Wheels And Tires FAQ

[Indy MPS6]

Posted by Absolut:

Let me preface this for a moment. I am not a wheel/tire expert. I am simply writing this part to answer some of the most basic questions. Since we are turning over new members hourly, we are trying to reduce the frequency that the same questions are asked. With that said... If you find any of the information here incorrect or unclear, please PM me and I will either fix it or try to make it more clear for you. If you still have questions or this post doesn't help you.. Post a new thread and someone will answer it!

Alright guys.. Here is another Everything you wanted to know about wheels and tires.
While I am not the smartest on the subject I will try to go through about as much as I can for adding new wheels and tires to your Atenza/6.

Bolt Pattern
The bolt pattern or bolt circle is the diameter of an imaginary circle formed by the centers of the wheel lugs. Bolt patterns can be 4, 5, 6, or 8 lug holes. A bolt circle of 4x100 would indicate a 4 lug pattern on a circle with a diameter of 100mm.

The diagram indicates the proper measuring methods. 6 lug wheels are measured like the 4 lug wheels.

The bolt pattern for the MAZDA6 is: 5x114.3
The bolt pattern for the Atenza is: 5x114.3 -- Thanks Driver6 (Thorsten)!

4-bolt pattern:



5-bolt pattern:



Offset
Probably the most frequently asked question in this particular forum. What is an offset and how does it play into my wheel choice? First let's answer what an offset is. The offset is the distance from it' hub mounting surface to the centerline of the wheel. You have a positive, zero, or negative offset.

The wheel offset for the US-spec 6 is: +55mm - +60mm
The wheel offset for the other 6/Atenza models is: the European Mazda6's 16" and 17" rims come with an offset of +55mm. The bolt pattern is 5x114.3. -- Thanks Driver6 (Thorsten)!

A simple picture...



Zero: The hub mounting is even with the centerline of the wheel. I rarely see a zero offset...

Positive: The hub mounting surface is toward the front or wheel side of the wheel. Positive offset wheels are generally found on front wheel drive cars and newer rear drive cars.

Negative: The hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels centerline. "Deep dish" wheels are typically a negative offset. Mostly found in alot of RWD cars.

As a side note...

If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the car, the handling can be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the same while you added width, the additional width would be split evenly between the inside and outside. For most cars, this won't work correctly.

Offset also becomes important if you are thinking about lowering your ride. If the offset is to not correct, you will have rubbing against the fenders. To get rid of this you will have to perfrom what has been popularly called "Fender-rolling", rolling the fenders out/in to give clearance for the new wheel/tire combination.


Adding other Mazda wheels
Another popular question is being able to fit other Mazda models wheels onto your 6. This is mostly for the US owners here because the Japan/Europe models have alot more access to these wheels then we do.

1. The Mazdaspeed Protege wheels WILL NOT fir the US-spec MAZDA6. The bolt pattern is exactly the same but they simply will not fit (verified by Mazda dealers).

2. The Mazdaspeed A-spec wheels WILL fit the US-spec MAZDA6. Currently, they are only available in Japan (where the A-spec model is made). Unfortunately they have an extremely large price tag on them. Currently (July 9) you would be looking at a price tag of around $335 each. Not to mention adding in the shipping charge from Japan and putting on new tires. These wheels (18") will NOT fit the stock tires.

Here are the wheels in question.


3. Another Mazdaspeed wheel. These wheels are found on alot of Euro-spec models and also the Atenza as well. These wheels will also fit the US-spec MAZDA6 but again are only available through Japan or Europe. From what I understand these wheels are a dealer option in Europe and Japan, which could make them able to possibly fit the stock tires. The wheels are 17x7".

[NOTE: These are now an available option in the US as of the release 2004 Accessories Brochure - MG]
Here are the wheels in question.


Other Info
THat's about all I care to add right now. Again, if you still have any questions feel free to post a new thread and it should be answered promptly. If you have anything to contribute to this, please PM me so I can add it in.

A lot of this information was pulled from http://www.tirerack.com for reference.
Last edited by: Mazda_Gremlyn on 07-02-04 00:34:19

[Indy MPS6]

Doc Roadster has written up a quick summary of the Mazda6 wheel specifications. You can find his link here:

http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/tanya.mann/6/wheels.htm

Thanks Doc Roadster!

[Indy MPS6]

A sweet tire calculator found by our board member Boreddusty

http://www.wheelsmaster.com/rt_specs.jsp

Best one I've seen!

[Tire Guy]

Probably the most oft-asked question in the Wheels/Tires section is "Will this fit?" However, all too often, the original poster leaves out critical information that helps determine whether a particular wheel/tire combo will work for the 6. As a result, either the same replies come, such as "SEARCH," or "PROVIDE MORE INFO," or worse, the thread gets no replies and the OP gets no answer.

So, if you want your "Will it fit?" question answered, here's a quick guide of information you will need to provide to help others help you.

WHEELS

Wheel Diameter

17, 18, 18 inch, etc.

Wheel Width

7, 7.5, 8 inch, etc. Usually expressed in conjunction with diameter as 17x7.5, 18x8, etc.

Offset

This is a critical piece of information and without it, don't expect a response. This is the distance the mounting surface of the wheel is from the centerline. Mazda 6 requires a very high positive offset.

Expressed in millimeters as +45, +48, +50, etc.

Bolt Pattern

Sounds like a no-brainer, but not every car has the same bolt pattern. Mazda 6 has 5 lugs on each wheel and the spacing between them determines the bolt pattern designation. Mazda 6 is 5x114.3mm (also expressed as 5x4.5in).


TIRES

Sizing

When asking about a size, give the complete size you are considering. All of the numbers in a tire's size determine it's width and overall diameter. Don't just post, "I'm considering some 245s." That's not enough information. Give the entire size like so:

245/40R18


Hopefully, this will help you get the response you want, with less flaming and other members won't have to keep repeating the same responses asking for the same follow up info. Of course, this is only useful if you use it! Good luck!