26 replies to this topic

[meetthespeakers]

Hello guys, I just fitted my Sportspack arches with my new 13x7 minilites. Not only was it a major pain in the ass, but they wheels don't clear the arches when turning (Half turn, not Full Turn). They hit the outer lip on the front of the Sportspack arch. So my question is how do you guys do it, do you adjust the hell out of the tie rods to push the wheels back? Can Metro Turbo Vented rotors be part of the problem? Also my arches are ABS, and I am wondering if it would be worth while to switch to the fiberglass version? I bought fiberglass sideskirts to fit sportpack arches, and they don't look at all close to fitting with the ABS arches, so I am wondering if I should go ahead and buy fiberglass sportpack arches from the same company to match? I will try and attach pictures. I also have the 4x4 look going on now, so I will try and lower it down, but I am even more nervous about not having the clearance. Thanks all, cheers.

Attached Files

•  arch3.JPG   69.63K   135 downloads
•  arch2.JPG   67.5K   112 downloads
•  arch4.JPG   72.98K   103 downloads
•  arch1.JPG   104.94K   117 downloads

Edited by meetthespeakers, 26 January 2009 - 04:58 PM.

[Captain Mayfair]

Hi there,

Unfortunately you may need to take the arches off the front and start again. Unless the bodywork's been previously modified you'll need to cut away part of the wing/body on the front to prevent the wheels from rubbing when fitting wheels 6x12 +. I'm sure someone else will be able to help you with the technical side as I got a mini specialist to do mine.

Hi-lo's will allow you to adjust the ride height of the car so that it sits nicely above the arches. Easy to adjust as well, you simply take the wheel off, turn the nut a couple of times and hey presto!

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Courtney

[meetthespeakers]

Hi there,

Unfortunately you may need to take the arches off the front and start again. Unless the bodywork's been previously modified you'll need to cut away part of the wing/body on the front to prevent the wheels from rubbing when fitting wheels 6x12 +. I'm sure someone else will be able to help you with the technical side as I got a mini specialist to do mine.

Hi-lo's will allow you to adjust the ride height of the car so that it sits nicely above the arches. Easy to adjust as well, you simply take the wheel off, turn the nut a couple of times and hey presto!

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Courtney

I already trimmed the front arches per Mini Spares templates. However it clears the metal arch part fine, it's the outer lip of the sportspack arch it doesn't clear currently as you can see in the picture. I was told that you can use the adjustable tie rod to push the wheel back. Also I have hi-lo's fitted as well that I was going to lower it with possibly 1-2 inches.

[Captain Mayfair]

Hi there,

Unfortunately you may need to take the arches off the front and start again. Unless the bodywork's been previously modified you'll need to cut away part of the wing/body on the front to prevent the wheels from rubbing when fitting wheels 6x12 +. I'm sure someone else will be able to help you with the technical side as I got a mini specialist to do mine.

Hi-lo's will allow you to adjust the ride height of the car so that it sits nicely above the arches. Easy to adjust as well, you simply take the wheel off, turn the nut a couple of times and hey presto!

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Courtney

I already trimmed the front arches per Mini Spares templates. However it clears the metal arch part fine, it's the outer lip of the sportspack arch it doesn't clear currently as you can see in the picture. I was told that you can use the adjustable tie rod to push the wheel back. Also I have hi-lo's fitted as well that I was going to lower it with possibly 1-2 inches.

Did you buy the arches from Minispares?? I think you'll find that the templates are specifically for the genuine sports pack arches.

[coopermpi]

DONT trust the minispares template! i used it last weekend, but only to mark where i needed to cut the arch! I made a small bracket to come from the front valance to the arch to bring it further forward.
I marked the pins by placing it on the car and drawing around where they met the arch.

[meetthespeakers]

Did you buy the arches from Minispares?? I think you'll find that the templates are specifically for the genuine sports pack arches.

I did not buy the arches from Minispares, I bought them from a U.S. Supplier, which got them from the U.k. Needless to say that the templates I might as well not used because the drilling locations where not the same. However where you cut I the fender I assume is more or less the same idea. Again, the wheels clear the fender fine, they do not clear the arch. I am still thinking about going the fiberglass arch route.

[meetthespeakers]

I ALSO JUST REALIZED, not sure if this makes a difference, but I am starting to think this might be part of the problem, my mini is fitted with METRO Turbo vented rotors. Does this push out the wheels even further than stock?

[Massey]

sorry to here about the arches but you have a nice mini how much where your spots and where did you get them

thanks Dan

[meetthespeakers]

sorry to here about the arches but you have a nice mini how much where your spots and where did you get them

thanks Dan

Thanks, the spots came with the car actually. I will probably pull them off in the spring and repaint the cases a fresh coat of black. I am still thinking about what to do with the arches, I may contact the company I bought my sideskirts from (Not installed cause they don't fit all that well with these arches) and get fiberglass sportspack arches from them. I have also thought about trimming the front piece of the arch to get rid of the part that tucks behind the bumper, but don't want to ruin these ones if I resell them.

[coopermpi]

have the front knuckle joints been replaced, this should bring the wheel back a little.adjusting the tie rod might knock out other things and make the handling worse.

[meetthespeakers]

have the front knuckle joints been replaced, this should bring the wheel back a little.adjusting the tie rod might knock out other things and make the handling worse.

The knuckle joints I assume are fairly new as I imagine since the previous owner fitted the Metro Turbo Vented Rotors/Brakes. I installed new drive flanges a few months back. The car was perfectly fine until I decided to go the deep dish route and sportspack arches. There has to be more people on here that has done this mod and has experienced something similar to this. It's snowing outside, so it may be a little while longer till I play around with lowering it and adjusting the tie rods a little bit.

[Nick Warwick]

i had the same problem that you have now the little lip at the front catches and u will find that the bumper indentation with also rub, what i did was use a stanley knife and cut the arch away bit by bit untill it was clearing then i used a sander to smooth the arch to make it blend in with the rest.
i had to cut a fair bit off on both sides, i will be changing mine to fiberglass soon as the rubber versions change shape in different weather

[meetthespeakers]

i had the same problem that you have now the little lip at the front catches and u will find that the bumper indentation with also rub, what i did was use a stanley knife and cut the arch away bit by bit untill it was clearing then i used a sander to smooth the arch to make it blend in with the rest.
i had to cut a fair bit off on both sides, i will be changing mine to fiberglass soon as the rubber versions change shape in different weather

Was you car lowered, did you try lowering it? Did you also try adjusting the tie rods? I will most likely go with the fiberglass versions as well. Just got a nice snowing here last night, so maybe this weekend I can try and tackle some adjustments.

[Nick Warwick]

my mini is only lowered at the rear, i havent adjusted any of the tie rods i just cut the body and put the arches on then did some cutting on the front of the arch, i still cant get the rubber seal between the body and the arch it just falls off due to a crap fit arch

[RsSpyder]

I thought you might like to know that my Mini has this exact same problem, and also has Metro Turbo brakes just like yours. I understand that the wheel does sit further out than it would with standard brakes, hence the rubbing. Currently i am just living with it, but i may go ahead and cut some of the arch away.