What wheels?

[OrangeD]

Hi Guys your expert advice please,

I'm currently rebuilding a 1991 mini, it started life as Mayfair 1000, but will end up as 1380 100+BHP occasional hill climber.

My question is this, I've got to the stage where I need to put some wheels on and I’m not sure whether to put 13"x7s on or change the discs & callipers for cooper "s" ones and put classic 10"x6s on.

I've been told that mini's handle allot better on 10s due to the original suspension design.

Is there a noticeable difference in stopping power with 7.5" discs.

Thanks OrangeD

[winston_no1]

I went from 10x6's to 13x7's and can honestly say it was the worst thing i have ever done to my car. Within a day i was wanting to change back but since i had to cut away all the front archs to get them to fit my group 2 archs would no longer fit properly so i am now stuck with the big wheels and sportspack archs.

Granted they do look better but id have the 10's back anytime

Also parking becomes a work out for the arms especially when it comes to static steering ?

[fred8601]

The mini was designed to run on 10" wheels, increasing the size only puts extra stress on all of the suspension and steering geometry, good handling is very difficult to achieve with 13" wheels and they must be properly set up. My advice would be to stick to 10s, and they look better .

[chris_w]

One of the mini's we sprint against recently went down this route and last time out had a lot of problems with a slipping clutch - I assume the larger radius possibly combined with more grip put more strain on the clutch. Point being, it could have even more consequences beyond the obvious.

[OrangeD]

Thanks Guys
I was starting to edge in that direction, 10" that is,
but any other opions are still very much apprieciated.

[guru_1071]

tens have so much more going for them, the tyre choice is so much better and they handle so much better.

a decent set of stoppers isnt to difficult so sort out either.

[guru_1071]

winston_no1 said:

I went from 10x6's to 13x7's and can honestly say it was the worst thing i have ever done to my car. Within a day i was wanting to change back but since i had to cut away all the front archs to get them to fit my group 2 archs would no longer fit properly so i am now stuck with the big wheels and sportspack archs.

Granted they do look better but id have the 10's back anytime

Also parking becomes a work out for the arms especially when it comes to static steering ?

....and had to but up with his brother saying 'i told you so.....'

lol

[OrangeD]

guru_1071 said:

tens have so much more going for them, the tyre choice is so much better and they handle so much better.

a decent set of stoppers isnt to difficult so sort out either.

Hi 1071

Are standard cooper s brakes a good set up with 10", or would you recommend something else.

[guru_1071]

with a good set of pads they would be fine, though with 130 bhp ib be sticking some 4 pots on it i think

[jellison]

What about 6x12 - that is a nice number and not too heavy and stupidly (pointlessly - just Bling 7" wide an 13 high). With say yoko 32's or 48's.

[winston_no1]

guru_1071 said:

winston_no1 said:

I went from 10x6's to 13x7's and can honestly say it was the worst thing i have ever done to my car. Within a day i was wanting to change back but since i had to cut away all the front archs to get them to fit my group 2 archs would no longer fit properly so i am now stuck with the big wheels and sportspack archs.

Granted they do look better but id have the 10's back anytime

Also parking becomes a work out for the arms especially when it comes to static steering ?

....and had to but up with his brother saying 'i told you so.....'

lol

Wasnt the first time you have done and im certain it wont be the last


smart arse...

[guru_1071]

jellison said:

What about 6x12 - that is a nice number and not too heavy and stupidly (pointlessly - just Bling 7" wide an 13 high). With say yoko 32's or 48's.

you cant get 12" 32rs anymore and the 48's are streched when fitted to a 6" rim.

the other problems with 6" rims is that most of the ones avalivable nowadays are the cheap novelty 'deep dish' type which are more concerend with how the car looks than handles, if you are going to stick to 12"s use a 5" one, the problem of course is tyre choice with only the yoko 539 or the low profile 48r.

[jellison]

guru_1071 said:

jellison said:

What about 6x12 - that is a nice number and not too heavy and stupidly (pointlessly - just Bling 7" wide an 13 high). With say yoko 32's or 48's.

you cant get 12" 32rs anymore and the 48's are streched when fitted to a 6" rim.

the other problems with 6" rims is that most of the ones avalivable nowadays are the cheap novelty 'deep dish' type which are more concerend with how the car looks than handles, if you are going to stick to 12"s use a 5" one, the problem of course is tyre choice with only the yoko 539 or the low profile 48r.

I was rushing that out without checking my tyre optopn but I have 90bhp on Falkens on 5x12's and if I was getting more power I'djudt go for 539's fine for fast road and the odd trackday / sprint. You don't want too much grip - that is dull - have load on ours with the power and 3.44 gears.

[OrangeD]

Hi Guys
I've dicided to go with a 4pot vented 7.9" setup like this
With 10"x6" wheels and shod with Yoko A008's to start with.

What do think I should do with the rear braking, the KAD disc conversion looks the part but is big££££££.
any ideas

OrangeD

[cooperman]

IMHO 6" are a bit wide on 10" and you get better overall performance with 5" or 4.5" wheel width.This is because the available tyres are only 165mm width. The 6" came into being to take the wider racing tyres originally and they do increase the mean track width which kind-of screws up the nominal steering geometry a little, as do offset 4.5" and 5" wheels.
As for the 13" wheels they are probably the most unwise modification ever done to the Mini since 1959 and really are only for show (but to show what, exactly?).

[guru_1071]

OrangeD said:

Hi Guys
I've dicided to go with a 4pot vented 7.9" setup like this
With 10"x6" wheels and shod with Yoko A008's to start with.

What do think I should do with the rear braking, the KAD disc conversion looks the part but is big££££££.
any ideas

OrangeD

dont forget that using vented discs moves the wheels further out the arches, the vents dont really do a lot on the turned down discs used in these kits - its just more weight for the engine to turn

[cooperman]

I've always found the standard 7.5" 'S' discs and calipers to be completely adequate for all disciplines of motor sport. I've often had my discs glowing red on tarmac rallies with no loss of stopping power. Pads I normally use are the carbon-metallic ones from Mini Spares - guru1071 can look at my order references and tell you the exact spec, I'm sure. I believe there are now some even better materials, but as yet I have not tried them.
Don't bother spending any money on the rears. Just use quality linings, not the cardboard sort the local cheapie factors sell, and make sure the slave cylinders are in good condition and not weeping (I've had that problem a couple of times in recent years). Remember, the rear brakes on a Mini do virtually nothing unless you are handbrake turning or left-foot braking on a gravel/icy rally. In fact, they hardy get hot in braking terms.
Personally I would go for the 7.5" discs with new 'S' calipers, Aeroquip brake hoses and c.m pads. For brake fluid I use AP600 racing, but that's a bit specialist and for road use a quality DOT 4 is probably fine.
For what it's worth, if you are going to drive hard enough and brake repeatedly very late, don't go for EBC 'Green Stuff'. I found I could fade this in about 2 miles on tarmac.
For wheels, I use 5"x10 on tarmac and 4.5"x10 on gravel/mixed surfaces.

[guru_1071]

true, pete

but if your buying new s calipers, its worth looking at a set of alloy four pots as they arnt too much more - they have the advantage of a larger pad as well - and the carbon mettalics are fantastic!

what ever option you go for, buy new - its really not worth messing with scabby old seconhand rubbish - its your brakes after all!

[OrangeD]

Thanks Guys,

Sound advice, I don't have a huge amount of experience with mini breaks and because the cost difference is relatively small I just want the best set up, as you say "it is your brakes after all"

OrangeD

[love machine]

OrangeD said:

Thanks Guys,

Sound advice, I don't have a huge amount of experience with mini breaks and because the cost difference is relatively small I just want the best set up, as you say "it is your brakes after all"

OrangeD

My S Brakes are fine, I highly recommend them. The greenstuff pads seem to work well, but only after they have warmed up. I left foot them for a bit to get some heat into them and then emergency stops are good, otherwise they are a bit fun. I'm going to try CM pads when these wear down. Greenstuff seem to make a hell of a lot of dust for the amount of wear you get. I'm not much of a brakes driver either.

I'm fully with the 6" wheels are not good comment. I'm going to run my 160hp jobby through 4.5" minilites with an LSD. Steering is more important than sidewall stiffness. We shall see though.

Stu