Tire Talk

To say that there is a lot more to a tire than what meets the eye is the understatement of the century.  Famous racing instructor and former autocross champion Danny McKeever states at all of his racing schools, "Brakes stop tires - tires stop cars."  Indeed they do.  McKeever's point is that the driver is really just a tire manager.  Think about this for a moment - you have a 2350 (slightly heavier for the M2s) pound vehicle sitting beneath your hands on that steering wheel - but what is that vehicle sitting on?  What are you really driving?  The car?  NO!  You are driving the tires!  The only communication between you and your car is that small bit of rubber that hits the asphalt, so it is important to understand as much as you possibly can about your tires.  Tires, like human feet, are what all of the body's forces are being projected onto and into - it is vital to take good care of those feet just as it is important to take care of your tires.

So what's the best tire for you?  Oh, have a seat - this might take a while.  The first thing you need to consider is what kind of driving you plan to do on your Miata.  Some of us like to race (in which case you really should have a separate set of race tires and rims), some of us like to tour around in an easy-paced fashion, some of us live for the twisties, some of us do track events - some of us like to do it all!  I am one of those folks.  I use my Miata for just about every type of driving - from the grocery store to Laguna Seca - and thus, I have had to do a lot of tire research and have had to get that extra set of rims to support my habits.

One of the features that make a Miata so stuck on the road is the weight combination between the wheels, tires, and hub assembly.  According to Norman H. Garrett, III " . . . if you increase the weight of the tire-wheel-hub assembly, the car's handling and ride will both deteriorate."  So as you explore your options, keep in mind that you want to maintain that same low weight.  Larger tires mean larger rims - and in many cases it means an increase in weight.  There are many combinations available - just be on the lookout for the best fit according to this guideline.

To a degree, a wider tire will mean better handling, but because the Miata is so light a vehicle, this is in no way a guarantee.  The only time I would personally recommend a wider tire would be if you plan to visit the racetrack - otherwise, try and stick to 195mm and under.  One reason is that with a wider tire you are adding weight, as we already talked about.  The other, and in my opinion more critical reason, is that now you have more mass to the tire.  More mass means it will take longer for the tire to heat up to its optimum handling temperature setting. 

In the case of members Burney Storms and Bob Retzer, whom have forced induction on their Miata, a wider tire would be a good thing, as the extreme engine modifications to the car will now force the tires to get hotter in a shorter period of time.  But for the average naturally aspirated Miata, wider is not a necessity.  If you enjoy burning the twisties, go for a 195 tire on a 14-inch rim, or a 205 tire on a 15-inch rim - maximum - if you are looking for a slight improvement. 

Now that you understand weight and width a bit better, keep in mind the tread pattern and tire composition.  The tire composition dictates the wear rating - the higher the wear rating, the longer the tires should last.  My Toyo T1S daily tires have a wear rating of 280, and are supposed to last around 40,000 miles if only used for

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