Deviating from the stock tire size is always an experiment to one degree or another. To help you with your decisions, go here: http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi

In the box, enter your stock size in the following format: 195/55-16

Then, on the next line(s), enter all the sizes you're considering for comparison to the stock size.

I just checked to see what your proposed 205/40-16 would do and I think it would be to small. (Does anyone even make this size?)

 

Tire Rack shows only four tires in the 205/40/16 size, which is a full 2" smaller in diameter than the stock 195/55/16 size. Thus, the shorter tire would lower the car's ride height about 1", and give a mph reading of about 60 mph when the car is actually doing about 55 mph.

Eric: Are your wheels stock with stock offsets, without spacers, and within stock alignment specs? If so, 205/50/16 is a popular alternative size that should not rub. Some have reported occasional rubbing with 205/55/16, but your rubbing sounds more serious than is usually reported. There could be something still out of whack with the suspension.

 

I doubt the increased tire size is the main cause of the issue. I have tried 225/45-R17 before as a temporary spare, and it didn't seem to cause any issues.

Some ideas to try:
- Find someone with stock mini wheels/tires, try swapping wheels with them and see if you can still reproduce the problem (try craigslist or local mini club to find someone)
- measure the height of your car at the four corners, maybe at the lift pads and see if your car is lowered or unusual in any other way
- go see waymotorworks or harrison motorsports (I think you mentioned you're in GA) or maybe go see a dealer?

 

I know they aren't stock rims. Trying to remember the name on the centers. I'm on a road trip with the basketball team I help coach so I can't look at them.

 

Here's a photo if it helps any

 

I have 205/45/17 . On stock springs with 2 passengers in the rear, the tires rubbed. With eibach springs and two passangers in the rear,they don't. Eibach is lower yet there seems to be less travel. You can sureLy feel how little it travells by pressing down on one of sides of the hood. Still quiet amazing though.

 

There's no way that 205/45/17 are a size that's too big for the MINI, my guess is that your springs are the cause

 

205/50-16 is the size you're looking for. If the 55 is too big, that's the next smaller size, its only slightly smaller than stock. I ran 205/50-16 on our 05 S with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

(I've run 205/55-16 with no problems, but that's on 2nd gen MINIs.)

 

That image is hard to diagnose from but looks to be sitting correctly. My first thought is go to someone else if your professional recommends a rubber spacer. He basically wanted you to put a bump stop in there and stop your suspension from traveling..would have been pretty harsh at bumps and corners.

Second..do you have the stock strut? If it compresses with 0 resistance either in or out it is leaking all over then it was contributing to the issue but not the cause.

A worn out spring COULD be the problem but would require you taking down the rear suspension again.

Check out way motorworks in Ga if you are close if not let us know where you are and someone can reco a good shop.

 

I have a 2005 mini cooper S, I just switched to a set of steel winter wheels with 205/50 16s. I have a slight rubbing on the passenger side, I can tell it just rubbing on the plastic fender well. Before I was running the stock 17 inch S-lite wheels with no rubbing. I think the cause of the rubbing in my case is the steel wheels have a different offset which is lower then the stock wheels. Since your car has after market wheels it maybe an offset issue. The lower offset would space your wheels out. Minis can't handle wheels with a low offset.

 

no way. looks low to me. its lower than the front even. measure the gap on all 4 tires, see if its different.

 

Ok. A little update. Had the tires rotated Saturday. The ones that were on the front are significantly more worn that the others, but with around 60 lbs of things in the rear storage area, there was no rubbing. One other note, the right front which was the rear is still extremely noisy. Could that be caused from the rear tires "cupping" because they weren't rotated properly by the previous owner?

 

I agree. Stock height has a fair amount of wheel gap. It looks like a lowered suspension.

One possible issue is that it was not realigned after lowering.

 

Ok, so apparently it was all about the wheels, rims, whatever you want to call them that the previous owner installed. I changed to a different set and have no issues whatsoever on 205/55/16s. I will post a pic a little later. Thanks for all the input! I really appreciate it!

 

Yup wrong offset and/or width can definitely do that. I still disagree that it's lowered...my 2003 sits about like that..and definitely stock.