The wheel/tire gap on my 2007 MC drives me crazy. It seems a common way to reduce the gap is lower the car, but at the expense of some ride quality. I was wondering if another strategy is to fill the wheel well with a slightly taller overall tire/wheel package, combined with a minor amount of lowering might yield a better look to more completely fill out the wheel well, rather than just reduce the gap on the top. My speedometer is also off on the high side, so I thought a taller tire would help correct this as well. Does anyone have advice for the tallest overall tire that will fit without rubbing?

 

JCW suspension drops the car somthing like a half-inch. I would bet that you could forego the shocks/struts and just go for the springs for the overall effect you're looking for.

Match that with slightly higher sidewall? Maybe. Go to tirerack.com and check their tire size calculator. It will give you an overall width and diameter of each tire down to fractions of an inch (not just the simple tire sizes). I'm sure you could find somthing that would work.

Also, Gabe, over a Motorinfile.com tried somthing similar (limited lowering and larger tire on 18" rims). Peek around over there and see what size he ended up with.

 

You will find a lot of discussion about what wheel/tire sizes will fit without rubbing in the Tires, Wheels, & Brakes forum.

 

this is a photo of mine with JCW suspension and 17 inch wheels and 215/45ZR-17 tires...the wheel gap is still prominent....i switched to mach 5 springs and it's a lot better...i think JCW suspension is a waste of money from an appearance perspective and would go completely aftermarket if I had it to do over again

 

A good pair of muddin' tires, some off-road lights, a nice tall cb antenna --- maybe a Reb flag on the roof... ...that'd be sweet.

One of the guys in the AtlantaMINI's just mounted a set of 205/50-17's and it did just what you're saying.

 

Sorry for omission...this is a photo of mine with JCW suspension and 17 inch wheels and 215/45ZR-17 tires...the wheel gap is still prominent....i switched to mach 5 springs and it's a lot better...i think JCW suspension is a waste of money from an appearance perspective and would go completely aftermarket if I had it to do over again

 

If you go to the 50-series aspect ration the gap will minimize a bit.

 

The JCW suspension is not a cosmetic mod. It's a performance mod. IMHO.

 

Does anyone make replacement fender flares that reduce wheel gap?

 

Although we are all aware of the r56 gap it's interesting to see it on other cars. I was in the doctors office the other day and saw this new Camaro photo in Motor Trend. We are apparently not alone!
(They guy sitting across from me gave a real strange look when I took a photo of the magazine article)

 

It always struck me funny how BMW (whose cars always seem to be perfect for a lack of pronounced wheel well gap) would take over the MINI name and production and put out a car with such a very visible gap.

 

EDIT: just realized this thread is real old and was bumped....oops

Keep in mind that by increasing the wheel diameter, you will get rid of some wheel gap....but you will increase the gap between the bumpers/sideskirts and the ground to give you a 4x4 look. You might cure one cosmetic problem...but you would just create another one.

LOL? Seriously? Sounds tacky. Why not just lower the car?