Pros & cons of 12" wheels VS 13" wheels or bigger.

[muleskinner]

I Have 13" wheels on my Festiva now ... without the swap .... and was thinking going back to the stock 12" wheels.
I have a spacer on the 13" wheels now which I don't care for, that's one reason why I was thinking of going back to the 12. Unless the 12's need spacers too.? Also I like original parts for the car that it was made for.
I tried searching this subject but couldn't find anything.
I just would like the pros & cons on the 12" wheel VS something bigger.

Thanks in advance.

[Bert]

There are no 'pros' at all to going back to 12s unless bias-ply trailer and wheelbarrow tires are often 'on sale' in your neck of the woods. Minis fielded 10s way back in the dark ages and yet most 60s-70s imports came with 12s. 13s were the next logical step towards comfort but that all stopped in the late 90s when 14s and 15s became fashionable and took over. 12s (and even Festy-sized 13s!) are fast becoming scarce as hen's teeth.

[crazyrog17]

You may be able to salvage the 13" rims by getting a tire that more closely represents what a stock 12" would have been like. You might not need spacers anymore, depending on the offset of your wheels and the current size of tire. Use this calculator to compare tires and see their specs all lined up.

Tire size calculator - Miata.net

Stock: 155/70R12
or 145/80R12

Common 13"s
175/70R13
155/80R13

There are other sizes of tires, mainly differentiated by their wall height/tread width ratio (represented by the second number, the first being tread width). My examples of common 13"s are taller than stock 12"s. If you want to get closer to stock size, the price may reflect the availability of niche/special sized tires.

I ride on 175/70R13s and get very little rubbing. Only really hard corners or taking a bump at full tilt, when the car is empty. It's does more often with a full car.

[crazyrog17]

12" Pros
Lighter wheel assembly: Better pickup/city MPG/stopping effort
Thin tread cuts through snow more easily
What the car was designed for
12" Cons
Smaller tread means less contact with the road, less traction if the tires are locked up
Worse highway MPG because of smaller diameter, more rotations per mile.
Harder to find/getting expensive

13" Pros
Potential larger tire diameter: better highway MPG
Tread width: contact with road, better tread designs for wet weather
Easier to find
13" Cons
Heavier wheel assembly: Worse pickup/city MPG/stopping effort
Fitment issues
Select sizes/styles are expensive

[Studebaker]

I have used 12's and currently use p155/80/13's on both of my Festivas. Every 12 inch tire I have owned busted the belt long before the tread wore out. 13's last much longer. I've never had fitment issue using Aspire wheels. 155/13's were used on a lot of cars and will be avalible alot longer than 12's.

[muleskinner]

I ride on 175/70R13s and get very little rubbing. Only really hard corners or taking a bump at full tilt, when the car is empty. It's does more often with a full car.

That is a problem I am having is rubbing issues also.

[muleskinner]

I have used 12's and currently use p155/80/13's on both of my Festivas. Every 12 inch tire I have owned busted the belt long before the tread wore out. 13's last much longer. I've never had fitment issue using Aspire wheels. 155/13's were used on a lot of cars and will be avalible alot longer than 12's.

I think what I might do is try Aspire wheels and go with that size tire! I don't think the wheels on there now are Aspire wheels.

[TorqueEffect]

I think what I might do is try Aspire wheels and go with that size tire! I don't think the wheels on there now are Aspire wheels.

Thing is, Aspire wheels require an complete Aspire swap, that or a rear Aspire swap, and a Kia Rio front swap. At least from what I understand.

Aspires run 4x100 while stock Festy runs 4x114.3, the easiest swap to 13" wheels without rubbing is Geo Metro 13" wheels which are also 4x114.3.
I have been wanting to do it for a while, but I am waiting to find a set with good tires for cheap.

[Bathtub Tom]

I was running 165/70/13s without any problems for years.

I got Suzuki 13" wheels cheaply. 4.5J, 114mm PCD, 35mm offset, 60mm centre bore.

I've still got half a dozen in my shed. Anyone want them. I'm in the UK.

[Bert]

I was running 165/70/13s without any problems for years.
I got Suzuki 13" wheels cheaply. 4.5J, 114mm PCD, 35mm offset, 60mm centre bore.
I've still got half a dozen in my shed. Anyone want them. I'm in the UK.

In n. America these would be 90's era Geo Metro and Pontiac Firefly wheels (which were manufactured by Suzuki!).

[muleskinner]

SO the Aspire wheels will not work. I don't have the complete swap.

The 90's Geo Metro & Pontiac Firefly wheels will work? I think I might have one of those sets on there? My tire size is 175/70/13. What size do I need to get to keep the tires from scraping??
Is there any way I can do away with the spacers??

[XFSE71]

I run 12" tires that were easily found @ DiscountTire. Yes the GoodyearStore does not stock them. So that may be a CON. Being a pureist I prefer to keep it as close to stock as possible, or not. Then I'd like to go all out like some of the guys here and build a 16V DOHC Turbo 6 speed lowered uneven A arm ground effects with 15" low profiles and a digital dome light. Or just keep it stock.

[Bert]

SO the Aspire wheels will not work. I don't have the complete swap.
The 90's Geo Metro & Pontiac Firefly wheels will work? I think I might have one of those sets on there? My tire size is 175/70/13. What size do I need to get to keep the tires from scraping??
Is there any way I can do away with the spacers??

I'm told those rims are a direct fit in every way. Try them out first and then make your decisions about having to get spacers, or, having to move up to Aspire-type rear shocks (which have a higher spring perch)

[Bert]

I run 12" tires that were easily found and ... being a purist I prefer to keep it as close to stock as possible, or not...............
Then I'd like to go all out and build a 16V DOHC Turbo 6 speed lowered uneven A arm ground effects with 15" low profiles and a digital dome light............ Or just keep it stock.

So; which is it? And pray tell where do I find me one of these "6 speeds"?

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Front = 13s, Rear = 12s !!!

On my pristine '88 LX in WA, I put new 13s on it 10 years ago when I complete rebuilt the vehicle. The rear tires wore out some time back and I had plenty of 12s around, but so I slapped 12s on the rear, and have been running the 13-front/12-rear combo for a while now.

The rest of my fleet is all 12s, except another 88 LX awaiting upgrade to EFI that stays in the yard has four "midget" spares.