# New shoes happy dance
**URL:** https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581
**Category:** GEM Forum
**Created:** [July 15, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581 "2019-07-15T20:19:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/1 "2019-07-15T20:19:08Z")
Guess what? 17" Mazda MX-5 / Miata rims fit right up. (with a 4" lift mind you)
I found a set locally at $220. I really wanted gunmetal and these are black but the price was highly motivating.
My old 15" ones were a bit rough and the tires were extraordinary bad. I tried to get some new ones but getting thinner sidewalls wasn’t possible so the next best option is to get a bigger rim.
Grant, you are the Stormtrooper to my Darth Vadar.
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### Author:  [@JarJarJava](https://community.electricforum.com/u/JarJarJava)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/2 "2019-07-15T20:29:26Z")
Nice.
Did you need spacers on any of the wheels?
The interwebs say the MX-5 / Miata rims are 4 x 100mm w/ 40mm offset, so I’m thoroughly confused because I see some posts / places saying 4-lug GEM rims are 4 x 4" w/ 0 offset…
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/3 "2019-07-15T20:34:20Z")
yep. I have mad, huge spacers. If I recall 2" on the rear and 1 or 1 1/2" on the front. I think @Old_Houseboater said that the front and rear need to be slightly different for proper tracking. I hate poor fitment so getting things as close to right as possible is a wallet strain.
I also drink a lot so many things get fuzzy.
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### Author:  [@JarJarJava](https://community.electricforum.com/u/JarJarJava)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/4 "2019-07-15T20:41:27Z")
Thanks, appreciate the info.
I’m not a big fan of the stock 12" solid pizza cutters mine came with - not so much about looks, but rather too much sidewall and sway. I have a friend who owns a tire shop, but I’m still trying to figure out what size to ask him to look for.
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/5 "2019-07-15T21:18:15Z")
I went to tire shop here last week. It was a shitshow.
him: “what is that?”
me: “a GEM.”
him: “is that like the nickname?”
me: “no its the name. Polaris, Global and Chrysler made them.”
him: “HEY BOB, DO WE GOT ANY TYRES FER A JIM?”
me: _exit stage left_
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### Author:  [@JarJarJava](https://community.electricforum.com/u/JarJarJava)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/6 "2019-07-15T21:26:43Z")
LOL.
My friend keeps trying to get me to put spinners on mine.
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/7 "2019-07-15T21:29:26Z")
I sent the above pic to some of my bosses/friends and got this back.
I’m not sure they share my enthusiasm.
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### Author:  [@RS\_E6](https://community.electricforum.com/u/RS_E6)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/8 "2019-07-15T23:47:05Z")
Did you gain much speed with the taller tires?
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 8:50am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/9 "2019-07-16T08:50:56Z")
My previous wheels and tire combo was very close in total circumference. I had 15" rims with super tall 128/60/15 tires.
My reason for doing the upgrade was simply nicer looking rims and lower profile tires. I wasn’t able to find anything super-low profile for my 15s.
So no, no speed gain really. SkiTracks said I was doing 35mph yesterday and 38mph after the swap, but I may have taken a different route with a longer run.
> **[👉#diyMATT making/cooking/etc](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_q-pCgHw0/)**
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### Author:  [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/10 "2019-07-16T15:22:03Z")
They look great what was the cost of your total wheels and tires and spacers
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/11 "2019-07-16T15:36:13Z")
$220 bucks for the used rims and tires.
Spacers I already had on there. If I recall it was 40$ for the front and 40$ for the rear.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Vern](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Mr.Vern)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/12 "2019-07-16T16:16:06Z")
If you have an older GEM (or Jim LOL), you will miss that sidewall flex. Especially if you have lithium batteries and lose the 400lbs. I love the look of my lopro tires, but it rides like a lumber wagon. Fortunately, my community is obsessive about road maintenance so its tolerable.
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### Author:  [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/13 "2019-07-16T17:03:56Z")
^^^^ Agreed. The Lo Profile tires give a harsh ride. If you live on a washboard road I recommend 16’s with a taller side wall.
My new 2016 Gem has HUGE side walls and the car rides and handles like a Caddy. Big smushy side to side roll and ride
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/14 "2019-07-16T18:39:57Z")
> [@Mr.Vern](#):
>
> it rides like a lumber wagon.
Yeah, mines been like that since day one. I never drove it with the stock rims and tires so it’s the only thing I know.
New rim/tire combo feels the same as the old one. Much harder to lockup the wheels for a spirited stop now too. Actually having tread is the reason for that I’m betting.
I should probably put a gauge on the tires and check air pressure. I may have had 60pds in my old tires for all I know.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Vern](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Mr.Vern)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/15 "2019-07-16T18:52:00Z")
I have a lead bottom 2 seater with stock 12" wheels and it rides like a damn Cadilac compared to my lithium 4 seater on lopros. Every time I jump in that car I start thinking about making the air shocks I bought work. I’ve tried running the air pressure all the way down to a few pounds and it doesn’t make a bit of difference. The car is too light and the sidewalls too non-existent to have any effect.
Oh well, I’d rather look and feel cool than be comfortable I guess. LOL
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/16 "2019-07-16T19:19:16Z")
Semi seats?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Vern](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Mr.Vern)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/17 "2019-07-16T19:21:36Z")
There you have it. We just need air seats. LOL
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### Author:  [@JarJarJava](https://community.electricforum.com/u/JarJarJava)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/18 "2019-07-16T19:33:32Z")
My '02 long back already rides like a piledriver even with lead batteries. I guess maybe I should think about checking the tire pressure someday… lol
I’m in California, we don’t maintain our roads, we just wait for the earthquakes to shake them up a bit and move the potholes around.
Funny, I was going to sugguest the air cushion truck seats too for a 4 seater where someone isn’t afraid of cutting and rebuilding the fiberglass.
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### Author:  [@diymatt](https://community.electricforum.com/u/diymatt)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/19 "2019-07-16T19:37:04Z")
I’d love to try an aftermarket universal shock/spring but it’s a 3k investment, minimum. These look like a perfect solution but ooooof, the price tag.
[https://www.ridetech.com/applications/streetrods/universal-shockwave-7000-series/](https://www.ridetech.com/applications/streetrods/universal-shockwave-7000-series/)
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### Author:  [@JarJarJava](https://community.electricforum.com/u/JarJarJava)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/new-shoes-happy-dance/16581/20 "2019-07-16T20:00:54Z")
Could always get hydraulic suspension and see how high you can get the front to hop. Should be easy for a lithium pack car.
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