I should, but I'm not going. :-) I don't think they'll be on before the dinner on Monday, however.

 

I got my wheels today! All was not perfect, however. I forgot to specify color, so I ended up with the all-silver Konig Rewinds. They're actually silver in the middle with a polished rim. I'd wanted the graphite centers, but I decided to bite the bullet and keep them. I could always get them powder coated black or something later on. The other problem is that they're shaking pretty bad above 50mph. They didn't use centering rings and local MINI Guru Waylen (of Way Motor Werks) says they're needed. I'm actually seeing some conflicting information on that; either I need the rings to keep the wheels centered and make the vibration go away, or they did the WORST possible job balancing the wheels. The shop (Discount Tire) is ordering centering rings for me on Monday (at add'l cost...), and they should be in next week some time.

The good news is that the 225/50/15 Yokohama AVS ES100 tires fit very nicely, with no rubbing. While the car was on the lift, I was able to stick my head under there and verify that there was space between the tire and the strut. There's not enough room to get a finger between them, but I'd say there's a good 3/8" to 1/2" of clearance. They look pretty sweet, although they do look wider than I thought they would.

OMG, the ride is fantastic!!! The new tires soaked up bumps and rough pavement like nothing was wrong; these are the same bumps and rough pavement that an hour prior with the 17" Goodyear (bad-in) all seasons had me checking to see if I'd lost any fillings or major components of the car. Woo hoo!

Initial steering response (turn-in) is noticeably slower, which I expected. I haven't had time to attack any respectable corners, and I've still gotta get the schmutz (technical synonym for "mold release agent") off the tires and get this whole hub ring fiasco figured out. Grip is definitely up, however!

 

As a very temporary fix for no hub centering rings, you could try wrapping vinyl tape around the hub to increase its size to match the rims.

 

glad that in the end it all worked out and everything fits

Do you have any pics yet? I'm eager to see what silver looks like on these wheels. Ironically i have the anthracite ones and find myself wishing they had a silver finish now that i have a new MCS on order with a different color combo from my current car

 

Congratulations! I can't wait to see the pics!!!

 

deleted

 

Any other colors to choose from? I bet that when you get the rings, all problems will be a memmory. Post some pix. I wish you were able to go on the MINICCI drive!

 

RallyMINI, if you decide you want to switch, let me know. Ohio's not that far of a drive! ;-)

I'll take some pictures this morning; I just didn't have time yesterday. I'll warn y'all well in advance, tho: it's rained for three days straight here, so the car's not gonna be clean!

James, only two colors I'm aware of: graphite and silver. The silver's quite a bit brighter than the colors the S-lites are painted. It's *almost* a polished look. It isn't bad, just not what I'd been wanting.

I do wish I were going on the club drive, but I just can't swing it. My bank account's running kind of lean; I've got several more purchases before the first DE school at Putnam in April, and boarding two dogs is both expensive and a hassle. C'est la vie!

 

Love the wheels and may consider a switch in the future, but things like offsets and spacers and such and comparing aspect ratios between 15" 16" and 17" tires tend to hurt my head.

So, I take the following after reading this thread:
1. These wheels with fit the stock lugs, and if mounted on 205/55 R15 AVS ES100's, or, 225/50R15 Michelin Pilot Sport Cups w/Flik Blast-C wheels andw/ +42 offset, they will not rub.
2. They will most likely not fit over the JCW brakes.
3. I should expect slower steering response (was not expecting that, could someone explain why?), better accelleration and definately ride suppleness as comapred to the stock s-lites.
4. I should expect a little less absolute grip as comapred to the stock S-lites (due to less rubber incontact with road).

Am a bit confused about spring rates and such, however. Maybe someone can expalin. I presume that Mini specifically sets the factory spring rate to the spring rate of the factory spec'd tire. Would not reducing the spring rate of the tire, that is going to a softer, non-runflat 15", adversly affect the ride? Maybe offering less grip or a less controlled ride? Apparently not as a number of drivers have written glowing reviews regarding the switch, but I don't get it. Maybe Mini has erred in their spring rate decision? I'm probably missing something.

 

I agree it can be kind of daunting. That's why I was anxious to go with these wheels because DiD and the RallyMINIs already proved that they work.

I'm not sure what you're referring to with aspect ratio. The cross-section width, ie. the first number in 225/50/15, stays the same regardless of rim size. The 2nd number is the sidewall height, and is a percentage of the width. So a 225/50 tire is 225mm wide and 112.5mm tall. 205 and 225 width tires seem to have a fair number of brands and models available, but I found far fewer at 215.

DiD's got the 205/55 ES100s, and I'm using 225/50 ES100s. Both fit, mine are a *lot* wider and don't have any rubbing. The Rewinds are +40 offset. I'd imagine that +42 would work fine with 205 or 215 tires, but I think you're *really* pushing it if you try to do 225s.

I believe that's correct. The JCW brakes require a 17" wheel, if I recall.

The slower steering response, for me, is due in part to the wider tires, but also because of the taller sidewalls. The taller tires flex more; so, when you turn the wheel, the tire will resist the change in direction. Lower profile tires will have a sharper steering response.

You can have a supple ride with the S-heavies by going with a non-runflat tire. You don't need to go to a smaller wheel to get that. These rims are pretty durn light, however.

Incorrect. The stock tires on the S-heavies are 205 width. As long as you keep that width, you're keeping the same amount of rubber in contact with the road (all other things being equal).

Someone more technically minded (like Randy Webb) might have more insight into this. I can't speak to it.

 

I put together a / with a small batch of pictures I took this morning. I welcome everyone's feedback on both the width and the color. I'm not convinced on the color, but I own 'em regardless. ;-)

 

blalor,
Thanks a lot for the in-depth reply. A lot of great information there to help me make a decision. I really appreciate the time and effort.

 

Sorry about possible hijack here. Will be ordering this Saturday (MCS with JCW, Cold Weather, Sport, HK and multifunction wheel) Undecided about the JCW brake package. I really like the benefits and looks of the smaller wheelsets but also like the feel and performance of the JCW brakes. Unfortunately I don't think I can have cake and eat it as well.

 

Looks sharp, blalor. A little tint on your windows would really set things off!
Here are a couple of lousy pics of my S with Rewinds & 711 215-50s.



The tires don't rub at all and are 8.9" wide & 23.5" tall . I wanted silver centers, but found the graphites close by & cheap. They've really grown on me. When they get dirty, I decide I don't like them so much. Then I wash the car & love 'em all over again. (Wonder if this works for children & pets?)

 

Thanks, Bodinski! Your car really looks great! What color is that? Hyper Blue?

Tint (probably Huper Optik brand) and new viper stripes are planned at some point, but they fall below must-haves like a helmet, harnesses, and gasoline. :-)

I ran into a guy at Target tonight with a Lotus Seven replica that's essentially a daily driver (I forgot to ask him how what happens when it rains. He probably gets wet!); he's also an autocross nut. He came over when I was taking some pictures (which I just added to the set on Flickr) and immediately noticed the wider rubber. His comments were very positive, so that made me feel good. :-)

 

Glad to help, mg5904. I think if you're ordering the JCW kit from the factory, you don't have a choice in the brake kit; I believe it's part of the overall package. I could be wrong on that, however.

Now I just can't wait to get the break-in on the wheels over with and get those stupid centering rings!

 

You are correct! I guess that takes care of that. Back to searching the forum for a smaller alternative than those S-heavies.

Have fun after the breakin-in and good luck on the center caps!

 

Having never seen them before I stayed away from the silver, but looking at them now they'd probably go pretty well with my MINI's silver roof option.

 

agreed....they look great in silver, very cool. And the new MCS i ordered is coming with a silver roof...

up for a trade? i have the anthracites

 

Incoming email, RallyMINI. :-)

It turns out that I am getting a bit of rubbing with the 225/50 tires. :-( It appears to be confined to the outside edge of the tire contacting the inboard edge of the black plastic fender flare. I'm going to try to do a little investigative work this weekend to determine what the true contact points are and how much of a problem this really is.

 

email sent back

If its just rubbing a little on that lip inside the plastic fender, it shouldnt be a huge problem. Lots of people have trimmed up the fenders on the inside to avoid rubbing...I plan to do it this summer too once i mount the coilovers.

 

Silver roof and silver Rewinds.

 

Being that MIB is Astroblack monotone, I cant decide between the silver or the darker ones.

 

Just my .02 here. I think that the silver ones would look great on your black car. The same way your chrome grille sets off that beautiful black.

 

I totally agree. I'm looking at the silver ones as well.