16" Wheels on JCW Factory Car?
 

Hello,

I tried a search for this, but I can only seem to find into on the MCS/JCW cars instead of the factory car. Anyway, does anyone know whether a 16" wheel will fit the factory JCW? OEM wheels? Aftermarket wheels? I'm considering the JCW and will very likely autocross it. I've read the tire choices are a bit better in 16" sizes instead of 17". Comments?

Thanks,

Scott

I think I have read somewhere that the factory JCW big brakes will not allow a 16-inch wheel to fit. Owners of factory JCW cars probably will need to choose between 17 and 18-inch wheels. If you go to MIINIUSA.com and configure a new JCW you will only find 17 and 18-inch wheel options.

Here's a thread that Dan from Fast Mini started: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cw-brakes.html

This seems to be the most extensive thread on wheels for the factory JCW. I don't think anyone has found any 16" wheels that fit. Anyone chime in if I'm wrong. In fact even some 17"s don't fit, because of the back of the wheel spokes rubbing the caliper. From what I've read on here, there's no real measurement that will tell if a particular wheel fits, they need to be fitted on the car and checked, so I'd be wary buying from any vendor that has not actually trial fit wheels. I know that both tirerack and fast mini have done these actual fittings.

Its all in the offset to clear the brakes. Get the correct offset and go shopping. Also you should be able to fint all kinds of choices for auto X in a 17"...there are tons of choices. Good luck

You can see on our stock [JCW of course] rims the brakes not only almost touch the wheel's spokes, but also almost scrape where the spokes meet the outer drums. There is however a good amount of distance between where the spokes end, and the step of the rim drum to the tire bead face.

The only rim that give you a proportionately 'longer' spoke is a reverse rim; rims with a non-stepped/flat drum/lip are know as "reversed". Not that I've measured and know that with 16" it's even possible given the radius required by the brakes, but if you are looking for a 16" rim and the brakes allow for it, the rim will not only need a very deep hub to spoke caliper pocket depth (see SmokeM's thread on the subject of wheels), it will also need to be a reversed geometry to give you more distance within the 16" rim between the hub and rim's drum.

no chance with a 16 inch rim