The factory installed JCW package comes only with 17" wheels in the USA and Canada and is eligible for B Stock class with the SCCA. I auto-x a 2006 JCW MCS and am having great success with it at a local level, but it's BS classing makes it outclassed at the national level. If you don't plan to compete at the Nationals, I recommend buying the car and keeping the 17" wheels for daily use, then buying 16" or 17" Kosei K1 wheels with Kumho V710 tires for auto-x(16" for BSP, 17" for BS). The 16" Kosei's as well as the factory 16" web spokes fit fine over the JCW brakes without spacers. My car is dead stock except for the heavy 18" JCW wheels and runflats, and I placed 2nd out of 56 cars at the last auto-x. It was raining so I ran the 18's instead of the 16" R compounds and I only lost to a Formula car. And at the auto-x in the dry a week earlier, I didn't do so well during the official runs because it was my first time in the car, but I had a fun run good enough for 3rd place against some serious machinery.

 

Well I did buy an 06 JCW and I love it. But it means I'm limited on tire selection as others have noted. I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on wheels and tires and was wondering if anyone had come up with a solution? I'm looking at the wheels from 18racing.com but seeing only 7.5" widths, going to call and ask if a 17x7 is available.

On tires, so far I've found a few and was wondering what others are running. 205/40/17 is almost the only choice. Yokohama makes a 215/45/17 but it's expensive at $215 from Tire Rack.

Nitto NT-01 - anyone ever try these? approved?
Toyo RA-1

What else have you found?

 

I've been looking at tire options as well, just bought an '06 JCW, heading to Chicago this week to pic it up. From what I've seen R comps are just not going to come easy to stay in stock class. I believe the 710s are just to big, smallest size at Tirerack is a 245/45/17. Yokohama has an Advan A048 in a 215/45 but I do not have any experience on those. I'm thinking of STX class and going with the Hankook R-S2 Z212, found it in a 215/40 locally for $127 m/b. For me, locally STX will be a good fit, BS is just going to be to outclassed, I think the couple of RX-8s in our club will be to hard to compete with. Have fun.

 

If you're going to STX anyway, you might want to consider 15's or 16's. I have both but I'd go with the 15's as my first choice. The Hankook's just came out in a 225/45/15 and I have some on order but am happy with my 205/50/15 Azenis.

 

Looks like I'm buying a 2nd set of s-lites. Got a really good deal on them, and they are exactly the same size so no problem there! I know they are a little heavy. If I get that serious I'll buy new wheels anyway. Now I just have to decide if I will run BS or STX and buy tires accordingly. STX is tempting, but I absolutely love to run on R tires. What's the favored STX tire, Hankook?

 

I use the Hankook Ventus RS2's in STX, but it was more of an availability choice than anything (couldn't find any Falken Azeni's in stock anywhere at the time). There may be better tires out there, but I lack the experience (just a novice with 7 events under my belt) to state what they might be. The Advan's seem popular right now but are 17" and up only.

 

The Advan's are great, and, I was able to squeeze on 235/40/17's with my STX suspension, but, they are $800+ for the set and 1.4" or so taller than the 205/50/15 Azenis. I'd got with 15's in a heartbeat if I could do it over again just to save monies alone, not to mention that I think the 15's might be slightly quicker. I cannot wait for the Azenis to come in 225/50/15 around November. Until then, I'm going to try the 205 Azenis and the Hankook Z212's in 225/45/15 shaven to 4/32nds.

 

So how are you fitting 15" wheels? I thought there was no way a 15" wheel would fit over the JCW calipers? I'd love to go that route, but the s-lites are too a deal to pass up and the tires aren't too expensive right now.

 

Oh, I have the dealer installed JCW kit which didn't include brakes and the TCE Willwood kit installed, its the 11.75" kit thats 11lbs lighter than the stock MCS brakes for the front axle and probably more than 11lbs lighter for the JCW brakes, and, they work as good as they look too if you care about performance. :-) They fit MOST 15" wheels, so, its a big time improvement. IMHO.

I guess when posting, I forgot that the JCW Factory kit had the heavy larger brakes

 

It's one of the things Craig learned from my car at the Peru Tour. My 15x7.5, +43, SSR's cleared his brakes. Of course now I know too but do I want to spend $1K on them. They had about 1/4" clearance to the spokes and a little less to the rest of the wheel. My 16x8, +42, ce28n's had lot's of clearance and I can't imagine it wouldn't clear the 12.2" Willwods.

 

Well I have my new s-lites, getting ready to pull the trigger on tires. It's going to be either Nitto NT01 or Toyo RA1. They are about the same price, but I can get the Toyos shaved and mounted locally so it's convenient. Any recommendations before I buy?

 

I just talked to Alex at TR and hes got me considering the Montegi tracklites in a 15. I have an 06 JCW with JCW suspension. I never considered 15's because I thought I wouldnt clear the calipers. Now I see lots of benefits, mainly more options for rubber. anyone running this setup?

Thanks

 

If you have an 06, you're in the same boat as I am. There are factory (and other) 16s that will fit, but the larger JCW calipers won't clear any 15s that I'm aware of. Besides, you have to stick with 17s in BS, 16s in STX or street-prepared. If you go 15 you'll probably end up in mod somewhere. I'm sticking with 17 for now.

 

You can definitely go with 15's in STX and SP. If you have the JCW brakes, you could opt for the regular MCS Brakes or some TCE 11.75" brakes(much lighter and a much better performing brake than JCW) and easily fit several 15's and you'd still be legal in DSP class as long as you kept STX trim, such as no trimmed fenders and 8" wheels with tires less than 245 section width. STX allows any diameter wheel, any larger brake(or, in this case, the regular MCS brakes since they are a dealer installed JCW option, which is legal).... DSP doesn't normally allow brake upgrades but does allow a concession for STX trim cars to compete in DSP.

If it were me, I'd sell my JCW brakes and get the TCE brakes for the same monies and go with 15's. Thats just me though. :-)

 

Has anyone gone to the dealer to see about having 16" wheels fitted and the price adjusted?

 

Okay, so this may be a question that has been addressed on other threads, but I'm new to the Mini scene and have not found much in my searches. But are you sure a 225/45ZR17 Avon Tech R-A will not fit in a Mini's wheel wells? I noticed in an earlier post here it says that 245/45 is the smallest 17 inch R compound tire at Tire Rack, but there were a few at the 225/45 size. I'm currently running the Avons in a 15" size on my 911 ASP car, but we've just placed my order for an '06 JCW and am thinking of trying BStock, even though some feel it won't be competitive. It might have a chance locally though, if I can learn to drive a front drive car again.

 

I have run 225/50/16's on 16x6.5 et 42 SSR's. With stock shocks you will get minor rubbing under extreme cornering on the rear fender liners. With Koni's set at full stiff in the rear the rubbing has pretty much gone away. From a gearing standpoint you are at a disadvantage on courses where you cannot maintain speed. They will fit but are not as fast as V710's.

225/45ZR17 are only .10 taller and should work as well. The extra horsepower from the JCW might compensate for the additional tire height and give you slightly better acceleration.

 

Thanks James. I was a little more worried that the width might cause a problem, either in mouning on a stock sized wheel or with fender rub. Sounds like it may be worth a try.

 

What sort of rim are you going to use? Stock offset is around -50. You should look for something around -44 to -45 or if using stock rims get 1/4" spacers.

 

225/45/17 should fit, it depends on the offset and camber though.

 

Hoosier now makes the A6 (their latest R compound tire) in a 205/40/17 (as well as a 225/40/17 and a 225/45/17). So is this good news for the JCW B-stock Mini's? Is anyone running them?

https://www.hoosiertire.com/rrtire.htm

 

Not sure at this point, maybe the S-Lites for now, since it would be a test to see if I want to switch over from the 911. We have not taken delivery of the car yet so I'm just exploring options at this point.

 

Bump. Curious to find out if there's been any further progress on the issue.

 

Sorry for the double posting. My browser was hiccupping . . . .

 

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