This thread has a lot of the info that I was looking for, but I have one more question. If the S-lights I am running now have an ET50 and the 16"X-lights have an ET48, even an ET in the 40-42 range seems very different. Will a 42et wheel be enough to increase bearing wear enough that I would notice?

TT

 

If its hubcentric, no premature wear should occur.

Alex

 

Great!

Thanks Alex.

TT

 

Every 13mm is equal to a 1/2".

I have 38mm offset on my BBS wheels and I have 56k + miles on my 05. No problems so far...my track wheels are 45mm offset.

Offset affects a few other things as well.

 

Meb,

Thanks for the conversion and the personal experience. Good to here that a 38mm offset hasn't caused any problems. I know that 6-10 mm is not much in absolute terms, I was figuring that the engineers that designed the MINI must have had some reason to use the offsets that the did, and was a little concerned about making any big changes. Not being an engineer myself I didn't know if 6-10 mm was a signficant difference.

TT

 

alex (tirerack),
i have a set of bbs rgr 17X7. What is the offset of these? I recall an offset close to this.
Thanks,
Carl

 

...and I thought I would let everyone know that I am still driving around on these wheels. I trimmed the fender wells back such that they don't rub, though during extreme impacts (like backing over a curb once) they _can_.

The driving experience is actually just fine. I put my S-lites back on the other day (for a dealer visit) and realized just how bad those wheels are! The torque steer I was attributing to my new wheels is NOTHING like it is with the S-lites.

In fact, I think the tramlining effect is much worse with the stock wheels. I was frightened more than once after the wheel was yanked left or right by a big rut in the road! (YAY worst roads in the country!).

Overall I have had no major problems after 3000 miles. I am still looking for an engineering diagram of the MINI front hub so that I can do some calculations on the moment induced in the wheel bearings. This will give me an idea of how much more load I am putting on the bearings, and if I should be worried.

ciao,

RM2k5

 

I wouldn't mind stopping by and seeing how you trimmed the fender wells, as I'm experiencing the same effect on our lovely roads! I'm running a 7.5" ET35 wheel, so I'd like to eliminate the little rubby-dubby I occasionally get (especially the dips on Gray Street!).