I have read quite a few threads on tire size and such and could use some advice on a set of tires for my Clubman S, brand but more importantly size. The wheels that I am leaning towards are the Hamann HM4, in the 17x8 configuration.

1. This is a purely summer ride, as I am keeping the stock 16's for winter.
2. The car will not be lowered and I am keeping stock springs as well.
3. Want an aggressive look
4. Do no want an large wheel gap
5. Willing to sacrifice some performance for a more comfortable ride and quieter sound.
6. Don't care for the streched look

I was thinking the Goodyear Eagle F1's in either 215/40/17 or 215/45/17.

Cheers,
Curtis

 

Take advantage of the 8" width and go for some 235/40-17s. They will fit, especially on a car that isn't lowered, and they look wicked. The overall tire diameter for that size calculates out to be the same as the stock 205/45-17s. A friend has the Hamman 18x8 wheels on his MCS and is running 225/35-18s and his car is lowered. The Hamman wheels have the right offset to make the wider wheels and tires work. I know someone else running 235/40-17s on 7.5" wheels with a lowered car - also looks wicked. If you're not planning to lower your car, the 215/40-17s will look slightly small in diameter, and will increase your wheel gap a little.

 

235's are nice but in my 03 S I have 225's not lowered and if I have 2 people in the back seat they rub on the inner fender liner when I go over a small bump.... but then again, I very rarely carry more than 1 passenger.

 

Like the sound of that.

I don't like the sound of that.


The car will not be the primary family car, but the family will be using it. It is a small family though, a 2 and 4 year old. So would I have to worry about rubbing in a 235/40/17?

 

Hard to say for sure. I noticed after I posted that your car is a Clubman. The cars I know of with the 235s are R53s. The Clubmans probably have a bit more weight over the rear wheels than the hartops, and they do look like they sit slightly lower in the rear than the R56 hardtops, so there may be rubbing issues with kids/stuff in the back.

Check with MachVDan on NAM http://www.fastmini.net/springs.html - iirc, he's running 235/40-17s on his lowered R56 hardtop. Might have some more info for you.

 

Honestly on a Clubman I'm not sure. I can only comfortably say that I personally wouldn't go any wider than 225. But that is my preference.

 

I agree that 225s would probably be good. Are yours 225/40-17s? That's an unusual size. What kind of tires are they?

 

225/45-17 Thats what was on it when I bought the car. They fill out the wheel wells very nicely on a non lowered car. I put pics in my gallery of them.

kumho ecsta ast, they are an all season. They ride nice they are quiet and if I want to throw it into a corner they stick really well for an all season. I really didn't want to have to swap wheels/tires out in the winter... I have no place to store them.

 

Well I don't want any potential problems so 235's are not in the picture. I like the look of your 225/45/17's and it does have a nice wheel gap. I'm thinking that a 40 would give it a little more of an aggressive look and it looks as if 225/40/17 is a rare size.

I'm down to two sizes then, 225/45 or 215/40. Would the 215/40/17's look stretched and how much more wheel gap would there be? Thinking I would be fine with less than an inch.

 

Both look fine I have seen 40's in some other pics via google. The only thing is a 40 will not ride as good as a 45. Not a whole lot of diff. but the extra 5 mm to me seemed like a good idea b/c Illinois roads quite frankly are absolutely horrible and I didn't want to bend a rim ona good sized pothole.

 

Why not split the difference, then, and go with 215/45-17s? It's a common size - there are a LOT of tires that size out there, and a lot of MINIs are running that size. They would be both slightly wider and slightly taller than the stock 205/45-17s, but not so much in either direction that you would run into clearance issues. 215/40-17s would definitely look stretched on an 8" wide wheel, the 215/45s maybe a little less so because of the taller sidewall. Keep in mind, too, that different manufacturers' tires will vary in actual width a bit for the same size tire. I've seen a couple 215/40-17s installed on 7.5" wide wheels, and they looked like 235s in width. Others not so.

 

Thanks for the info. I thought that 215/45's would be too tall on the car and that the 215/40's would give the car a more aggressive look. As far as different tire widths for different tire brands, that is just confusing. You wouldn't know off the top of your head a tire that is wider than normal or say a good website for that kind of info?

A couple forums have pointed to the Dunlop Direzza as a very wide tire.http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...d.php?t=151598

Kind of leaning towards that, but again would the wheel gap be noticeable big and would I be better off just getting the same tire in the 215/45/17?

 

+1 on 225/45/17. I have Nitto Nt-01 and they're fantastic. I did get a little rubbing on the back but I was on the North Course of VIR running them. That course has a lot of quick elevation changes. I think you'd be happy with them even on a clubman (not necessarily reccomending the Nitto's since you aren't tracking the car lol).

 

Yeah, I almost mentioned the Direzzas as a "wide for its size" tire. The 215/40s I saw looked more like a 225 width. The other one is a Yokohama, but I don't recall the particular tire. Don't know of any way to tell which manufacturers' tires run wider vs. narrower other than going out and looking at actual tires. Tire sizes, like treadwear ratings, are somewhat loosely interpreted, and are not exact when comparing tires from different manufacturers. They're close, of course, but some are wider/taller/etc. than others.

The 215/45s should be fine, heightwise. They're really not that much taller than a 205/45 (215s calculate to 24.62" diameter vs. 205s being 24.26" - so .36" difference), but they do actually make a bit of a visual difference in filling up the wheelwells. 225/45s will be a bit taller, still, and I'd start wondering about rubbing, especially if you're going to have kids and gear in the back regularly.

The Direzzas in the 215/45 size would probably work well for you, especially on an 8" wide wheel. They're wide enough that they wouldn't look too stretched, and the slightly taller sidewalls would close up the wheel gap a bit, and on that wide a wheel they'd look plenty wide.

 

Thank you, you have all been very helpful. I think I will get the Dunlops in 215/45/17's .

Cheers

 

I hope they work out for you. They're supposed to be great tires. Let us know how it goes.

 

Oh woops, I forgot that I had my back seats out at the track and they still rubbed. That wouldn't be a good recipe with the Clubman and all that extra space in the back and the boot. Forget I said anything...

 

Curtis,

HM3 is 17x8.5 not 17x8 and doesn't fit the MINI- see below.

Before you order tires try emailing or talk to Alex@tirerack.com

215/45-17 will work for 17x8 rim and your suspension.
215/40-17 is too small on tire diameter, that would increase wheel gap.

225/45-17 is too tall at 25" tire diameter to avoid all rubbing under load- that is the biggest problem.

235/40-17 is possible but works best with 17x8 rim and not the stock 17x7 rim. That size works with 8 to 9.5" wide rims.

What is the wheel offset for the Hamann HM3? It's a 17x8.5 rim.
http://www.bavauto.com/se1.asp?dept_id=362
Doesn't look like it will fit the MINI.

I searched but didn't really find HM3 in 17x8- where are you buying it from?

I do find Hamann HM4 for the MINI in 17x8 and that will fit the MINI. Check your sources.

If you don't mind the higher price for street use and comfort with good handling in 235/40-17:
see
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 $206 each Max Performance Summer tire 220 treadwear
Or (also higher priced but very good on handling)
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric $182 each Max Summer tire 240 treadwear

For better value in same size-
Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec $142 each Extreme Summer tire
200 treadwear
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx $129 each Max Summer tire 240 treadwear

Confirm with Alex that the 235/40-17 size will work with the wheel offset you intend to use. 235/40-17 opens up many more good tires to choose from and is much more aggressive but the tire is about 1" wider on tire section and about 0.6" wider on tread width than 215/45-17. Both are similar in tire diameter at about 24.5"+

You won't get rubbing because it is not as tall as the 225/45-17.

 

Yeah I meant the HM4, sorry about that. Thanks for the info, I'll need some time digest all that.

 

is your car lowered? my 235's only rub with people in the back seat

 

No, my car isn't lowered. But I was on VIR which has a lot of elevation changes and tough corners. The rubbing was VERY minimal so I'm not worried. Do you track your car (obviously not with people in the back)? I think if you did you would get some rubbing on the inside of the fender even with your back seats out (as I did). Check my gallery, you can see how the 225/45 tires come right up to the fender.

That said, I would like to lower my car on maybe some CROSS coilovers. But, of course, I would add camber to tuck the wheels under the wheel wells if I did that.

Nick

 

I've never had my mini on an actual track, but if I throw it in a corner of take and on/off ramp at high speed I get nothing. Maybe I'm just lucky, who knows.

 

I do have 38mm offset rims:

 

ah. I'm running stock 17"s

 

I have the hamann HM4's and have been running 215/40/17 for almost a year. No probs whatsoever and im on the stock suspension.