13 replies to this topic

[mini-man-dan]

Hi All!
Ok, I have a 1275GT. It will have the fast road tuned engine that I have in my garage in it, stg3 head, fast road cam (yet to find out what it actually is!), twin HS4 SU's etc so should be reasonably nippy in terms of a Mini.
I have sworn to putting 12" wheels on the car, but I really like to wide look of the 13's some poeple have on their cars, like the 13x7 revos and 13x7 superstars.
I have heard some horror stories about 13's, but are they really that bad, and are they really going to effect the performance and handling of the car?
Thanks in advance
Dan

Edit: Reason for not having 10's is that the 'S' discs have been removed and replaced with 8.4's before I bought it.

Edited by digi-cars.piczo.com, 09 August 2009 - 12:34 PM.

[Retro_10s]

All the horror stories are true.

However the handling can at least be sorted out by having the suspension set-up to suit the 13's, something that most people don't do and then complain....

They can handle very well indeed. However the rest of the stories are true - parts do wear quicker, tyres are expensive, aquaplaning occurs, bumpy ride (13's crash about all over the place due to having such a small sidewall).

And they're terrible in snowy conditions where thin wheels are needed.

[yeti21586]

its not true that there terrible in snowy conditions!!!!!!

at the begining of this year u remember the snow???

my mini made it to work and back (12mile round trip) and then to my girlfriends and back (a 40mile round trip)
and it handeled wonderfully

the only prob with 13s is that you feel every bump on the road hence the reason i want to down size to 10" alloys


YetI

[bmcecosse]

Best go down to 10" wheels - just fit Fiesta Mk I calipers and turn your discs to 7.9" . Better brakes AND the correct wheels !

[Retro_10s]

Sorry - I did get carried away - I meant to say that WIDE wheels are not good in the snow, where a skinnier wheel is needed. so my statement is not regarding the diameter....

Thought you don't see many 4.5x13's about do you

[mini-man-dan]

I'm not really that concerned about how they handle in Snowy conditions...
Well, actually maybe I should be, this is English summertime!
And ok, well I've just see a project thread with a clubby that looks nearly identical to what mine will, Old English White, Black Gp5 arches (although the other one had Gp2 wides) and black centred 12x6 revolutions. They actually suit it, so I think I'm going to go for them. I thought they'd look out of place, but they look perfect.
This thread maybe still useful to others, so keep up the posting if you've got an opinion!
Dan

Oh, and my car will have Hi-Lo's, adjustable GAZ shocks, adjustable bottom arms and adjustable tie rods. They are all currently sitting on my lounge floor fresh from IMM!

Edited by digi-cars.piczo.com, 09 August 2009 - 01:27 PM.

[mrmoo]

My son had 13" wheels on his mini, I have 12" on mine, the only differences we found were that the 13's tramlined a lot, when there was a rut in the road the mini just steered with it, and the other is that it was sore on the wheel bearings, we put tapered roller bearings in to cure this though....!

[robtheplod]

it's a personal choice, but I've just gone from 13's to 12's as the steering on 13 was too heavy for my wife....

[Kaj]

I do some club type competition events in my Mini and I have both 5.5 x 13 with 175x50 Yokohamas and also a set of 5.5 x 12 with 165 x 50 A510's.

I use Metro 4-pot calipers with vented discs, no servo and the brakes are progressive and fine.

I would say I don't notice any detriment with the 13" wheels fitted. I think 7 x 13 is far too wide for the Mini and definitely also too wide for a 175 tyre. They're popular with the show & shine brigade but the advantages (if any) belong there, static!

Minispares will do you a set of A539's 175 x 50 x 13 for less than £150 which is very good value for money.

I also used A048's which I only got 5000 miles from and then they were into the tread barrier and getting a little hairy in the wet!

hope this helps.

[jaydee]

Many vtec engined track minis are using 13", basically because they reach higher speeds.
I've seen a rally mini with 13" wheels, grip was rubbish, and they were doing sideways each turn, even the turns you can do easily with the good old 10" wheels.

[mini13]

good results can be had from 13's, in some respects they can be better than 10's.....

but there are a few rules to follow,

stay away from rims with a low or negative offset, 7x13's are usualy -7 offset sportspack and era turbo rims are around + 20 offset, approx 1" diference!!

don't stretch 175's onto 7" rims, it will make tha car twitchy,

dont assume that your car that is set up for 10's will handle on 13's, the settings will need to be totally diferent.


dont asume all tyres are the same, i recomend continental 175/50/13's

[richieg]

I have 7x13" with 175/50/13 semperit tyres on what I think is standard suspension
The ride is fairly choppy on uneven b-roads but very smooth on a roads and main roads.
I am considering changing the suspension and brakes (to metro 4 pot) & keeping the 13" rims because they look really good with sportpack arches. OR
switching to 10" rims and changing arches, suspension and brakes to cooper S setup.

Can't decide!

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=131858

Do 10" rims improve acceleration and impact speed?

I am also considering adding a supercharger to my 1293cc and am a little worrioed about the braking caopabilities with the cooper s setup

[jaydee]

They improve acceleration as are way lighter and a little smaller in diameter, but i dont think they'll improve speeding at all.

[Nick Warwick]

i changed my 13's due to them tram lining alot pulling the car about, was not enjoyable in some situations when your car decides it will be going this way when u never turned the wheel