Sorry if there is already a thread on this. .....does amyone know what the tallest 15" tire is that will fit on a '12 cooper without rubbing?

 

I think width is the greater concern after clearing brake rotors/calipers - but take a look at this chart by plugging your numbers into it.

http://www.tiresizecalculator.info/m/calculate.php

 

Assuming stock suspension and 15" OEM wheels, the tallest (appropriate fit) tire would be 185/65-15 and the widest would be 205/55-15.

Wheel and Tire Fitment Considerations - The MINI Wiki

 

I ran 275/35r15 on 15x10 F and 255/35r13 R on my old SMF car. I daily drove on 225/45r15 on 15x8's. The car loved it. I can't go that route now due to the giant brembo's. I wish I could go back to 15's. Hell I honestly would consider down grading to use 15's. Food for thought. 15x8's are cheap all day too.

 

15" rock!

 

coopertenn: Apparently we don't know. And I don't recall anyone here ever having a reason to determine the tallest 15" tire that fits a MINI.

 

My concerns have always revolved around foot print on the ground. Adding height ruins the mechanical advantage of the "smaller tire". Moving to 15's drops the leverage needed to rotate the wheel considerably. By adding a taller tire your adding whats known as parasitic loss. You increased the amount of leverage to rotate the wheel. It equates to taller tire requires more leverage to rotate= harder work or more power is needed to turn the taller tire than stock and shorter tire requires less leverage to rotate = less work or less power to rotate the same as stock. So a smaller ( in height) tire will accelerate faster than a taller tire but you sacrifice top end speed but most of us "MINI" owners realize that top speed isn't the goal anyway.

On my current R56 JCW, Im running 235/40R17 F and 225/45R17 in the rear. This is slightly shorter in the front maybe less than 3/4 of an inch in total tire diameter but noticeably quicker in autocross. It also has a shorter sidewall which has much less flex and is much less squirmy. You get greater feedback from the tire and its much easier to drive at the limit due to its digital like feedback.

Juat my 2 cents. Im not sure why you want to go taller but I hope this helps.

 

The wider the tire is always more foot print on the ground. This turns into greater lateral grip if you have the appropriate amount of negative camber to utilize the larger surface area.

 

I'm also wondering why this is being asked.

It's not more total foot print, it's just wider and shorter (which does turn into greater lateral grip).

/semantics