An Extra Set of tires or two or three........ I know there is plenty about about which tires and wheels people like but this post is about getting extra sets because the thing is there is no perfect tire or wheel combo and its such a headache to have to pick the perfect set,,,, and tires and wheels are so so verrrrry different.


If you run winter tires on their own rims you get the idea its a huge change from the summer performance. Then maybe you add a set for the track, or autocross, or the local circle track. Yes this is expensive in terms of lay out, but these are wear parts and you can always sell trade or whatever. So if you are someone who keeps their car you can build up a nice set. (Save your old tires I sort sets by wear for testing and stock rims are plentiful)


Extra sets of tires are one of the best ways to change up your handling. The best handling set up, is kind of a bit in the wrong direction because it all depends on who, what, where ,when, and why. So Read up on Grip, Slip angle, sidewall's, ratio's, unsprung weight, back spacing, rolling diameter, temperature range, etc.


While most people seem to be interested in larger rims with low ratio, its not the whole story, I have a 15 inch set of steelies on my agenda in hopes of keeping my Wilwood brakes but getting some 10 in wide rims for slicks or knobies (yes the mini takes to dirt like you would not believe that mid end torque of my Gen2 S is fun). Gearing is my interest in smaller wheels. I had a set of Conti DWS on 16's that I would put on and the torque and acceleration was huge compared to my 17's. The overall height difference with inflation was about 1.5 inches because of soft sidewalls (that lowers the car as well). Be Aware that rolling radius and aspect ratio are important and aspect ratio can be about 10% off so get actual sizes. Also the widest rim width is usually the best for a given tire size with wider rims giving the flattest contact patch.

I think sidewall construction is more important than compound but thats my take. Most important is feel and feed back in a corner thats one reason for a softer setup in general, though I like low and firm, its useless on one of my favorite switchbacks because of a bump on the fifth corner. (16's with 50's work in this case) (7in a row, one over 180 with elevation change????)

Any way Its taken me a long time to really get tires even a little,,,,, so I thought I would throw this out for anyone thinking about how to make their car handle better or enjoy their Mini. Oh brake pads,,,, several set are good as well, same idea.

Oh just found a new line through an old turn, was going as far outside as possible but came in middling this time got even tighter on the inside than I thought possible!!!!!! got the rev match perfect for a change too.

 

I think tires are absolutely the biggest bang for the buck mod you can make for practically every car, but you do have to be careful with compounds depending on your circumstance (street/autox/track) -some work well with little heat, but can become overwhelmed on a track (Kuhmo V720, probably RE71Rs too), others take some heat to work best.

I have way too many sets (I buy used whenever possible btw)…

-Original s-spokes and cheap all seasons that came with the car (just keeping around in case I ever trade it in)
-Black R112 JCW Challenge Spokes with Dunlop runflats (daily summer set)
-Steelies (16x6.5) with Blizzaks (daily winter setup)
-Kosei K1TS (17x7) with old 235/40 Yoko AB08s (and old autocross/track setup, actually tried to sell but no takers… will probably burn through the tires and sell the wheels)
-Black Enkei RPF1 with new 215/45 Kuhmo V720s (fresh autocross setup)

I also agree with you that larger wheels with lower profile tires is not the whole story (often just ends up heavier... I'd really only upsize if needed to fit bigger brakes).

Preferring a “low and firm” setup reminds me a bit of a quote from a bass player Mike Watt of the minutemen, about how when he started playing guitar he didn’t realize you had to tune it a certain way, he thought some people just preferred the stings tight, or “well I like ‘em loose”…

Anyway if I’m only driving streets and backroads, then I really have no use for that extra tenth of a second, so things like wear, comfort/feel, and versatility in different conditions become more important. Go ahead with “spirited” driving, but I don’t see why anybody needs to push to 10/10ths on the street, if you think you are then you’re probably not, if you really are it’s a matter of time until it goes poorly (maybe I’m just becoming a bitter old man).

 

Good point about temperature and compound

Warm up aside, On 90-100 degree days tires are way different than at 60, and at 45 a summer performance might not warm up enough. On really hot days I just change to an old set thats a bit harder and Im ok beating on,

which brings up the point about compound aging, tires do get harder over time so there is no point in not using them up, Ive seen 2 years mentioned as how long they remain really fresh, Ha (ive got beaters 5 years old not terrible yet)

And All season performance is an interesting category because they still perform at lower temps some are even ok on a track day, and have good wear.

And yes try used even if they arent perfect or you even hate them they will give you a new point of comparison and can still be passed on to someone who might find use for them

Wear can be a huge issue on performance compound or race slicks (gone in a few track days even) and even if you see a tire that isint getting the buzz it might fit your needs better because it gives you more time to get used to it and drive better because of that time.

As for the fastest line, I like any line that makes me smile. I go wide occasionally even if I know its way off just see how it goes. I guess not trying to win anything I dont really need to be fast just like the corners SAFELY.

 

I've had dedicated summer/winter wheels/tires on my cars for the past 5 or 6 years, it's absolutely worth it if you see the full spread of seasons where you live and can afford it. I'd love to have some all seasons for early spring/late fall, since winters can be a bit boring and long in the tooth, but you can't go wrong having full on (ie. not performance oriented) snows for the winter and full on max perf summers for the warmer months.

For me, Altimax Arctics for the winter and either PSS or Conti DW for the summer strike a nice balance - no matter the car.

--Matt

 

Just had another close encounter with a deer my favorite four legged friends, and again Im thankful for having a better than good set of tires.

So if you come across this and are thinking its a bit over the top, add safety to the list, if I was on the stock runflats I would never have avoided this critter, and that makes the investment in extra tires well worth the cost.

 

I ran 3 sets....
Had intended to run 2....but got a set if rims cheap...lol.
I had the OEM MINI rims....kept all-season UHP TIRES ON THEM...summer and fall....would have lived a true summer tire, but occasional cold night kept me Leary of it here in NH...a good UHP is pretty darn good for summer use though .
Then I got a set of rims for winter tires....loved running winters in the snow...but sometimes they were less than ideal early or late season use.....
So I found a set of OEM takoff rims...sold the tires a TPM and sensors...result was free rims...
So I picked up a inexpensive set of all-season tires...
Used them for a couple winters with limited snow, was a decent compromise...
Did I change my tires 3-4 times a year, no....
I just ran UHP in the summer, then picked what I would run for the winter...
Snows are great, but in a mild winter, they can be overkill at times, especially when I could take a 4x4.
Yes....I did have at least one 4x4 tailgate my MINI up a ramp in a snowstorm ....I had snows, they didn't...about halfway up the ramp...the jerk was buried in a snowbank!! Yes...made me smile...snows are great, but can be a bit "greasy " on warmer days, or in the rain depending on the brand of snows...and the fact they wear EXTREMELY FAST....if you drive lots of miles, you can use a set in 2 season's , or even one in many cases.
Just things to consider.

 

Tires are a big deal but not everyone can budget to have extra sets plus potentially extra sets of wheels.

For me in the past:

1. Dedicated track wheels and tires on a budget-
15" OEM holley rims with either Kumho Victoracer or Michelin Pilot Cup tires 205/50-15
2. Race tires and wheels-
15x8" 949 racing 6UL rims with Kumho V710 or Hoosier A6 in 225/45-15 or 225/50-15
3. Daily street tires for comfort and longer wear-
15" OEM holley rims with Grand Touring All Season tires 195/60-15 Bridgestone EP422 or OEM conti in OEM size.
4. Street tires with good performance and OK wear and comfort-
15" OEM holley rims with ultra High Perf All Season tires 195/60-15 Bridgestone RE960AS
5. Rallycross wheels and tires-
Tirerack 15x6" wheels with Rallycross knobby tires in front and Firestone winter tires rear
6. Test and Tune/Practice wheels for autocross-
SSR Comp 16x7" with BFG Rival 215/45-16
7. Car Show or MINI event-
OEM R84 2 piece spoke wheels with Dunlop runflats 205/45-17
8. Driving around, car cruise or road trip with performance handling-
Centerline RPM 17x7" with Bridgestone Extreme or Max Summer tires 215/45-17

Yes, up to 8 working sets of wheels and tires with specific tasks in mind. I have trimmed the number down from time to time depending on event activity and am at about 5 sets for now.

You can also have a set of wet race tires, they are very good.

I usually do not have the same model tire in different sizes given I have many diameter wheels. If I want comfort I will go with 15" wheels and if I want handling then either 16" or 17" wheels.

When possible I go with very light wheels within a reasonable price range and yes I have multiple sets of the same wheels.

 

All right you win.

But it is an interesting thread.

In the Northeast here, there are different needs. Given the colder weather the all season tires make more sense than summer tires. I tried them but there were too many times I would take off in the morning to find them a bit glass like. Hence a set of AS tire. Then there are the actual winter tires because I ski and all season really means 3 seasons. And for the track and autocross there are the R888s for the dry and the ZIIs for the wet. But you know that can never be enough, I have a set of RE71Rs on 15" rims to see if lowering the car by an inch gains me anything besides less expense.

 

Hah!

It's not a matter of "winning" but rather choose the right tire (and wheel) set for the right purpose or use dedictated tires to suit the need.

If I had a winter to drive in I would be looking at Blizzaks. Rallycross is pretty close to winter driving where I live.

The other thing I didn't specifically mention is with colder weather in some parts of the country, an all season tire that can handle some cold is almost a requirement if you don't want to swap out summer tires that don't handle cold.

And if you have lots of wet weather then wet handling is almost a requirement for safety for street use.

I see lots of wet conditions but not the cold, still your tires keep you out of trouble in cornering and braking when wet. Safest just to slow down a little and not expect dry handling in the wet, especially light rain.

 

Blizzaks rule!

I have them in the run flats as I intended to never have to change a tire at night, when it is 10 deg out and it is a blinding snow storm.

I will say, however, that the performance snow tires that I have are not as good as the studless ice and snow tires I put on my wife's MINI.

As for the track tires I have, I tried for light weight, but need to clear the BBK. While 16" wheels would clear, the selection of tires is not as good as it is for 17" wheels and they are not that much lighter, so I went with the 17s. But the price is high for 17" tires so I jumped on a chance to get a set of 15" wheels and tires. I needed to downsize the brakes (easily done). I didn't loose much braking and I dropped 12 lbs a wheel/tire off the car; almost 50# total. An amazing difference was had.

In all, this is about compromise and determining what is most important and what is least important. To wit - my DD street tires and snows are on 16" wheels to get the better ride over better, ultimate handling.

 

I now have tire envy, I knew there was a price to pay for starting this.

Im glad 15's have some fans. when I get the chance I think next will be some15x10 Basset steel wheels with Hoosier 275/35-15 A7's, 245's would make more sense........... ,

Hey the back road up Mauna Loa, you need to swap out for snows. Ah one day,

Oh down the road at Volcano National Park can that be a hill climb event. I mean up.

 

Not sure you will have room for 10" wide wheels. I have seen 225-45x15 on 8" wide rims on R53s, but I would hesitate to fit those on my R56. I have a set of 225-45x17 on 7" wide wheels with a 45mm ET and they rub in the back. I had to move those inboard from the 38mm ET wheels they were first on; those really rubbed. It may be because they are R888s (which have the widest tread for any one tire size).

I've been down and back up the road Volcano National Park. Nice. But for a really MINI road, a run on the road to Hana would be the best, as long as there are no school buses going the other direction...

 

10 inchers will be a a bit of a challenge and need some mods, and actually at this point I am running the oilpump dry at times so a drysump has to come first,


and at what point is this just building a full racer (need a roll cage if running that hard), A formula ford would be one way to go but then its truck and trailer, also I kind of want the possibility of some rally runs.


Many different tires, fully adjustable suspension and one car, Maybe 2 of the same exact model Mini. Oh no More than one set of Mini's. And the R56's front bottom A-arm with the open stamping how hard can you push into the thing, I had one fold in my wipe out a while back.


Oh on young modulus for high strength steels, normally accepted as 200GPa, a study found they went to 240GPa. I think most of the time you have a good safety factor in place so going to the trouble to test each batch is considered a waste, on the other side once in awhile a bad or mislabeled batch gets through. I was just getting piston pins for the drysump build and the standard are called chromemoly and I keep thinking yes but what chromemoly its the steel with the most ridiculous strength range.




How about from the bottom of Volcano National Park all the way to the Observatory at the top, I like Pikes Peak but that could beat it.

 

Euler I think you are spinning out of control.

I know this is a bit off topic, but seeing how you brought it up, what are you using to tell you that you are running the oil pump dry and how are you making the dry pump system?

Do you have an R56? Hopefully you know that if you loose oil pressure it can result in failure of the vacuum pump and that can seize up, taking out the camshaft and the rest of the engine. I'd be looking at replacing the vacuum pump.

 

You need a baffled oil pan.....that's the fix for loosing oil psi in hard turns...on a motor designed for a WET sump anyway....

 

Does someone make a baffled oil pan for the MINI? I've see one discussed here on NAM but it didn't impress me. Besides at what g loads does one need to be seeing in a turn to have to worry about this issue? I've seen 1+ g's and had no problems with oil pressure.

 

I first found a low oil fault and recovery event in the ECU logs after a track day (I use a BMW compatible reader if it matters).

I tried a clear 1 quart container taped to the dash with light oil in it and well it becomes apparent why drysumps have been around forever. I think if cars stayed flat they might work better but add some roll and road angle and a switch back, not even a fast on ramp, and that the pick up is somewhat central in a square shallow pan, and you have to have the pump pickup fully covered and well you get air in the system, and you dont have be at 1g.

to be fair a shot of air isnt great but you do have a moment before the oil film starts to go. but it has made me slow down in corners and cant be good in the long term.

There are baffle solutions I think Detroit Tuned maybe, But I found a Formula E right up on trying a baffle system and it convinced me to go drysump, plus the drysump adds vacuum and if done right less foaming, and hopefully it can also solve the oil vapor intake issue.

Tires have just outgrown wet sumps. Oh remember braking forces.

 

I did get off topic with the Dry Sump and how far to go with the car. Please consider the idea's of this thread about tires to be about any level of car. It took me a long time to spend extra on tires and even longer to have extra sets, Its a good idea when you can.

As far as actually changing up tires, its kind of like washing a car once you get a set up and do it a few times its kind of relaxing.

I will open a thread about the drysump set up but as there is no room to the front of the engine for a glimer belt drive it will be fun