12 replies to this topic

[Staddon]

I know its a hot topic on here, and after searching can't find anything which is hugely helpful. 

 

I was thinking of going arch-less but was unsure if my wheels would fit under just the trim, the tyres on the car are 165/60R x 12, with the standard plastic arches being fitted - the cars an '89 mini city e

 

 

 

cheers! 

 

 

[bikenutmart]

Very doubtful !!! Mart.

[Staddon]

Very doubtful !!! Mart.

Damn!!! 

[Cooperman]

When you say 'arch-less' you mean 'arch-extension-less'. All cars have wheel arches as they are a part of the basic body panels.

 

Personally I have never liked arch extensions and it is OK to run standard-offset 4.5" rims with up to 165 section tyres without arch extensions. The original Cooper 'S' had optional 4.5" rims and never had arch-extensions.

 

Here is a 1997 MPI with no extensions and standard 4.5" Minilites:

 

[Staddon]

When you say 'arch-less' you mean 'arch-extension-less'. All cars have wheel arches as they are a part of the basic body panels.

 

Personally I have never liked arch extensions and it is OK to run standard-offset 4.5" rims with up to 165 section tyres without arch extensions. The original Cooper 'S' had optional 4.5" rims and never had arch-extensions.

 

Here is a 1997 MPI with no extensions and standard 4.5" Minilites:

 

i do indeed mean arch-extension-less, i was curious what was the max rim width you can run with no arch extensions, apparently 5" is the legal maximum.. 

[Cooperman]

I have had 5" with 165/70 x 10 tyres on my 1964 'S' with no problems, although they do stick out very slightly whilst having the same datum offset as the standard 4.5". You won't have an issue with 5" so long as the datum offset is correct.

[Staddon]

Just presumed my wheels were the six inch variety opposed to the 5's so may have some trouble - having looked about, it appears you can get away with group 2 arches and have them installed on the wholes existing which my plastic arches are already touted to - it being the later variety mini.. so will probably just got for that in the end 

[Cooperman]

There were 2 different widths of extension homologated under Group 2 - 1.5" & 2.5".

[Staddon]

yeah, i know, i think the standard one (the non-wides) will be the best bet.

 

http://www.minispare...r-classic-mini/

 

they should be able to fit the 165/60r x 12 right?  

Edited by Staddon, 18 April 2016 - 09:33 PM.

[Cooperman]

It is just a question of what the datum-offset of the wheel is. A 6" wheel with standard offset will stick out 1.5" wider than a 4.5 and as a 5" is just acceptable, a 1.5" extension will be fine.

[72clubman]

I'm also a big fan of arch extension-less minis and all of mine are without arches. 

 

I'm running cars on either  4.5" wide (Cooper S offset minilites & steels) or 5" wide wheels (ET22.2 very agressive) all on 165 wide tyres all without arches. 

 

 

Cooperman hits the nail on the head though, it's all about the offset of the wheel.

 

My 5" wide wheel is questionable due to the offset and I think is about the limit you can get away with archless. I think when they were supplied in the 70's they were supplied with arches.

 

 I can't tell what width yours are without further pictures, although they do look to have quite a dish on them (lower offset)

 

You also have the holes the old arch fixings leave that you'd have to plug somehow.

 

Joe

[Staddon]

yeah, thanks for your input Cooperman and Joe, I, like many, adore minis with no arch extensions, but, unfortunately the time and effort of getting mine there is too substantial - as, by the looks of it, i may have to change the wheels - hard when you're a student!! i will check the actual rim width when I'm next home, but the look of the more narrow group 2's look very nice also, so best bet may be with those, especially as the standard holes will match up with those arches. 

[mintim]

Am also looking at going arch-extension-less, currently running 165/60 - 12s. Those that have already done this, how did you go about sorting the holes from the arch fixings?
Cheers