Wheels and arches.....

[volores]

Hi

Picking my Cooper up on Friday - still has the original 5x12 minilites with chrome arches - but I plan to change for 6 x 13s - do I have to change the arches to something similar to the sportspack arches? Or will they still fit under the standard ones?

[DanGT]

Number one why? It dose look good with 13s but will not drive as well. Any way in most cases you will have to change the arches and cut away part of the front wing. This depends on the wheel off set and your cars ride hight. The wheel is not ment to go beond the arch but I dont know any one yet how has been stopped or MOT fail for it.

[volores]

.....well, you hit the nail on the head......they look better in my opinion, so its my personal preference to improve the looks and am happy with the slight compromise on the mini handling.

[Cooperman]

My buddy here in our village went from 12" to 13". He hated the way it drove and has gone to 10" now after driving my cars which have 10" wheels. He had to fit new front wings as the originals had been cut away for the 13", but they had gone a bit rusty anyway, so that was not an issue. It has better road-holding, handles better and looks better on the 10".
I know some like the look of the 13", but there are a lot of Mini enthusiasts who think that they simply look far too big, especially the width, and that the disadvantages are too great. Each to his own.