometer will be off just a tad. There are a number of tire sites on the web where you can calculate the difference.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

...Lee

Bag · Post by **Bag** » 23 Dec 2008, 13:24

The tire size recommended in the owner's manual when putting snow tires on is "185-65-15". The 185 makes for a narrower tire that will get through the snow by putting more pressure on a smaller tread patch. The greater aspect ratio of 65 brings it well into the tolerances of the required diameter. The speedometer will only be slow by 1.034%, so neither you nor your car will notice the difference.

bistrohenry · Post by **bistrohenry** » 23 Dec 2008, 19:42

Thank you for the educated responses.
Saves me a fortune and maintains peace of mind.
Happy Holidays,
Henry