For those w JCW front brake calipers, did you end uinstalling spacers in the back? 8mm shouldn't make that much of a difference....
Yep! Those are the spacers I used. I run them on both axles. Offset can have impacts on handling and I do not know enough about how running spacers only in the front would mess with things. Not to mention it might look rather funny with the fronts spaced 8mm out from the rears. I highly recommend getting the Schwaben wheel hanger for installation (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../001286sch01a/). With so little of the hub snout left after the spacer goes on and no studs to hang the wheel from it can be maddening to try and get the bolts started while wrestling with the wheel in the air.
Yep! Those are the spacers I used. I run them on both axles. Offset can have impacts on handling and I do not know enough about how running spacers only in the front would mess with things. Not to mention it might look rather funny with the fronts spaced 8mm out from the rears. I highly recommend getting the Schwaben wheel hanger for installation (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../001286sch01a/). With so little of the hub snout left after the spacer goes on and no studs to hang the wheel from it can be maddening to try and get the bolts started while wrestling with the wheel in the air.
+1 for hanger, or for stud conversion. I did a stud conversion to M14x1.5, though I'm gonna have to pull them off because the wheels aren't centering up correctly anymore. Might be because the wheels are meant for M12 studs, but not positive. Gonna go back to the bolts for the time being as I'm tired of the vibrations.
+1 for hanger, or for stud conversion. I did a stud conversion to M14x1.5, though I'm gonna have to pull them off because the wheels aren't centering up correctly anymore. Might be because the wheels are meant for M12 studs, but not positive. Gonna go back to the bolts for the time being as I'm tired of the vibrations.
M12 vs M14 shouldn't make a difference. I ran mine with the ECS M14 bolts when I first picked them up, and now I'm running M14-M12 conversion studs with nuts. Never had any issues with vibrations on my car. I always try to snug the wheel in the air before torqueing the nuts or bolts. Get the wheel centered with the nuts and snug against the hub, then lower and torque to spec.
M12 vs M14 shouldn't make a difference. I ran mine with the ECS M14 bolts when I first picked them up, and now I'm running M14-M12 conversion studs with nuts. Never had any issues with vibrations on my car. I always try to snug the wheel in the air before torqueing the nuts or bolts. Get the wheel centered with the nuts and snug against the hub, then lower and torque to spec.
Yup, never had a problem with the longer bolts but as soon as I switched to studs I have not been able to get them centered correctly. I'm convinced it has to do with the shape of the lug nuts themselves, maybe the conical shape is different on the nuts than it was on the bolts though I have not looked so not positive. I've always tightened off the ground by hand using star pattern, and then torqued to spec on the ground. definitely a bummer because I was really looking forward to having the studs but alas!
Thank you Nik, I assume swapping wheelsets (winter) and summer would be straightforward?
Missed this one... I have no issue going back and forth from my summer Miata set to my Mini winter set of wheels. Well, other than the bloated weight of the Mini wheels - the Miata wheels are so nice and light!
Thanks for the intel! Even though it's only a pair not the whole set, the wheels are in exceptional shapes and tires have 1/3 tread left, I bought them!
Now on the hunt for the other two.
Received the first pair in great shapes! Found the other pair for $25 more, not bad. Next step shopping for a pair of summer tires, spacers, bolts and hanger. If the bolts come with the ECS spacer kits work. I shouldn't need any conversion studs, right?
After reading through prior blogs and ECS parts explanation, now understand it helps to install when the wheel is in the air and the center hub is not engaging much.
Generals mounted, bought a $10 2' breaker bar from HF, all psyched woke up super early lifted the car up, installed hangers on the front wheel (God-sent!!!!)
mount spacer (8mm), the bolts from NLA are of the same dimension as ECS, it wouldn't catch. I didn't have much time to play with it before a
TC, torqued the OEM wheels back on. Will try again later.
Generals mounted, bought a $10 2' breaker bar from HF, all psyched woke up super early lifted the car up, installed hangers on the front wheel (God-sent!!!!)
mount spacer (8mm), the bolts from NLA are of the same dimension as ECS, it wouldn't catch. I didn't have much time to play with it before a
TC, torqued the OEM wheels back on. Will try again later.
Oh man! How disappointing
Did you try threading the bolts into the hub without the wheel in place? Are they OEM length plus 8-10mm? Are they the correct diameter?!? What about the head size?
Did you try threading the bolts into the hub without the wheel in place? Are they OEM length plus 8-10mm? Are they the correct diameter?!? What about the head size?
Length is perfect, it's the freaking diameter too narrow, should have been 12 mm OEM, damn it!!!! 😤
after one thing or another (one of the used wheels was bent - got fixed), bolts length too narrow (bought right ones), all jazzed up today to install, only to found I lost the freaking wheel lock key.
The bolt has 13 teeth, would anyone know what code it is? I swear I will toss the freaking lock bolts away once I get this figured out.!
Seattle Mini parts confirmed 13 teeth is code 30, I step closer to tossing the freaking bolts away!
Your OEM bolts are 14mm... The 1st gen R53 Minis use the 12mm bolts 
