Let me just start off by saying, I know absolutely nothing about wheels...

I have an 06 R53 with stock wheels and 195/55 tires. From what I have been able to find out researching is that the stock wheels come with +48mm offset? I have tried researching offset for the past week, but it just does not make any sense to me... it confuses the crap out of me.

Now, the stock ride height... The front is still the stock ride height for me, but the rear is not. I am an audio enthusiast and I have stuffed a lot of audio equipment where the back seats use to be. The rear ride height hasn't changed terribly much, I don't rub or anything even when going over speed bumps. Just putting your fingers in between the tire and wheel well is a VERY tight fit.

With that said, I do not plan on lowering my car, just plan on keeping the ride height that I currently have.

So my questions are, what size wheels should I be on the lookout for, and what is the lowest offset I can go without having to do any real modifications to? Also, from what I have found from research is the stock size is 16x6.5. So with my rear being close as it is now, would I be able to comfortably be able to fit 17's on there without rubbing?

Sorry for the wall of text... Hope somebody takes their time to read it and help me out, have a good day!

 

Yes the stock wheel offset is 48mm. If you have that much weight in it that you are that close to the tire you will rub with 16 or 17 if you it a big enough bump or throw it into a turn IMO. Post some pics and maybe then we can really try to help you out.

 

If I had to guess how much weight I have added into the rear it would be roughly 350-400 pounds. About going over bumps and stuff, I always go slow over them. Not trying to go over a bump fast, and randomly have any part of that equipment come loose and fly around the car haha. Just snapped 2 shots of my rear tire, it was with a cellphone and it is dark outside so I apologize for the images.






EDIT: Here is the only picture of the entire car I have on-hand right now if it helps. If more pictures are needed I can snap a few tomorrow.

 

All wheels come with offset as defined as:
http://blog.tirerack.com/blog/tire-r...-is-rim-offset

If the offset number is larger then the wheel sits more inward toward the suspension parts. A smaller offset means the wheel will stick outward and is more likely to rub against the inner edge of the rear wheel arch plastic.

Using stock 16x6.5" wheels you can gain more clearance in your rear by using 205/50-16 which is a good size. There are good tires to choose from in that size.
see
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...50&diameter=16
Continental ExtremeContact DW for $89 each, Max Summer tire, 340 treadwear
Continental ExtremeContact DWS for $117 each, UHP All season tire, 540 treadwear
Kumho ecsta 4X for $88 each, UHP All season tire, 420 treadwear

If you have cold weather or any snow then an All season tire would be better than a summer tire.

205/50-16 fits rims 5.5-7.5" wide, you can replace the stock rims with wider rims like 16x7 or 16x7.5" as long as the offset is not overly aggressive, like about +40 to 42mm.

Moving to 17" wheels brings a new set of problems. Tire sizes would be limited, 205/45-17 being the best in width and tire diameter for clearance using stock 17x7" or 17x7.5" wheels with offset about +40 to 45mm.

If you use 215/45-17 it is taller than stock so your rears would rub plus it is wider than stock. 215/40-17 will likely fit but the lower stiffer 40 series sidewall is very rough riding on anything but smooth roads. 205/50-16 is a much more forgiving tire size and much less jarring especially if you pick the continental tires I mentioned.

 

Thank you for the detailed reply minihune. The problem with staying with the stock size is I have not really came across any wheels the same size.. I have came across 16x7's, but not many 16x6.5's. Would those tires you posted fit fine onto 16x7 wheels?

So would I be okay with changing the width from 6.5, to 7, while also bringing the offset from 48 to 38?

 

One suggestion....check the rear struts...
Having 300-400 lbs of weight in the back is like having 2 adults in the rear...should not rub...and going to a wider rim might make any rubs a bit worse.
I have gone with a mentioned alternate 16 size, to save some $$, but the 4 mph speedo differance at highway speed is slightly annoying, and it does make the gaps a bit larger.
Next time i buy 16' tires i will get the stock 195/55r16 size...will likly just order them...so it just takes a few days of planning.
I DO find i like the lightness of steering and handling with 16 rims....heck in SOME ways it gets even better when i have my 15's on for winter....but back to the question, i would check that your rear struts are ok....they do get extra firm as they age....and could sag if they leak.
One solution....not tge best handling wise, is to use a spacer in the rear spring (if it checks out mechanically) to help compensate for the extra weight you have added from the amps to make the car more level....if you drive you car "normally" you would not likly notice it...if more aggressive ...might not be a good choice.

 

If you have more than 400 extra pounds of weight in the rear then I would expect the rear shocks to wear out faster than usual so check them regularly for leaks and wear.

Assuming you are not wanting to have nimble handling you can use either 195/55-16 or 205/50-16 on a 16x7 wheel.

16x6.5" offset 48mm is stock, compared to 16x7" offset 38mm means the width is 12.9mm wider and 10mm pushed outward vs stock. Take half of the wheel width or 6.45 and add that to the difference in offset of 10mm you get 16.45mm. This is 0.65 inch more outward than stock-or your current wheels.

To gain more rear clearance you can-
Change the rear shocks to something stiffer
Change the rear springs to a higher weight rating
Add rear adjustable control arms to allow for more rear negative camber
Trim the rear inside edges of the plastic arches with a dremmel tool
Use a tire that is 195/55-16 since it is more narrow or 205/50-16 since it is slightly smaller in tire diameter vs stock.

You don't have to do all of these but you can try a few. More rear negative camber definitely helps as it tilts the rear tire inward. You can't change tire diameter much so don't use a tire with a tall height like 205/55-16 or 215/45-17.

The 16x7" wheel is fine but not wider, offset of 42 or 45 offers more clearance than 38 which is more aggressive.

In 195/55-16 there is a good tire to look at-
Bridgestone Potenza RE-9760AS runflat for $141 each. It doesn't come in the RE970AS or non runflat RE960AS. If you don't mind runflats this is a good UHP all season tire.
Other non runflat tires in same size-
Kumho ecsta 4X for $86 each, UHP all season tire
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 $106 each closeout but in stock, Grand Touring All Season tire

 

I have a statement and a question in regards to this topic:

1) Minihune is AWESOME and I discovered the Continental DW via his reference. Currently on the car and I love em. Price is nice too. Ridiculous confidence at speed in the rain.

2) What the heck kind of audio is in your Mini that weighs 400lbs? And we all want to see a photo of it.


EDIT: looks like my work's firewall was blocking your images. Darn.

 

Man you are throwing a lot of information at me, I really appreciate it. I do check the rear of the car, not on a schedule or anything. But I look over the entire car from time to time to check up on everything. So far the weight in it is good as it sits right now.

I did a little more searching today while I had some free time and I found some wheels that are the stock size that I like a lot. The only problem is I think they are an older model that may be discontinued or something? But they are the XXR 518's (http://www.xxrwheels.com/xxr_518.shtml) I'm not sure what it is about them, but I really like them! And I assume since they are the stock size, just a different offset (+40), this would be a good choice with not having any actual problems of rubbing? I tried looking up places to buy them from, but since I have never bought wheels online (or at all for that matter...) I'm not sure if the websites are legit or not.

I found them on: customwheelsdirect, sonicmotor, and wheelplususa.
If anybody has information on those websites consisting if they are a legitimate company to give my money to, it would be greatly appreciated.

To tremperj, the setup consist of..
Sub Stage:
(4) Sundown Audio SA-12's
(1) AQ2200D

Highs Stage:
(4) Cadence 5.25's (2 behind your head on each side of the car)
(8) Cadence Tweeters (Mounted with the 5.25's behind your head, 4 each side)
(1) RF300.4 (Only running 2 channels currently. Waiting to get 2 more sets for the front doors)

Electrical:
Stock Alt (Have a 200a from Singer Alt waiting to be installed)
(1) Kinetik 1400 (in place of the stock battery)
(1) Kinetik 2400 (as my extra)
All Wiring is KnuKonceptz OFC. Tons of 1/0 & 4Gauge

Only picture I currently have on my photobucket for you

 

One word "WOW". Not sure why? but to each is own.

 

The XXR 518 wheel is similar in size to stock 16", offset 40mm means it will poke outward by 8mm which is minimal if tire diameter size is stock or smaller.

see
http://firstchoicewheelsandtires.com...heel&item=4154

You are not limited to stock 16", 16x7 is also OK and will fit the tire sizes I listed.
I don't know the wheel vendors mentioned.

Audio upgrades can be heavy from:
Speaker magnets- especially the larger diameter subs
Speaker enclosures
Amps
Extra batteries to play the system when engine is off
Sound deadening material everywhere in multiple layers

 

I doubted anybody on this forum would like what I did to my MINI. But, like you said, it's for me, not others.

Also to minihune I appreciate you being very helpful and answering me very clearly. I'm still not sure what I am going to go, time to browse for a while! But at least I know what to look out for now. Also that link you posted, is that a legitimate website to buy from?

 

When buying wheels you always have to be careful about which vendor you choose.

I don't have experience with any of the wheel vendors you mentioned. Even though the wheel is listed they might not have it in stock in the fitment or color you want. You should contact them. The other thing is ask what the weight is since the heavier the wheel the more power is needed to accelerate or brake. Light wheels are good if you have a choice.

You can look up your stock wheels here-
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f...factory_wheels

16x6.5 stock MINI wheels weigh about 16.5 to 20 lbs each. Some cheap alloy wheels that are 16x7 will weigh over 20 lbs each. Anything close to 24+ lbs is too heavy in my book. If you only like the looks and don't drive fast then it doesn't matter, buy for the looks.

Not sure about what finish you want for the wheels. Dark colors are aggressive and don't show dirt and brake dust. Anything light in color or shiny shows brake dust easily. Don't leave wheels dirty for very long or the finish will break down. Wash or clean your wheels once a week. There are wheel sprays that you rinse off that make it easy.