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That design also had many imitators, but early authentic AR's are easy to identify - cool script on inner rim, plus many of the copies didn't have the strengthening ribs.
and,
for whatever reason I had neglected to ever see the connection between the S-lite and the old Rover SportsPack wheel, but the familial similarities are close enough to make me think that the R85 is an evolutionary lineage of that design?
Nope, they ain't very light at all, and that was the reason I didn't buy a set that I had stumbled across on FB marketplace even though they had a giveaway price and located only 3 hours from me.
But they look so damn good!
I totally regret not buying them.
Trying to find accurate weights for comparison can be difficult --- I've seen older wheel weight lists floating around (often the same source recirculated) but unsure of accuracy.
Would love to compile a list specific to all the 8-spoke variants.
Sometimes the manufacturer is nice enough to provide weights, like Konig lists its' Rewind at 15.2 lbs for the zero offset 16x7.
And of course TireRack is a trusted source, they list the 16x7 Enkei Compe with 38 offset at 18.8 lbs.
My Rota RB 16x7 with 40 offset is 16.4 lbs.
Seen various quotes for Panasport and it can be tricky because they have different tiers like ULW racing etc, but Moss is authoritive enough for me and I'll trust them when they put the 16x7 "street" Panasport at 17.1 lbs.
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Watanabe is good about listing weights and the various distributors tend to always list their weights too.
Couldn't find 16x7, but for the 16x8 it comes in at 7.5kg which is 16.53 lbs.
. They also still offer the magnesium option, not for 16" apparently,
but for a 17x8 it weighs a rather incredible 5.8kg which is only 12.76 lbs!
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Speaking of magnesium,
came across photos of a NOS Minilite mag back from the Hank Thorp days and it was cool to see such a survivor.
The German company who made the RH Maxilite wheels went out of business in 2009,
but apparently the design has been picked up and reproduced by a Japanese company,
so now more examples are popping up on social media.
I may go with 16"s - haven't decided yet for sure. If I do, the 16x7's weigh 16.3 lbs each, plus slightly lighter tires I can shave 25lbs more off the car (tire estimate too) and maybe add titanium wheel bolts for another couple lbs. I do love the way they look though. Another 25lbs would get me to just about -170 from stock. Hmmm... now I have to go look at tires...
I have seriously been considering the titanium lugs because I've stuck with the late-2006 M14x1.25 size and they're quite heavy.
Need to read more about them to weigh my decision because it's a pretty hefty investment.
I would like to keep the M14, most available are 1.25-to-1.5 pitch conversions,
which would be okay I guess.
$$$
When I first got my car, the previous owner had installed M14-to-M12 conversion bolts and they were a good bit lighter than the straight M14's that I replaced them with so I'm questioning myself as to why do I prefer the M14?
:
I would love to go with 15" wheels just because I love that look with meaty tires plus weight-loss bonus too...
15x7-inch Rota RB in gold with 35mm offset weighs 13 pounds, 6.80 ounces
(David S. Wallens photo)
...but,
I highly doubt they'd fit because the brakes are fairly tight enough with the 16"s
Titanium lug bolts from ECS for a set of 16 in the stock m12 size are a pretty good deal. $163. For some reason I was thinking the stock size was m14, but then I checked realoem. No idea why I thought that - just one of those weird things that stuck in my head for some reason. Anyhow...
My R53 is a Sept. 2006 build so came from the factory with the M14.
And yep,
the bolts are usually cheaper than the stud kits on price.
But I prefer having studs.
I've never seen a weight comparison though, maybe I'll look now and try to find info, if anyone has an immediate link to such data please link it here!
Would love to see actual weights of bolts vs. stud&nut, as well as titanium counterparts, most often they're listed as 50% lighter! with no hard data to inform of actuality.
Was looking around this morning tho in regards to pros/cons of titanium in use of wheel lugs...
...I like to read real-life experience and usually consume lots of various forum content.
Found this on a BMW board and it ain't too inspiring,
titanium completely sheared off!
With so many experienced drivers, it was brave for Calvin Wongkar and Alan Chaces from Sonic Motorsport to attempt to drive the Active-supercharged M3 themselves when they had no prior experience. Unfortunately, this meant the car never realized its full potential as both struggled to refine the launch technique and control wheelspin. On several runs, the driver was forced to lift off the throttle to control the car, losing valuable time. On other runs, the car was sideways as they attempted to drive through the wheelspin.
We always say a good driver is the one of the most important aspects of a team’s tuning for etGP, and sadly Sonic was proving us right. However, their perseverance saw the times improving by large chunks until fate dramatically intervened.
After a burnout to warm the tires, the Sonic M3 pulled up to the line but was overtaken by its own rear wheel! Five of its titanium studs had sheared in the hub, leaving the car sliding on its brake rotor.
“I’ve been here since ’95 and never seen that before!” declared a track worker as we all agreed it was better to lose a wheel at the start than the finish. It’s also worth noting that if you’re going to save weight, your wheel bolts might not be the place to start…
Weight also has less of an effect the closer it is to the axis of rotation so the bang for your buck should be pretty low when it comes to titanium lugs on a street car. Same with brake rotors vs tire or wheel weights.
Such nostalgia.
I just discovered your thread. I really had no idea of the history related to these wheels. VERY informative and entertaining read.
I will preface by saying that I understand this really does not pertain to the newer iteration of the Mini "S-Lites" - However if you might indulge me as I
drift backwards to my old classic aircooled days. I bought a really rough looking 1966 Beetle just because I liked the wheels...
Not the Beetle I bought but it had these Empi 8 spokes on it.
When I bought our '04 R53 Mini for my ex-wife We both enthusiastically agreed on the wheels - We wanted the S-Lites.
It hadn't dawned on me until later why I had such an affinity for this particular style wheel.
I'm not too worried about breaking titanium studs. 1) I've ordered lug screws, so the 'stud part is pretty short - I'm one of those that prefer this set up to studs. Dunno why, just do. 2) That M3 probably makes north of 500 hp to get into the 12's at 121 quarter time. 3) I mostly drive slow.
Weight is weight. All tolled, changing out the R112's to Rota RB's, going from my current Kumho 17" tires to General g-max 16's, and the Ti bolts should shave approximately 30.5lbs from my car's overall weight. I've been wanting new wheels for awhile - been looking at some of the light Konig things, but not really liking them. These Rota's are not quite as light, but they look 'right' for the MINI. Don't think I will get rid of the R112's - they also look 'wicked right'. There is my MA coming out.
I'd agree that adding more lightness is a very good thing!
Wicked rippah indeed!
Last year I spent a couple of weeks working at various sites around the Boston area and had a blast. I'm a big fan of regional dialect so being immersed in that was great fun, and a Dunks was on every corner, plus some of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten --- altho, I was disappoint by the IPA dominance of the local beers, my faves came from Vermont or NH because they had the brown ales and porters.
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The Empi 8 spokes are deffo stone cold classics!
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Adding another variant because I recently saw an R53 done up with a set,
altho originally designed for fitment to new Fiat 500 with an odd 4x98 bolt pattern:
I've never tried to peel back into the etymological source origin of the slang-word "banana spoke" for this type of wheel, would be neat to know when it gained coinage.
Have seen Watanabes referred to as such more than any other,
so here's some more JDM action...
...in my eyes the Wats look much better in their deep dish variant:
R53 fitment usually goes with higher offset,
here's a few snaps of 15x7 +40 Watanabe F8F fitted up:
Pictured above:
R56 fitted with Watanabe F8 in 16x8 at +30 offset
Pictured below:
R56 fitted with Watanabe F8F 16x7 at +48 offset
I used to only like the deep dish Wats but the F8/F8F have grown on me and I was recently looking into them.
Would love some F8's in 16x7 at +35 offset, but unsure if fitment would be good and at roughly $600 per wheel it'd be really risky to order without knowing for certain.
The F8 in that size is slightly lighter than the Rota RB at +40 offset,
but not by much.
While looking, I came across a couple of threads on a Japanese forum thingy and was amused by the google translations.
At least the ugga duggas can't be too awful since it's battery instead of pneumatic!
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And,
I still like bouncing around looking at all the eight spokes...
Panasport C8FE variant --- can't make up my mind about them on an aesthetic level, like I dislike how slenderly thin the spoke appears
from frontal view, but something about how they look nicely wide on side view appeal to me, but still 50/50, something I'd need to see in real life to fully evaluate.
:
Saw a set on an auction site...
...didn't like seeing what I consider to be too many balancing weights though,
like is that an incorrect prejudice on my part?
Is such to be expected regardless of "fame for quality"?
In my mind I'd like to think that a high quality expensive wheel would be almost perfectly balanced from the factory and only require a minimum of extra weights, but I'm probably naïve on this point.
