BBS Ch wheels

[brentf13]

I am strongly considering buying the 18 inch bbs ch wheel and a 215/40/18 tire for my 1997 900 se turbo 4 door. how much, if at all, will this wheel raise the ride height if i keep the suspension stock

[stromer]

You'd want to compare the overal diamter of the new wheels and tires to the ones you have on the car now, stock. Take the difference and divide that by two. That is how much your ground clearance will increase.

[brentf13]

do you mean the first number 215-205 or the second one 50-40?

[stromer]

it actually is the overall diameter. To figure it out without just measuring the physical wheel and tire you need some math. Here goes:

So the 18" from the wheel + 40 % of 215

The only problem is that the 40 % of 215 is in millimeters, so you'll have to convert to add to inches. Then do the same for the stock wheels and you'll have some numbers to see.

[nateg]

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

nice tire size tool

nate
99 9-3 vert

[sherwood507]

I just put those wheels on my car a couple weeks ago. I went from a 195/60-15 to a 215/40-18 tire. According to my calculations, it raised the car about .6", but i think it was closer to 1" or 1.5", since my tires were worn below the tread indicator. It is a noticeable increase because the wheels themselves look so much bigger and the car does look like it needs to be lowered. But knowing this now I would still reccomend them, cause no one looking at your car is going to think anything of it. And the more I see my car, the less I notice it. Plus it'll give you another excuse to lower your car.

[Jeremy R.]

Originally Posted by brentf13

I am strongly considering buying the 18 inch bbs ch wheel and a 215/40/18 tire for my 1997 900 se turbo 4 door.\

That's an awfully narrow tire for such a wide wheel. The last Saab I saw with those wheels, which was a 2003 9-3 convertible, had 245/40R18 tires on it. Looking at the Miata Tire Size Calculator, a 245/35R18 or a 235/35R18 would be even closer to your car's stock tire size (205/50R16). Your car would sit .2" higher with the 235/35 or .35" higher with the 245/35. A 215/40R18 tire has the same diameter as a 245/35R18 tire, so it would also raise your car by .35".

[TurboTempo]

i have to agree , very odd tyre size .
i have 18 inch BBS rx alloys on my 900 ( 1998 talledega )
they are running on 225 /40 /18 yokohama parada's , the ground clearance / wheelarch looks no different to me whatsoever , but abbott racing state you shouldnt run 18 inch wheels on standard suspension as far as i am aware .

i may be wrong , but abbott racing seem to know their stuff .