You're missing your bar, too!

 

Yes Ian,
It gets in the way of tires and stuff for the track.
No, now that I think about it, it just gets in the way.

 

Ric
You don't have to remove the bar to fit tires in. Had all 4 in back with bar in place. Yes more room with it removed. The bar cannot be used for belts in any fashion if you value your life. Joe from HMS looked my car over and said no way. I know it wasn't your post on this Ric. Brakes are a must do if you plan to track the car on any long fast track aka Watkins Glen this past weekend. The cars performance was way more than I expected in stock form. Pads are a must upgrade in the front. Good luck no one makes them yet. You have to send them out to carbo tech or hawk to have new compound put on stock backing places at this time. Also if anyone plans to use their old wheels on this car pre 06 they wont fit. All 06 S models use larger studs. Found out the hard way at the Glen. Car was scary quick out of the box.

 

The new studs aren't on "all 06 S models" - they only came in on cars from around build date May '06, and I think they only apply to JCW upgraded cars.

 

You may be right on that Ian. I'll find out for sure when I take my car in tomorrow for a little after track checkup.

 

I know, got a date with the machine shop. going to work on my rotors and wheels. (bigger brakes and tires)

 

ALL MINIs produced recently have the larger wheel studs.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "studs" here. Do you mean the bolts that hold the wheel to the rotor? As far as I can tell, the '06 'S' models (like my wife's) are running around on the same factory wheels as the earlier models, so I'm not sure how pre-'06 wheels (or the thousands of aftermarket wheels out there) wouldn't work on the new cars.

Scott

 

Yes , Actually my speedo in GP 0180 reads 3MPH higher than the GPS

Rick did you get the cargo net with the car, as I don't remeber getting one? Maybe its in the boot under the caddy box?
Kumpie

 

No Steve had from other MINI. Standard part though.

 

yes, the wheel bolts. I don't remember the exact production week it happened but they started using the new bolts on all of them. It happened about 3 months ago.

 

Ok, I have no dial gauge but you will get the idea.
The silver one is from my '02 S
The black one is from my '06 GP (finer threads and larger diameter)

 

Thanks for the pics. I guess that shows the difference between the 12mm bolts and the 14mm bolts.

I still don't see how this affects anyone's choices when it comes to wheels, because I've seen GP wheels on an older MINI, and wheels from an older MINI used on a GP, both without problems.

I guess the bolt holes in the wheels are large enough to accomodate either size wheel bolt, and the hub-centric fitment and shouldered wheel bolts ensure that the wheel is centered on the hub.

Scott

 

Some wheels (bolt holes) are too small to accept the 14mm bolts.

 

Do any of the more-popular wheels among MINI owners fall into this category? Most of the websites don't list bolt-hole diameter among the wheel specifications.

Thinking about the SSR Comps, the Kosei K1's, or the various BBS wheels.

 

Sorry, don't know about those wheels. My OZ Superleggera's fit both though.

 

How did you get the bar off and what can you do about the holes ??

 

Twist and pull the black boots toward the center of the bar. This will expose two large allen bolts. Remove those and the bar comes out. This is as much as I have removed so far. The brackets are mounted to the body with torx bolts that I will have to take off the red covers to remove.

 

 

After the brackets are off what can you fill the holes with in the red plastic ??

 

SSR Comp wheels will not fit. Bolt holes are to small for new lug. You'd have to line bore them. Or if you want do a butcher job with a drill.

 

'Twud be nice if some one who knew a roll cage maker who would come up with a replacement bar that would bolt in place of the luggage bar , yet would have the strength to anchor harnesses to?? Someone know someone? I would definitely be intersted, as there is not an easy way to use the Scroths here?

 

Don't think that will work. The bracket mounting points are not strong enough.

 

The bar would have to mount to the strut tower to work. The present setup in no way is capable of being used at all. Side panels would have to be removed to do the proper job. You would be better off buying a half cage or roll bar if you didn't need a full cage.

 

Larry,
You are just full of good news.