16 replies to this topic

[Kevinmini]

Hi is there a link for full information on changing 13” sportspack wheels to 10” wheels? Brakes / hubs etc

Love the look of the sportspack wheels but I’m not sure if I’m going to keep it original now as looking for a much better drive / less harsh ride and everything needs replacing anyway.

Rebuild on its way but getting as much in place ready as I can

Thanks

[nicklouse]

most of the retailers do kits. you need calipers, discs, drive flanges plus what ever needs replacing.

 

join TMF+ and get 7.5% off your orders at Minispares.

[Fast Ivan]

You’ll struggle to fill the arches with 10’s with sportpack arches, I ended up lowering to get the look right, this made the ride crap as the suspension travel was limited, so I raised it again and kind of compromised on ride, handling and filling the arches. There should be some pics of mine old sportspack in the 10” wheel thread.

[Kevinmini]

Has anyone driven a mini on both sizes? Any pros / cons? Thanks

[mab01uk]

Has anyone driven a mini on both sizes? Any pros / cons? Thanks

 

Some useful info on Mini wheels and tyres here:-

https://www.calverst...-consideration/

 

and here:-

http://www.theminifo...heel-hate-guys/

[Fast Ivan]

Has anyone driven a mini on both sizes? Any pros / cons? Thanks

 

yes, 10's feel a lot better, doesn't tram line like the 13's can, more responsive, 10's make 13's feel heavy

[Compdoc]

Has anyone driven a mini on both sizes? Any pros / cons? Thanks

How about 12"?
They bolt straight on using existing hubs and brakes and a 165/60/12 is nearly the same diameter as a 175/50/13 so no change to speedo drive or suspension adjustment required. Plus the extra sidewall gives a more comfortable ride.

Might be worth seeing if you can borrow a set to see if they improve the ride before you dismiss them.

[Kevinmini]

 

Has anyone driven a mini on both sizes? Any pros / cons? Thanks

How about 12"?
They bolt straight on using existing hubs and brakes and a 165/60/12 is nearly the same diameter as a 175/50/13 so no change to speedo drive or suspension adjustment required. Plus the extra sidewall gives a more comfortable ride.

Might be worth seeing if you can borrow a set to see if they improve the ride before you dismiss them.

 

I have had 12" wheels on my previous 2 minis and I admit they handled very so this is a possible option but I much prefer the 10" wheels visually.

Having only had my current mini on the road for a short time the handling and driving on the motorway was beyond sketchy but this is also due to bearings and ball joints hence why it is waiting on a overhaul

[Cooperman]

A short while ago I had the pleasure of driving an MPI with 145 section tyres on 4.5" x 12" wheels in the wet. The handling and road holding were fine and it really felt like a Mini should.

IMHO there is too much emphasis on wide wheels and wider tyres, but they do not enhance the overall performance. True, they may give slightly better ultimate road-holding on a very smooth and dry road, but on bumpy roads and in the wet, a narrow tyre is better for both road-holding, handling and braking.

[sc-em]

There's a reason  why Caterhams don't go stupidly wide......all about the handling! I have just bought some narrower wheels for my kit car. Just need to decide on tyre profile. 13 x 7j

[Cooperman]

With narrower wheels and no wheel arch extensions there is less aerodynamic drag so the top speed will be higher and the fuel consumption will be lower.

[Bobbins]

There's a lot of money and thought goes into why F1 cars don't run low profile tyres ...

[Cooperman]

There's a lot of money and thought goes into why F1 cars don't run low profile tyres ...

To get the best performance from a radial tyre, the sidewall needs to flex whilst the tread stays as flat as possible on the road. The current 'fad' for ultra-low-profile tyres is just a styling gimmick.

My daily road car has 275/40 x 19 tyres on the back and 245/45/19 on the front. Frankly, they are ridiculous. I would be much happier with a 235/70 x 17 tyre, but the car is not type-approved for this, so I can't.

[Bobbins]

There's a lot of money and thought goes into why F1 cars don't run low profile tyres ...

To get the best performance from a radial tyre, the sidewall needs to flex whilst the tread stays as flat as possible on the road. The current 'fad' for ultra-low-profile tyres is just a styling gimmick.
My daily road car has 275/40 x 19 tyres on the back and 245/45/19 on the front. Frankly, they are ridiculous. I would be much happier with a 235/70 x 17 tyre, but the car is not type-approved for this, so I can't.

Same widths as my daily but mine are 18”, the 19” was a option but with runflat tyres the ride would be unacceptable.

[nicklouse]

There's a lot of money and thought goes into why F1 cars don't run low profile tyres ...

rules and regulations. BUT they are changing in the next years to more represent modern car styles. expect tyre issues.