10 inch wheels
Discussion
After a long time of trying to make a decision I've finally decided to go 10inch wheels instead of 13. At the moment I'm riding on 12s but due to wanting wide arches and reading peoples views of 10 inch being all round best for handling and performance etc the decision has been made.
The question is what sort of work does it take in changing a car from running 12s to running 10s and also what sort of prices would I be looking to pay for the work to be done?
Advice much appreciated.
The question is what sort of work does it take in changing a car from running 12s to running 10s and also what sort of prices would I be looking to pay for the work to be done?
Advice much appreciated.
Biggest problem is that the 10" wheels will not fit over the 8.4" disk brake setup on later Minis (post '84). There are 2 ways to sort it - either go for original Cooper S 7.5" disks and calipers (I think you also have to change the hubs but not 100% sure) or you can go for the more exotic KAD alloy billet calipers which will fit under the 10's OK. www.kad-uk.com/minibraking.htm
Glad & bad news - bodily at least no mods required, brake wise however your 8.4" discs will not fit so its S or early GT 7½" brakes for you... or mortgage your soul to KAD - fleabay best bet though, your FD may need reviewing too dependent upon what you want from the car and the speedo will definitely need recalibrating - Speedy Cables in Swansea will supply the goodies. Size selection personal taste going to 10" removes any hint of ride refinement but hey - car looks right and does handle much better - a fact reinforced on the weekend had a play in a sportpacked Cooper, all very nice & shiny with lots of toys but horrific handling.......... having said all that I seem to remember someone somewhere at some point (?????????????) telling me that there were a particular set of 10" wheels that would with a little safe grinding down of the caliper fit over an 8.4" disc set up...........................................
cheers for the quick replies.
Dunno if my budget will reach the amount of work needed as at this point i will be getting new paintjob and some bits of the body replaced. So this will prob be something Ill have to do in a years time.
If I was to stay with 12s as presumably they allow better handling than 13s, can u get ones that fill out sportspack wheel arches?
The widest ive seen are 5.5 but those dont look as though they would fill out the space enough and give the car more of an aggresive look that I am aiming for.
Dunno if my budget will reach the amount of work needed as at this point i will be getting new paintjob and some bits of the body replaced. So this will prob be something Ill have to do in a years time.
If I was to stay with 12s as presumably they allow better handling than 13s, can u get ones that fill out sportspack wheel arches?
The widest ive seen are 5.5 but those dont look as though they would fill out the space enough and give the car more of an aggresive look that I am aiming for.
Havent got the sportspack arches yet and also I'm getting new wings due to rust on originals.
Trouble is painting and bodywork most likely to be done in july so if I wanted to save up more there is no real time in doing so.
It will be short term loss for a huge long term gain if i would go forward and convert the car to allow 10 inch wheels, but prob wont have the budget to do so.
Is it ok to fit sportspack arches later on after the new paintjob or will that leave an unclean finish?
Trouble is painting and bodywork most likely to be done in july so if I wanted to save up more there is no real time in doing so.
It will be short term loss for a huge long term gain if i would go forward and convert the car to allow 10 inch wheels, but prob wont have the budget to do so.
Is it ok to fit sportspack arches later on after the new paintjob or will that leave an unclean finish?
minipower said:
Ace T I see your car is a 1996 and you've gone down to 10inches. If its ok to ask, how much did it cost to do this conversion?
Can't remember exactly because when I sold the Chim I got a load of stuff done on the Mini, resprayed a load of bits, new exhaust, down to the 10" etc. Seem to recall the brakes were about £3-400 for everything, all the bits plus the labour (I bought them new) but I may be wrong
paper work is packed away so I can't tell you exactly, sorry. Ace-T
Ace-T said:
Can't remember exactly because when I sold the Chim I got a load of stuff done on the Mini, resprayed a load of bits, new exhaust, down to the 10" etc. Seem to recall the brakes were about £3-400 for everything, all the bits plus the labour (I bought them new) but I may be wrong paper work is packed away so I can't tell you exactly, sorry.
Ace-T
paper work is packed away so I can't tell you exactly, sorry. Ace-T
Have you sold it yet?
i just dont understand mini owners obsesion with corner cutting and making home made braking systems for their cars!
its your brakes f.f.s!!!!
you can buy a decent conversion kit for 350-550 from any of the larger mini suppliers that will do the job correctly, safely and uses properly designed, warrented and safe parts, not some mish mash of scrapyard bits and forum hearsay!
its probably easier and cheaper now than it was ten years ago to get the stuff to do it properly.
a few years ago i went through this with a customer of mine who was obsessed with saving money and doing stuff on the cheap. one day he came into work boasting that he had read on a forum how to make metro four pots fit under 10" wheels, it was the future he said, and would, overnight stop people buying the rip of cooper s conversions and four pot alloy calipers that where on the market.
i pointed out that, while it was technically possible, there was a danger that the fluid gallerys could be comprimised with the machining required. 'you would say that' he said.
needless to say (and ironically) about two weeks later his brakes failed and he drove into the side of another car (about 500 yards from work!).
we still see him occasionally, walking everywhere, with his now dodgy withered arm, one missing eye and smashed in face. i dont think he has a driving licence anymore, and cannot work.
still, he saved himself a few hundred quid, all those years ago!
its your brakes f.f.s!!!!
you can buy a decent conversion kit for 350-550 from any of the larger mini suppliers that will do the job correctly, safely and uses properly designed, warrented and safe parts, not some mish mash of scrapyard bits and forum hearsay!
its probably easier and cheaper now than it was ten years ago to get the stuff to do it properly.
a few years ago i went through this with a customer of mine who was obsessed with saving money and doing stuff on the cheap. one day he came into work boasting that he had read on a forum how to make metro four pots fit under 10" wheels, it was the future he said, and would, overnight stop people buying the rip of cooper s conversions and four pot alloy calipers that where on the market.
i pointed out that, while it was technically possible, there was a danger that the fluid gallerys could be comprimised with the machining required. 'you would say that' he said.
needless to say (and ironically) about two weeks later his brakes failed and he drove into the side of another car (about 500 yards from work!).
we still see him occasionally, walking everywhere, with his now dodgy withered arm, one missing eye and smashed in face. i dont think he has a driving licence anymore, and cannot work.
still, he saved himself a few hundred quid, all those years ago!
I got my S brakes, driveshaft, flange, hub, etc for £150 from bingley hall show.
And I send the cailper off to mini-it or something for £75, new seals, pistons, new bleed nipples, etc, etc new lick of paint. i re-conditioned rest of it.
I fitted it into my existing 8.4" hub and driveshaft. fitted straight on. and fitted 10" wheels went for a drive, came back grinning.
Here is picture of it.
And I send the cailper off to mini-it or something for £75, new seals, pistons, new bleed nipples, etc, etc new lick of paint. i re-conditioned rest of it.
I fitted it into my existing 8.4" hub and driveshaft. fitted straight on. and fitted 10" wheels went for a drive, came back grinning.
Here is picture of it.
agreed,
though i have also seen people buy secondhand sets that needed so much reconning that in the end nothing was used.
ive also seen a pair of s calipers that had been 'reconditioned' by having a pair of metric m10 bleed nipples 'wound in' to the stripped unf holes! - these where an ebay purchase by a customer!
scarey really.......
though i have also seen people buy secondhand sets that needed so much reconning that in the end nothing was used.
ive also seen a pair of s calipers that had been 'reconditioned' by having a pair of metric m10 bleed nipples 'wound in' to the stripped unf holes! - these where an ebay purchase by a customer!
scarey really.......
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