What's the tallest diameter tire I could run on a stock suspended Clubman? I'm just trying to get the tallest possible sidewall (in either a 17" or 18" tire) to help preserve the ride quality.

I haven't ordered anything yet (my car isn't even in production yet - scheduled to start next week) but i want to know what my options are. I love the look of the 18"s but I want a streetable package that won't annoy me by feeling every little imperfection in the road.

Greg

 

Search and you will find the answer.

For stock suspension on any MINI including the Clubman-

17" wheels
Use tires no taller than about 24.7"
215/45-17

18" wheels
Use tires no taller than about 24.7"
215/40-18
At tirerack.com (see alex)
Pirelli PZero Nero M&S $149 each 400 treadwear UHP All Season tire
Test results- http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=52
Yokohama Avid W4S $123 each 400 treadwear UHP All Season tire
Test results-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=88

If you like 18" wheels then check out the Yokohama Avid W4S for street comfort, it still handles well, doesn't cost too much and wears well.

 

Thanks. I was hoping someone would say "Yeah, I run a XXX size tire (taller than waht you referenced above) with NO rubbing at all!".

Wishful thinking I guess. I'll quit wasting everyone's time with my petty questions because I think I've asked the same thing about three different ways now, and keep getting the same answers.

In all sincereity, thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

You got the simple answer but it is much more complicated. For example-

If you want taller than I mentioned there are several ways to do it but it would be more complicated. The limiting factor is the No rubbing.

Taller than 24.7" may require-
Cutting and trimming of the inner wheel liner plastic or removing the inside wheel well liner completely.
Changing to a suspension that is taller riding than stock for more clearance
Using lower control arms that adjust to more than the usual -2.5 degrees rear camber but that would affect ride comfort and look extreme.
Changing to a wheel diameter smaller than 17"
Using a taller tire but shaving down the tread to make things fit- this reduces tire tread life.
Changing to tires that are more for track with smaller tread depth when new- many track R compound tires are larger sizes and fairly small tire diameter for the size.

However if the requirement is taller because of ride comfort then really you are asking for how to get taller sidewall. The answer is not to use larger wheel diameters. So 15" would be the best solution which has been done with good success.

Disadvantage is the selection of wheel designs in 15" and the look of 15" wheels vs 17 or 18" Note that some wheels only come in the larger sizes so you have to search around for something that you can live with.

Cost and weight of the wheel will be much less with a 15" wheel and 15x7 to 15x8 are workable widths so you can still get fairly wide tires.

For the most street comfort you can choose the following tire sizes-
175/65-15
185/65-15
195/60-15
205/55-15
If you like taller sidewall then these are good choices. The more narrow the tire the taller the sidewall in general and the more comfortable it could be depending on the tire construction and tread design. Narrow cuts snow better and reduces rolling resistance but compromises on handling and fast cornering. Tire selection varies with each size.

The other idea is if you want more comfort in a tire then pick the tire based on it's design qualities- good handling AND good street comfort. Then see what sizes it comes in that are friendly to the MINI. Then pick a rim size that goes with the tire size instead of doing everything based on wheel size.

Some tires like General Exclaim UHP are good in street handling (not as good for performance driving though) but very good for ride comfort so even if they are lower sidewall they can be very usable for daily driving vs some tires that are very stiff for a given sidewall like Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season.

Think about it, if you still need 17 or 18" wheels then I'd suggest looking more at the tires to choose one that is more comfortable then checking sizes in both 17 and 18" that will fit.

In the end you won't really need a tire that is "taller" you can a more comfortable solution that will fit and not rub.

 

Greg,

I got the stock 15' non Runflats with my clubman. I switched up to Kosie 17 inchers' with Yokahama "S" Drives - 205/45/17. I fully expected a harsher ride. But it isn't any harder - In fact it seems even better than the stock wheels and tires. The Yokahama tires are not "MAX" performance they are the next step down, "Ultra high". The only downside to shorter sidewalls is that the shorter the sidewall is the more fragile the tire is. I don't understand why but that's what I've heard. 17's look great on a Clubman. You're going to love your new car.

 

In this example, 15" non runflat All Season tires' street comfort may overlap or be exceeded by a modern Ultra High Performance Summer non runflat tire like the Yokohama S.Drive even in 205/45-17.
see
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....eModel=S.drive
Handling is better with the S.Drive but treadwear and use in snow would favor the stock 15" tire.

You can certainly get a stiffer sidewall tire than the S.Drive so again it is a combination of tire size, construction and design that will determine how useful it will be for a given task.

I would not say that 45 series tires are fragile but with a short sidewall and stiff contruction materials you can transmit shock or force to the rim, suspension or front shock tower plates if you hit a road hazzard or pothole with enough speed. If the pothole i large and deep enough or if you go fast enough you can damage almost any tire or any wheel. Just be careful driving in unfamiliar places, at night, or if you have poor roads.