Tyre Sizes

[plotloss]

In this months Mini Mag Huddersfield Mini Spares have an advert for Dunlop SP9000 195/45R13 tyres. Now I know that 175/15R13's fit perfectly and are popular so is there any advantage going to the wider lower profile tyres?

Will the 5% reduction in wall height make any difference whatsoever to sidewall flex and the consequential suspension effect?

Just wondering really...

Matt.

[Fatboy]

I'd imagine the main benefit will be in the greater width i.e. contact area - may well foul the arches big time though...

[Paul V]

One thing I found with the 175/50x13 is that the width varies greatly depending on the manufacturer, the Pirelli P7F’s seemed the widest and would happy sit on 7” or even 8” rim’s, they ended up with a large over hang on my 5.5x13 Compomotives, and were a real git to get on the rims, me standing on the tyre machine with 2 others pulling/pushing the bar!

Bridgestone’s fitted easily but would probably be to stretched on the wider rims.

Dunlop’s are normally somewhere in between

What size wheels are you going for?

[plotloss]

7x13 Superlight MKII's.

Matt.

[chris.mapey]

plotloss said: 7x13 Superlight MKII's.

Matt.

Poseur

You'll be needing smaller wheels then......

Try ones with a 10" diameter......

says me running 12's

I have heard too many horror stories of Minis driving really badly on 13" to do the change myself.

6x12 Minilights, with Yoko A048R rubber will be on my mini by the end of the summer!

Best wishes,

Chris

[plotloss]

Its a fair cop!

Everything else is being done at the same time though, deflex/superflex/polyflex all round, coil overs and rose jointed bottom arms and tie bars so that should minimise the risk, no?

I have 5x12 Wellers on at the moment and they just have to go.

Matt.

>> Edited by plotloss on Wednesday 7th May 14:14

[Paul V]

I’d say go with the 175/50 as they seem to work well, the 195/45 will probably be a bit taller and require more cutting etc.

I really like 13” minilights, I think the minis are more nimble on 10’s but I didn’t find 13’s bad, I’ll be going down that route with the flame.

[smeagol]

Well I'm on 12" with the yokos 165/50 and they are superb. I asked for advice here and it was spot on guys.

[RUF 3]

I sprinted and hillclimbed my Mini a few years back and used 175/50 x 13 Pirelli P7's. I later changed it onto Yokohama A008's and found they were not as good. They have softer sidewalls so roll and tramlining seemed worse. Despite 123bhp at the wheels I did not find it too much of a handful on 13's. It is difficult (or was then) to get any 10inch tyres that could allow full use of the power. I would wonder if much surgery is required for 195/45 x 13. Personally I would think that on a car as short as a Mini, it may be too much and ruin the handling.

[chris.mapey]

plotloss said: I have 5x12 Wellers on at the moment and they just have to go.

Wellers - please not 8 spoke white ones....



Chris

[plotloss]

chris.mapey said:

plotloss said: I have 5x12 Wellers on at the moment and they just have to go.

Wellers - please not 8 spoke white ones....



Chris

The exact same ones!! Well, not so much white as rust/brake dust coloured.

Its starting to sound like these 195's at £26 a tyre more than the Bridgestone 175's are uneccesary.

What a marvellous font of knowledge PH is...

Matt.

[Fatboy]

Smeagol said: Well I'm on 12" with the yokos 165/50 and they are superb. I asked for advice here and it was spot on guys.

Exactly what I'm running on mine (yoko A539s) - are you using the A539s or the A037s?

A lot of people say they handle best on 10s, but 12s aren't too detrimental and you can get decent brakes under them (MG Metro )

>> Edited by Fatboy on Thursday 8th May 15:40

[smeagol]

A539's they are excellent far far better than the pirelli standard both wet and dry.

[Fatboy]

Echo that Smeagol - couldn't believe the imrovement in grip when my brother switch from pirellis to the A520s, then the A539s. They don't last as long mind, but who cares when they grip like that?

[Paul V]

I bought some Bridgestone 175/50R13’s at Brighton yesterday, they were £60 for a pair, they have really come down in price as I used to pay £70 each a few years ago.

[plotloss]

Thats a damned good price! Huddersfield have them at £43 each and they seem to be the cheapest mail order by some margin.

[Paul V]

Minishop had them for £65 a pair, Huddersfield had a sign saying they were price beaters, so asked them the price they said £75, so walk off saying to Jane about Minishop price, the guy heard me and said he'd do them for £60 one happy customer! Also got an Aston filler cap for £15.

[plotloss]

Bargain, thats a tenner off the fuel cap as well!

Wish I had gone down now really.

Whens the next big one, is it the Mini Day?

[Paul V]

Next big one is probably mini cooper day at Beaulieu on the 8th of June. Not sure what the trade stands are like there though.

[sagalout]

It's a while since I had a Mini (but am looking at one tonight if it's still there). Regarding tyres generally, if you put too big a tyre on a rim or too big a tyre on a car generally, they WILL bounce around like Mr Blobby. Speaking from experience......