Thanks, Shoof.

So it looks like both the Interlagos and Nurburgring are only available in 19" x 8" and 35 offset for the 5 x 120 mm bolt pattern we need, correct?

To be honest, I am not 100% clear on how to interpret offset numbers. I know it affects how close or far the wheels are from the hub itself, but don't know which one we need or how a larger or smaller number relates to fitment.

For example, it seems both TSW wheels are +35 offset, whereas the Elbrus I08 is +42, and the NM wheels are +45.

In another thread, MotoGreg made the following observation regarding offset:

So, between a 45, 42, and 35, the 45 is going to be the closest to the inside of the car and, therefore, will carry the biggest concern with rubbing. By contrast, the 35 will have the wheels sticking pretty far out and may look goofy. And the 42 will be between those two extremes, but closer to the 45 (obviously). Have I got that right?

If so, then it seems that the TSW wheels may not work for the Countryman if the universal perception is that much less than a 42 will stick out too far and start to look silly.

 

Hujan, you've almost got it! The higher the offset the more the wheel will be in (closer to the car) and the lower the offset the further out the wheel will be. That much you know.

The part that I think you're still not 100% on is that you have to also factor in the width of the wheel to the equation. An 8" wide wheel with 35 offset would only move out .03" compared to my 8.5" wheel with 42 offset.

When I said a 35 offset would stick out too far, I was talking about an 8.5" wide wheel. But with an 8" wheel it would be perfect.

I know it can get confusing! I'm 45 and I've been driving lowered, modified cars 30 years now, and it was a lot harder in the old days before the Internet. Now, you can get all the different wheel specs right off of the manufacturers websites and punch them into an online "offset calculator" and have your answer in seconds.

Here is a link to basic, very easy to use, calculator. You can play around with it a bit and you'll be an expert in no time....
Offset Calculator
I like this one because it tells you the exact number, right down to the hundredth of a millimeter, instead of rounding it off like most do.

 

Thanks, Greg. You explained things very well.

So the offset and width of the wheel are the two factors that dictate where the outside edge of the wheel will sit relative to the fender, correct? Thus, a +35 offset on a 8.5" wheel would stick out too far on the Countryman, but a +35 offset on a 8.0" wheel (which is 12.7 mm narrower) won't.

If I understand this correctly, it would seem that the 19 x 8" TSW wheels in 5 x 120 mm bolt patterns would still be in play, no? At this point, what else is left to determine if they will fit?

I imagine bore size is a factor as well, but I don't see that information on any TSW fitment guide. If memory serves, the Countryman uses a 72.5 mm center bore, correct?

Based on every wheel I've looked at, I am basically down to two wheels:

1) TSW Interlagos RF (in 19 x 8")

2) NM RSe14 (in 19 x 8")

Note that the offsets on the two wheels differ by about 10 mm, which seems significant to me. The TSW wheel has a +35 offset, whereas the NM wheels are at +45.

Regarding tire sizes, since it seems an 8.5" wheel is out of contention, I am less inclined to go with 245/40/19 and more inclined to go with 235/40/19. This would still give me the option of running the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tire, but with a bit more rubber than 225/40/19. It seems like a good compromise to me.

 

Like you said, the bore size is the only other thing you need to check, but it shouldn't be a problem, most aftermarket wheels have as large a bore as possible so that they can fit a lot of different cars... you just need hubcentric rings and they're only $10 or less for the set of four.

10mm isn't much, in this case on the CM, you're fine either way. The current trend in the lowered car scene is for the wheels/tires to be "flush" with the edge of the fender, and not tucked inside. And the 35 will put you right there, it will look just like my car. And the 45 would be almost the same, just shifted 10mm more inward. We're talking about less than 1/2" here so it would be barely noticeable between the two once they're mounted up on the car. Go with the wheel you want, don't worry about the fit because either of the two will fit great.

When I put the wheels on our car I wasn't really feeling it 100%. But once I lowered it then it was perfect, and the wheel offset couldn't be better, the outer edge is just where I want it. I forget if you were planning on lowering it or not, if you are the 35 might look just barely better than the 45. But again, we're splitting hairs, the difference is very, very slight, either one will fit and look great.

The 235/40/19 is a perfect size, it is only 2% larger diameter than the stock size. Originally, I wanted to go with that size, but the only options were the MPSS like you want, and some touring tires. My wife doesn't drive hard enough to need the MPSS, so I didn't want to spend the extra money on them.

I hope you go with the TSW so I can see how it looks, I think it would look killer. What color car do you have and what color wheel were you thinking about?

I've never had TSW wheels on a car before, but I have a new project now... my uncle just got a Honda Crosstour and he wants me to lower it and get some 20" wheels. Right up my alley seeing as I'm a Honda mechanic for a living. He wants chrome so I'm going to show him the TSW Londrina and see what he thinks about those.

 

TSW Londrina in Gunmetal for MotoGreg:





There are 17" applications, as well as bigger than what you see, but I only posted as much as what my screenshot would show, and more importantly, the sizing anyone would consider..

 

Cool. Is it worth trying to find out the bore size ahead of time to know whether I need hub centric rings, or do I wait until I receive the wheels and then measure? And is there a variety of quality with the rings, or is a ring a ring?

I absolutely am going to lower it. I am going to use NM springs like you. I kind of like the idea of the wheels sitting flush with fender, though the Countrymn fenders are sort of slanted toward the center of the car when viewed from the front. But knowing one will be a bit more inside relative to the other is good info as I try to pick between the two.

It just occurred to me that where one is concerned about rubbing, a lower positive offset would be better to give a bit more separation. I don't see and issue with 235/40/19, but as a theoretical matter the +35 would give me more room than +45, right?

Yeah, I'm not sure I do, either. I drove very hard in my 4Runner. I drive a lot easier in the Countryman, probably because I'm not used to it yet. And I care a lot more about it!

Great question and not sure how I managed to start this thread without that info. I have a Light White w/ black roof, mirrors, and stripes. It has heavy tint on the windows. Soon I am going to have ALL the chrome blacked out (belt line, grille surround, door handles, etc.). So black rims or a very dark gray are a must, preferably matte.

Nice! That could look sweet! Not surprised you are a mechanic. But how does a Honda mechanic end up buying a Mini?

 

My only concern with a lower offset is that the wheel will be further away from the suspension and closer to the fender. Nothing wrong with that, and having the tire/wheel flush with the fender is more visually appealing. That wouldn't be a problem when you're not moving, but could be a problem when the suspension compresses while driving or while turning. I'm no scientist to confirm that it won't cause a rubbing issue in the wheel well if you're lowering the car AND plan on putting slightly wider rubber. Hard to get a visual without actually seeing the visual...

 

Honda makes great cars, but they're all ugly and bland, no character in any of them.

I just noticed that it says you're in SD. I'm just off of the 5 and Ortega Hwy. If you're really concerned about the fit, you're welcome to come by some time and check out our car in person.

 

there is someone on here that has a lowered R60 with NM springs and +35 wheels and he has no probs! He even is running 245/40/19!! Its the route Im going as well!!

 

That may be me, I haven't seen anyone else post on here with 245 tires besides me yet. For the record, mine are 19x8.5+42.

Now if I could just get it down another inch or so, to look more like the white car in the background...

 

Is the only concern that it might rub? Does the lower positive offset put extra strain on the suspension or frame? I doubt a 10 mm difference would be significantly different, but thought I'd throw it out.

 

Thanks for the offer. Might take you up on it. Though your pics do a very good job of illustrating the effect of your wheel/suspension setup.

Back to the wheel choice: Do you have a photos of wheels on a Mini that resemble the Interlagos? My concern with the Interlagos is that the spokes are fairly thin and show a lot of the inner portion of the wheel. Generally okay for coupes and sporty sedans, but maybe not for more "rugged" cars like SUVs and hatchbacks.

 

are you lowered on NM springs?

 

It wouldn't have any effect on the suspension components....Only risk is rubbing.

 

Yes

Geez, we keep going round and round in circles here. There are quite a few of us now who have 19x8.5 and are lowered, and all of us have said there is no problem, no rubbing, and we're all happy with the results. Actual real life, real world feedback... not speculation. No risk, only tested and proven results.

Here is jbcola's car (photo below borrowed from the "show us your summer wheels" thread) - he has 19.8.5+38, so they stick out 4mm further than mine. Plus he has Cobra springs which put the car even lower than my NM springs... he probably has the most aggressive fit we've seen yet on an R60, and it still doesn't rub. Seriously, there is no need for you guys to keep speculating and worrying, the sizes and fitment have been proven.

 

^ I gotta say, those wheels look HUGE on an R60!

 

I hope I didn't give the impression I was still concerned about rub/fitment. Shoof's comment simply triggered a memory in me where I could have sworn I read a comment about lowered or wider stances and negative repercussions for suspension components. A lot of the "drawbacks" of changing wheels and tires are taken for granted in this discussion and I wanted to be sure he wasn't insinuating that I might put my suspension at risk with a lower positive offset compared to, say, wheels that are closer to the fender.

As you can tell, I am a complete novice to this process. But I get the bottom line: A variety of wide/large wheels and lowered suspensions will fit with no issues!

 

Found these the other day: Beyern Rotary Forged

I love the look of the matte black:



It looks like it comes in 19 x 8.5 with a 5 x 120 bolt pattern and 40 mm offset and only weighs 21 lbs. Cost is less than that of the RSe14 wheels.

There is but one potential problem: The center bore is listed as "72," which is 0.5 mm to small. If I understand correctly, a too-large bore can be choked down with rings, but is there any way a too-small bore can be made to fit a slightly larger axle?

 

That is funny because last night I was searching for wheels for my uncle's car and I stumbled across those as well.

They make BMW wheels, and BMWs all have the same centerbore as the R60. So it's safe to say they bolt straight on with no rings needed. They probably just rounded off the 72.56 to 72.

Wow, I really like these. IMHO they look slightly better than the 9-spoke TSW wheel, and drastically better than the NM wheel. The way the spokes come all the way out to the very edge of the rim means that a 19" is going to look huge. And something about how the spokes curve inward at the center, and how they cross over the lug holes and make the lug openings oval shaped is really nice looking to me. These are racy and classy all at once. I really like these wheels.

For the record though, just because you asked, yes, you can have the CB of a wheel machined larger. I used to have an Acura Legend and I put some wheels from another Honda on it. Their CB was slightly smaller and I had a local shop machine them larger for $25 per wheel.

I like the black, but in this silver one you can really see the details good. Also, funny thing, I copied the image URL to post this pic below, and noticed it's at tsw.com and since these are "rotary forged" I'm thinking TSW makes these for Beyern.




Proof that 10-spoke wheels look killer on lowered, four-door cars...



That picture is my inspiration, I'm trying to get my uncle's white Honda Crosstour to look more like that white Porsche Panamera.

 

Great minds think alike, Greg! I agree wholeheartedly with every point you make. They are like the Interlagos but better: 10 spokes instead of 9; an "edged," tapered spoke; and a cool lug/spoke intersection. The size is right, the offset seems right, and the weight is right. Plus, I kind of dig the they are designed specifically for BMWs, given that Minis are part of the BMW family tree.

I really think these are the wheels I am going to buy.

I was hoping that was the case. So we are reasonably confident, then, that these should slip on with no issue?

Good to know. I was nervous that machining might create micro fractures that would eventually crack at, say, the well for the lug bolts. But if it is regularly done without issue, that makes me feel a lot better. (Though, again, it sounds like it won't be necessary.)

That is the downside of black wheels, is that they "hide" the details of the wheel itself. Still, with my car blacked out like it is, there is simply no way I can go with silver/chrome. Got to stay sinister and mean.

And you are right about the TSW connection. I actually stumbled across the Beyern wheels while poking around on TSW's website. It seemed to be too good to be true.

So I guess this wheel is it, right?

 

I would go for it. They seem to have it all; great looks, lightweight, the perfect size, and they're really inexpensive for a lightweight, forged wheel. You might be the first, but I have a feeling a lot of R60 owners are going to be copying you with these.

Most of the aftermarket BMW wheels take the standard BMW size centercap, and I assume these do as well. On ours, I didn't like the plain chrome caps that came with the wheels, and I didn't want BMW logo center caps on a MINI. I put on a cheap (less than $20 for the set if I remember right) set of BMW M-power center caps for now, but I'm not really crazy about the look. These Beyern ones look a lot better. I may swap ours out to Alpina, AC Schnitzer, or something else like that.

 

Hello,

would be a problem of rubbing if I install 19x8.5 +40 with 245/40/19 tires? I'm also thinking to lower it at least 1.2" if the NM springs allows it(if there is a 1.2" lowering springs, i mean).

 

No problem. That is is the same setup I have, just 2mm difference on the offset.

 

Yep. My mind is made up and I'm going to pull the trigger on them. I have you to thank, MotoGreg, as I really never would have considered or found a wheel like that if you hadn't opened me up to the 9- or 10-spoke wheel option. I really appreciate your help (and patience) with this process. I will, of course, post up some pics when they arrive.

Yeah, I am not sure I like the obviously BMW-esque Beyern blue and white center cap. Maybe I will put some decals over them like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Cooper-...#ht_606wt_1041

So what's next? Would you recommend ordering the tires from, say, TireRack and having them sent to a Discount Tire, then taking the wheels to Discount Tire and getting them mounted?

What about springs? I am going to be putting on the NM springs and figure it would make the most sense to do the wheels and springs at the same time so that the alignment can be done once and for all.

What kind of shop do I need to hit up to have this done? There is a BMW mod shop in town that works on Minis too. Maybe I could get them to do the work.

 

FYI, you can get the center cap emblems from mini.. They cost $3.00 ea.. I have no idea if they fit, but Im going to make mine fit.