Wheels don't fit! Lugs too big. What next?
 

Hi guys, so I ended up picking up some aftermarket wheels for my new mini. Its a 2013 and had the standard 15s on it. So I went and bought some Speedy Race Mode wheels. Bolt Pattern is correct and I checked on a few sites for fitment. Well after buying the wheels and tires the lugs on my mini are too big. I'm guessing these wheels fit M12 lugs not M14. Stupid on my part for not checking before I had tires mounted. Im hoping someone has had this issue before and can chime in.

I know my options are:

a wheel adapter kit
M14 to M12 wheel stud kit
bore out the lug holes.

Which do you guys think will be the best and most cost effective way?

Thanks guys.

Ive been reading for a few hours through old posts and I just want to clarify to prevent confusion, the hole around the lug bolt is fine to get the socket around. The issue is simply the M14 lug bolt wont go through the lug holes on the wheels.

Thanks for the help. Can't wait to get these wheels on

Way Motor Works sells an M14 to M12 wheel stud conversion kit just for this problem. Runs about $90 bucks. Type "lug bolts" in the search bar on the website.

If you have a Cooper or Cooper S not the Countryman

Then-
http://www.waymotorworks.com/m14-to-...rsion-kit.html

Plus you need lug nuts to fit M12x1.5 thread.

As you mentioned it is the stock lug nut width which is too wide to fit the holes in the new wheel.

Another option is to find narrow width lug bolts that fit your new wheel and have M14x1.25 thread, you'll have to test fit them to be sure.

I got a set of studs, nuts and lock for sale, pm if you want them

Hi Ryan I have done the exact same thing, you can go to EZaccessory.com and order some Tuner lug bolts 14 x 1.25 they are about $43 plus shipping they are a narrow fit and have a special key / adapter to tighten them. Check them out they should solve your problem. :thumbsup:

Kenny,

not sure if the tuner bolts would work. They will still be M14 which leaves me the issues of them fitting through the lug hole in the wheel.

I believe my two options are the lug stud conversion kit or to have the holes drilled out.

Has anyone tried to drill out the lug holes with success?

I have received mixed reviews on the effectiveness of this method.

I would leave the bolts and threads stock, drill the holes out. It can't be too much material that needs to be removed.

yeah I was debating doing that. It would just seem difficult to get the holes exactly right. But I am not sure if that matters? I just bought "hub centering" rings so even if the holes are drilled slightly off, shouldnt it still sit on the hub in a perfect circle?

Thanks

Just to clarify

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...ck_group_1.jpg
Your lug bolt (not nut) is too wide to fit through the holes in the aftermarket wheels?

http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server41....1280.1280.jpg
This is a lug nut.

MINIs come stock with lug bolts not nuts.

The stud conversion kit is a stud only, then you need to buy nuts to fit them, these will replace the stock lug bolts.

minihune, yes it is the lug bolt/stud that is too large. I am debating between picking up the stud kit or boring out the holes to make the stock lug bolts work

Buy a quality set of wheels and try again.

Are these not good wheels? I was trying to keep costs low but also don't want to be running junk.

Im sorry but there are many quality brand wheels out there that need this conversion kit to fit, the quality of a wheel has nothing to do with the size of the hole for the lug bolt

Are you implying that the set he had chosen is a 'quality' set?

There are certainly much worse wheels on the market. I would say a wheel with a lifetime structural guarantee isn't something I would call terrible. However that being said I do know little about the company and their reputation and if you can show me where they are not highly rated I would greatly appreciate it. I'd rather not fit my car with wheels that won't last.

If you have access to a drill press just open up the holes in the wheels to at least 9/16. You may need to go to 37/64 or 19/32 if the drill walks any.

I was thinking the same thing. Not sure I want to go that high though. I will probably go to 5/8 which is 15.87mm. Leaves almost two mm of play.

My point was that I did not imply quality wheels fit the standard lugs, it was that there are better wheels out there (and they are likely to work with the 14mm lugs), to me that's a wiser decision over an adapter kit.

Regardless of the warranty offered with wheels there's no point running something cheap even if they're going to replace it for free all the time, I'd rather own a quality wheel that I don't have to worry about.

If he did that then say goodbye to the warranty you were praising...

I agree completely. If I wasn't on a tight budget I definitely would have purchase a better wheel set brand new vs the used ones I have. One day!

I bought them used. No warranty for me Only spent $200 though.

Then drill out the lug holes. No point in changing your factory configuration for a cheap set of wheels.

Next time you want to upgrade something do it when you're financially capable of doing it properly.

The drill sizes I listed are all smaller than 5/8.

It still sounds like you are implying that most all quality wheels will fit 14mm lugs, which is misleading.

The size lug bolt a wheel fits has nothing to do with quality. Many many Rays and Work wheels only allow for 12mm lugs, and they are very high quality. Heck my current wheels (not the Rotiforms in my sig) can't use 14mm lugs, but they are very high quality wheels.

It actually has more to do with wether the wheel was made in Europe or Asia, because European car manufacturers are more likely to make cars with 14mm lugs and Asian manufacturers tend to use 12mm lugs.