Need some help here. I just installed OEM flame spoke wheels on my Mini, they are replacing the s-lites. Problem is they sit in too far and I want a more flush look. If any of you are running spacers with stock offset wheels please post pic and specs. Any advice on what size spacer to get would be appreciated. Thanks

 

What year and model is your MINI?
What diameter are your wheels (15, 16, 17, or 18")?
I would guess the wheels are 7" wide but if different, what is the width?
Do you know the offset, in millimeters, of the new wheels?
Is you car stock height or lowered? If lowered, how much?
Note: Different stock wheel types have different offsets. There vary from 45 to 52mm depending on the wheel.

I use 15mm spacers with my OEM GP wheels 18x7 et52 (offset).
My car is a 2006 MCS GP (R53) with JCW suspension.

You can use wider spacers on the front than on the rear. Seems like around 37mm offset, with 17" or 18" wheels, is usually as far out as you can go without too much rubbing in the rear.

For example, if the wheel has a 52mm offset and you add 15mm spacers, the effective offset is 37mm (52-15). The fronts can have wider spacers because the front wheel arch is larger.

 

I think both s-lites and flame spokes are 17x7.

I have used both 5 mm and 12 mm with OEM crown spokes. 12 mm makes it closer to the edge. But 5 mm fronts looks fine to me as well.

 

Measure how much farther you want it to go and get corresponding spacers...

 

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I am a new when it comes to this, The wheels are 17X7 and am guessing a et48? I was told 15mm may work but to me that sounds a little extreme. I was looking for maybe an 8-10 mm would be perfect but have not found any vendors that carry 8-10mm. 5mm to me seems like it would not make a whole lot of difference? Again, thanks and any and all help is appreciated. If it helps these are the wheels of the Checkmate eddition. Also, if anyone is interested I may be selling the tires I just installed Continental Extreme Contat DWS.

 

If it is for looks, then 12mm is fine. Racemax makes one which is hubcentric which is nice. They sell it with the longer bolts as well. I bought mine from www.promini.com. They give you a little additional discount if you are a bmwcca member and they also have free shipping over $125.

 

Thank a lot for the link, I think I may go with the 12 front and rear. Does that sond ok? Do you have any pics of yours sinstalled?

 

I have seen 17inch Flame spokes and S Spokes with 15mm H&R spacers and it looks very nice even for a car that is not lowered

 

Another good option would be to go with 16mm in the front and 12mm in the rear. I would be worried that 16mm in the rear might rub with et48 wheels.

As some have pointed out, if you do some measuring you can determine for sure what will fit. Remember that as you space the tire to the outside, when the rear suspension is loaded, the tire tends to rub on the wheel well liner.

Depending on the year of your car, the lub bolts are different diameters. 12mm was used until late 2006 then Mini switched to 14x1.25 lug bolts.

 

Mini is a 2005 S. Keep in mind this is for apperance. Yes I want it to handle great, but my main concern is a more flush with the fender look. I am thinking 12mm both front and rear?

 

12mm should work. Since you are going for appearance why not use 16mm in the front to push the tire to the outside a little more.

 

I have a base 2005, with 16in stock wheels/tires. I put on 12mm spacers all around and get occasional rubbing if people are in back seat.

I'm not sure where or if the fender lip can be trimmed. I think it rubs at the about the 3 o'clock position, driver's side, (best I can describe it). Actually it's only been the driver's side... wonder if adjustable control arms could pull the wheel forward a bit?

 

Is it rubbing the tread itself or the sidewall?
It would be hard to trim for tread rubbing. Normally people run stretch to get low and run poke without rubbing. That way they can dremel the inside of the fender (in our case) or roll fender (for cars without vinyl trim) to get more clearance, so if anything, the sidewall rubs, while the tread stays inside the fender under compression.

But that's not for everyone. There are a few options to go about taking care of rubbing.
1.You could get stiffer springs on coilovers (there is a lot of debate about running stiffer springs on stock coilovers regarding strut wear).
2.You could run tires with a shorter sidewall, giving you more overall clearance from tire to wherever it's rubbing.
3.If you continue to rub, you will eventually start to get marks in your tires. Mark where this is and run different spacers, 1mm can make all the difference.
4.Let the rubbing take care of itself.

 

12mm front and rear is what I am going with.

 

Yeah,

Funny, I kept looking at the top of the fender and couldn't figure out how it rubbed....
I think it's actually the tread (don't see any marks on the sidewall). It rarely happens so I can let it take of itself until I see some definate marks on the fender or tire.

 

Did you go with the 12mm from Racemax? How does it looK...I have a 2006 MCS and want to do the same.