Tires

The redlines on my 71 TR6 still have tread but are probably 30 years old & I've been told in no uncertain terms to replace them. If you will, please answer the following:
1. 205/70/15s vs. 205/60/15s. Which is better and why?
2. Performance vs. regular? OK brands?
3. All-weather or summer? OK brands?
I only drive my car in good weather and never in winter. I'm looking for handling above all with ride comfort second. I have tube shocks so 215s don't seem to be a viable option. (I'm also in the middle of rebushing my trailing arms).

PD

My preference is the 205/70's. They fill up the wheel well a little more. For your type of driving a regular tire will work just fine. Khumo's are good for the money.

Marv

Bound to be lots of opinions on this -- but everyone will agree that 30 year old tires are for display purposes only, I wouldn't back the car out to wash it on something that old.

On my TR4 for the wide rims I went with Bridgestone Potenzas (based on comments here on BCF) and have been quite pleased with them.

Geo Hahn said:

Bound to be lots of opinions on this -- but everyone will agree that 30 year old tires are for display purposes only, I wouldn't back the car out to wash it on something that old.

On my TR4 for the wide rims I went with Bridgestone Potenzas (based on comments here on BCF) and have been quite pleased with them.

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What tire size did you use. I have wider wheels, 6", on my 4 also. The 195/65-15 are aging out so I need to replace them. Thinking of a little taller tire.

The original tires on a TR6 from factory were 185/80-R15 tires, the closest that you can get to that size today (without ordering specialty tires) is 205/70-R15 which is what I use on mine. 205/70-R15 is also, incidentally, the 'largest tire' you can safely run on 5 inch wide 15 inch rims. (5.5 inch rims can go to 215/70-15)

TRMark said:

...What tire size did you use. I have wider wheels, 6", on my 4 also. The 195/65-15 are aging out so I need to replace them. Thinking of a little taller tire.

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195/65-15s are what I used in the Potenzas.

Michelin - HydroEdge 205/70's on a stock rim are the way I went. (note, the tire guys tell me they are not always easy to get, although that may have changed)

I am running Falken Ziex 912s on my TR250, 205/65/15, they fit well, look pretty agressive and seem to be a decent compromise type tire, not too radical but a more high performance type than the stock size.

This might help in your search, PD
https://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp
https://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalcold.html

+1 on Potenzas for best handling at a modest price (although the price has doubled since I bought my last set). I'm running 205/55 on TR6 rims (which are 5.5" wide).

Interesting stuff. Thanks, guys. I would guess that the 60s would give you a little better acceleration at the expense of a harder ride. One thing for sure - life was simpler back in the '50s. Ever try to buy toothpaste today?

PD

pdplot said:

Interesting stuff. Thanks, guys. I would guess that the 60s would give you a little better acceleration at the expense of a harder ride.

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My experience has been that sidewall height has little to do with harsher ride. Tire construction is far more important. Some tall tires are very harsh, most of the low profiles I have tried actually ride better than some 80 series Michelins I used to have.

I run the 55s for two reasons: Lowering the car helps improve handling; and it is impossible to buy tall high performance tires. They just don't exist.

For example, if you look up size 205/70-15 on Tire Rack
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearch...amp;diameter=15
there are 0 tires listed in any of the high performance categories.

Drop to 205/55 (which is not a particularly popular size), and the only tires available are "Ultra High Performance" and "High Performance".
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearch...amp;diameter=15

I'm actually in the middle of building a 3.45 rear axle, which will just about compensate for the change in gear ratio due to tire height (for my TR3, obviously a TR6 isn't quite the same).

pdplot said:

...One thing for sure - life was simpler back in the '50s. Ever try to buy toothpaste today?

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Brings to mind a story told about an Englishman on his first visit to the States. He forgot to bring toothpaste and went into a drugstore (chemists) to get a small tube. Couldn't find one and was told by the clerk "We sell three sizes: Large, Family & Giant. Large is the smallest we've got."

He said that was the phrase that stuck in his mind as he toured the U.S. "Large is the smallest we've got".