5 replies to this topic

[ADmini]

I am getting some minator 10 x 5 minilite wheels, didnt get the 10 x 6 as i dont want to cut the arches for clearance. are there any spacers i can fit so it gives it a bit of a wider look. ( only asking as i would asume if i put 1" spacers on then it would effectively be like having 10 x 6 wheels and i would have to cut the arches anyway ) i am new to minis and dont know alot about them

 

Cheers Elliott 

[ibrooks]

A 10x6 wheel would only be half an inch wider each side of the centreline so assuming the offset is the same between the two a half-inch spacer would make the outer edge of a 10x5 sit in the same place as a 10x6. Your proposed one inch spacer would make the 10x5 sit in the same place as a 10x7 and almost certainly mean you need to carve big lumps out of the arches.

 

I'd suggest you get the wheels on the car and see what clearances are like because with production tolerances and maybe a set of tired cones and/or bushes there's no guarantee what would or wouldn't need metal trimming away. You also haven't specified enough about the car. Does it have front drums? does it have 7" or 7.5" discs? these will make a difference to the track. If it's a later car and has 8.4" discs then your 10" wheels won't fit (unless they are those silly Japanese things with massive offsets).

 

If you are fitting spacers be very careful with the type you fit as there are some types out there that are downright dangerous and have resulted in more than one wheel striking out on it's own at speed.

 

Iain

[ADmini]

Its an original 1983 mini mayfair, it has drums, currently have some standard 10" wheels. And sounds like i do need to just get the wheels and see how it goes, if it came to it would there be any spacers you would recommend and any to avoid? 

 

Thanks Elliott

[ADmini]

The wheels im looking at have ET19 offset 

[ibrooks]

Cosmic did some spacers that had a male/female wheel nut type affair that was used to extend the studs. Avoid these like the plague they are lethal.

 

Some spacers use the existing wheel studs (obviously you fit longer ones). These are fine so long as they are a good fit and therefore support the studs over their length. That unfortunately means you are looking at specific stuff as the universal stuff is usually made for 12mm wheel studs and the Mini's are 3/8 (9.5mm ish).

 

There's a third type where the spacer bolts to the existing wheel studs and it has a second set of studs built into it. These are the best type assuming that the materials and manufacturing are good (the best design in the world is never going to work if you make it from rubbish material - ask the army about the SA-80 for a real world example of that). These are generally only used for quite large spacing as you need enough "meat" in the spacer to take it's own stud. They are often also used when fitting wheels from a different car as the second set of wheel studs can be a different configuration to the originals.

 

Personally I'd avoid spacers if possible - they are fine in principle and if used properly but the costs of getting good quality ones for a Mini is likely to be prohibitive.

 

Iain

[Cooperman]

Best advice is not to fit spacers if it can be avoided. The real use of spacers is to obtain clearance between the inner edge of the tyre and the damper (front) or radius arm (rear) when fitting different wheels and/or tyres. If your wheels cause the tyres to rub on the dampers or rear arms, then measure the thickness of spacer required to give a minimum of 4 mm clearance.