7 replies to this topic

[5amfitz]

Hey all,

Thinking about saving up for some 13x7 ultralites as I like them plus I'd like my sport pack arches to look a bit more filled with the wheel coming out to the edge of the arch. However, I currently have the classic minilite wheels and I thought for the time being I might buy some spacers to fill the arches and have a more wide boy stance. What are your thoughts on this? Is it worth it? Plus are they fairly easy to fit?

http://www.minispare...amp;prod_id=599 these any good?

Thanks (sorry if this is a frequent topic on here, couldn't find any answers earlier).

[George929]

if your wheel sticks out the edge of the arch it is considered illegal

[Cooperman]

Unless unavoidable, spacers are not really a very good idea. 13" with standard fitting will knock the wheel bearings out more quickly and will alter the steering geometry. Spacing them out further will just make matters worse. If you want the outer edge to be closer to the edge of the wheel archs, the best thing to do is to buy wheels which are 1/2" wider, so long as the tyres are still correct for that wheel width. If your tyres are 175 section, the widest wheel should be 6.5". If you can get 185/40 section then you copuld go to a 7" wide rim legally, although I hate to think what a Mini would drive like in the wet with a 185 section width road tyre.

Edited by Cooperman, 24 January 2011 - 02:21 PM.

[5amfitz]

if your wheel sticks out the edge of the arch it is considered illegal

Thank you. I am aware of that, that is why I want them nearly to the edge of the arch. Not past or protruding from the arch.

[5amfitz]

Unless unavoidable, spacers are not really a very good idea. 13" with standard fitting will knock the wheel bearings out more quickly and will alter the steering geometry. Spacing them out further will just make matters worse. If you want the outer edge to be closer to the edge of the wheel archs, the best thing to do is to buy wheels which are 1/2" wider, so long as the tyres are still correct for that wheel width. If your tyres are 175 section, the widest wheel should be 8". If you can get 185/40 section then you copuld go to a 7" wide rim legally, although I hate to think what a Mini would drive like in the wet with a 185 section width road tyre.

Thanks. Most helpful. My wheels are 13" right? Probably a stupid question I know, but please forgive me, I'm learning. So it may be best to save up for wheels 7x13 then...?

[Cooperman]

Unless unavoidable, spacers are not really a very good idea. 13" with standard fitting will knock the wheel bearings out more quickly and will alter the steering geometry. Spacing them out further will just make matters worse. If you want the outer edge to be closer to the edge of the wheel archs, the best thing to do is to buy wheels which are 1/2" wider, so long as the tyres are still correct for that wheel width. If your tyres are 175 section, the widest wheel should be 8". If you can get 185/40 section then you copuld go to a 7" wide rim legally, although I hate to think what a Mini would drive like in the wet with a 185 section width road tyre.

Thanks. Most helpful. My wheels are 13" right? Probably a stupid question I know, but please forgive me, I'm learning. So it may be best to save up for wheels 7x13 then...?

Yes, but then you would have to go to 185/40 x 13 tyres which really would not suit a road-going Mini and your insurance company may consider it a higher risk (I would if I were them) as the road-holding and braking in the wet would be not so good. Also I had a typo in my earlier post - the maximum rim width with a 175 section tyre is 6.5" and it's 7" with a 185 section. (I'll edit that in a minute)
Very wide wheels are over-rated on a Mini as the best tyre width is 165 which suits the low weight of the car. Tyres need a certain contact area weight to work properly. Too wide a tyre equals too low a contact pressure and a consequent lack of ability to clear water or grip properly in the wet.

[5amfitz]

Unless unavoidable, spacers are not really a very good idea. 13" with standard fitting will knock the wheel bearings out more quickly and will alter the steering geometry. Spacing them out further will just make matters worse. If you want the outer edge to be closer to the edge of the wheel archs, the best thing to do is to buy wheels which are 1/2" wider, so long as the tyres are still correct for that wheel width. If your tyres are 175 section, the widest wheel should be 8". If you can get 185/40 section then you copuld go to a 7" wide rim legally, although I hate to think what a Mini would drive like in the wet with a 185 section width road tyre.

Thanks. Most helpful. My wheels are 13" right? Probably a stupid question I know, but please forgive me, I'm learning. So it may be best to save up for wheels 7x13 then...?

Yes, but then you would have to go to 185/40 x 13 tyres which really would not suit a road-going Mini and your insurance company may consider it a higher risk (I would if I were them) as the road-holding and braking in the wet would be not so good. Also I had a typo in my earlier post - the maximum rim width with a 175 section tyre is 6.5" and it's 7" with a 185 section. (I'll edit that in a minute)
Very wide wheels are over-rated on a Mini as the best tyre width is 165 which suits the low weight of the car. Tyres need a certain contact area weight to work properly. Too wide a tyre equals too low a contact pressure and a consequent lack of ability to clear water or grip properly in the wet.

Ah cool. I think I'm with you now. Really don't want to reduce handling performance as it feels perfect. I'll look for some 6-6.5" wheels then. Thanks for your help

[Cooperman]

Unless unavoidable, spacers are not really a very good idea. 13" with standard fitting will knock the wheel bearings out more quickly and will alter the steering geometry. Spacing them out further will just make matters worse. If you want the outer edge to be closer to the edge of the wheel archs, the best thing to do is to buy wheels which are 1/2" wider, so long as the tyres are still correct for that wheel width. If your tyres are 175 section, the widest wheel should be 8". If you can get 185/40 section then you copuld go to a 7" wide rim legally, although I hate to think what a Mini would drive like in the wet with a 185 section width road tyre.

Thanks. Most helpful. My wheels are 13" right? Probably a stupid question I know, but please forgive me, I'm learning. So it may be best to save up for wheels 7x13 then...?

Yes, but then you would have to go to 185/40 x 13 tyres which really would not suit a road-going Mini and your insurance company may consider it a higher risk (I would if I were them) as the road-holding and braking in the wet would be not so good. Also I had a typo in my earlier post - the maximum rim width with a 175 section tyre is 6.5" and it's 7" with a 185 section. (I'll edit that in a minute)
Very wide wheels are over-rated on a Mini as the best tyre width is 165 which suits the low weight of the car. Tyres need a certain contact area weight to work properly. Too wide a tyre equals too low a contact pressure and a consequent lack of ability to clear water or grip properly in the wet.

Ah cool. I think I'm with you now. Really don't want to reduce handling performance as it feels perfect. I'll look for some 6-6.5" wheels then. Thanks for your help

I just checked and the widest tyres you can get for a Mini with 13" wheels is a 175/50x13 which then does limit the wheel width to 6.5" if you are to comply with C & you regulations.
I see you have a 1997 MPI. My grandson is just sorting one of these out for when he is 17 later this year. He has decide to take the wheel arch extensions off, run a chrome Mk 1 style trim strip right over the wheel arches using 4.5" x 12" standard Minilite wheels and fit a Mk 1 grille and surround. He is going to run without bonnet stripes and side stripes, so it will look as Mk 1 retro as possible. Two of the spots are to be removed and small diameter Hellas will replace the outer two spots to give proper light down the road. In dark green metallic with a light silver roof it looks great so far.
My goodness, it was so rusty before we started and it has a complete new front end plus new A-panels, sills, scutle panel and screen rail, etc, etc. Next to be done is the engine and 'box.