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Dino
Ready for SVA
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:54 pm Posts: 375
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Coupe wheel sizes
I think it's pretty much accepted that Minis handle best on 10" wheels and certainly the early GTM literature advises against bigger wheels.
But it would seem most people (with working coupes!) have used larger sizes.
Anybody tried both or just care to comment ???
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Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:54 pm |
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Tim Rowe (1130)
The Terrible Tims
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:56 pm Posts: 747 Location: In the garage,Sileby, LEICS GTM: Cox/Coupe
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I think you have a better choice of tyres with the 13" wheels and it allows you to play with the rolling radius a little.
The tyres I use on the Coupe are of a thicker wall than the ones I would fit to a 13" wheeled mini, therefore dropping the revs when cruising.
I'm also a big believer that the 10" wheels look right on the Cox and the 13" wheels look right on the Coupe. That is what size wheels they were designed for. But maybe that is just me!
_________________ Tim Rowe
"Is est totus perfectus per fumi quod speculum"
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Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:01 am |
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West
Admin, and Coupe Nutter
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:34 pm Posts: 1762 Location: In the workshop GTM: Cox/Coupe
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I Run 13 by 6 Compomotive wheels with an offset of +18, and 185 on the rear and 175 on the front, really does feel good with that set up. dont go to mad with the offset, i.e stick the wheels out too far as it will make tramlining and wheel bearing life suffer, my offset was chosen for this reason and due to this i had to wait a little while to get the wheels as they are specially ordered in this offset..
Must dash
WEST
_________________ IF wile e coyote had a GTM he would have one with Nitrous too! watch out road runner! The First GTM into the 11s then the 10s, PB 10.87 @ 125.5 Mph on A048 tyres, and fully road legal at Santa Pod
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Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:18 pm |
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the other Tim
The Terrible Tims
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:23 pm Posts: 487 Location: suffolk GTM: Cox/Coupe
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Well the mini suspension was designed for 10" wheels and as you say Dino thats seems to be best.
Having said that 13"'s suit a Coupe, the car is lighter than a mini so maybe the suspnsion is not so easily overpowered.
_________________ I'm not a complete idiot, parts of me are missing!!!!!
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Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:43 pm |
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Dino
Ready for SVA
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:54 pm Posts: 375
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Thanks for the thoughts so far guys.
Obviously although the suspension is Mini derived the lower weight of a coupe and very different drive arrangement must have a significant effect on how the suspension behaves.
I'm just not sure how this difference manifests itself!
On a Mini the lower unsprung weight of the smaller wheels is seen as an advantage and may be emphasised by the very limited travel that exists.
I'm not so concerned about rolling radius as it effects revs/mile as I think I can get what I need by choice of f/d ratio. (the car won't end up as a M'way cruiser)
The increase in ground clearance from bigger wheels would be an advantage tho!
There's also a cost saving I guess, as Cooper S disc setups are getting stupidly expensive compared to 8.4"
West, thanks for the specs, offset is certainly something that I'm aware of.
I believe your suspension is nowhere near standard, is that correct??
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Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:48 pm |
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Pantera2075
On the Road
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:38 am Posts: 740 Location: Stoke
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Note that because minis use relatively short suspension arms the difference in unsprung weight has less of an impact.
I doubt very much that in the late 50's when the mini was designed that much suspension tuning was put into the fact that it ran 10" wheels. There is a story somewhere that the first production minis ran 4J wheels which could fold if pushed really hard - so if anything this is what they were designed for - not for 5Js which are usually seen.
Remember that the bigger the rolling radius the bigger footprint you get (More grip in the dry) and the less chance you have of the tyre dropping into potholes etc.
FWIW the 13" Coupe when upgraded in the early 80's had the steering rack position tweaked to reduce bump steer and more suit the 13" wheels.
Is there any difference in the castor/camber/toe figures between the 10" and 12" mini - because that would give an idea if there were any significant difference in handling.
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Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:29 pm |
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Turbocoupe
GTM on order
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:54 pm Posts: 6
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
Greetings & congrats on the new forum! Does anyone know if 6" x 13" Revolution (4 spoke) have been successfully fitted to a coupe using 175/50's?
Cheers Dan
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:09 am |
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West
Admin, and Coupe Nutter
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:34 pm Posts: 1762 Location: In the workshop GTM: Cox/Coupe
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
No reason why not if you get them in the right offset, seen pics of coupes with revos on before, not quite to my taste tho personally but do prefer the 5 spoke to the 4.
WEST
_________________ IF wile e coyote had a GTM he would have one with Nitrous too! watch out road runner! The First GTM into the 11s then the 10s, PB 10.87 @ 125.5 Mph on A048 tyres, and fully road legal at Santa Pod
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:22 am |
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Turbocoupe
GTM on order
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:54 pm Posts: 6
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
They're not the most complimentary wheels for the shape of the coupe but make a refreshing change from minilights (also dead easy to clean!) I made an enquiry with Dymag ( http://www.dymag.com) a year or 2 ago checking costs of some of their 6 spoke cast design- at the time they had min batch qty's of 8 and were a bit out of my budget dont know if thats still the case. What is the recommended offset using std metro hubs? Are most std mini wheels (available from the usual suppliers) +18?
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:46 pm |
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nigelsgtm
GTM delivered
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:32 pm Posts: 19 Location: brownhills walsall
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
When i first got my coupe on the road ,i had 155/70 12 i think I handeld like a bag of poo so i shelled out for some sports pack wheels and 185 50/13 tyres But when you put them next to the 12 they were actualy smaller ,and because i had paid xamount of cash and gone a good way to get them i had to give them a go ,it was to low and kept grounding out So after speeking, to our man west sheled out again for 185/60/13 on the rear and 175/60/13 on the front Result a diffrent car my advice go for 60/13s
_________________ keep it real keep it "A"
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:55 pm |
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West
Admin, and Coupe Nutter
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:34 pm Posts: 1762 Location: In the workshop GTM: Cox/Coupe
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
Turbocoupe wrote: ....
What is the recommended offset using std metro hubs? Are most std mini wheels (available from the usual suppliers) +18? Depends on the eaxact setup, I run mini uprights and flanges, with my particular suspension setup the +18 offset works very well, good scrub, sensible clearances etc. you have to watch the wheels supplied by some mini supliers as some have dreadfull offsets that will ruin the handing, alot seem to stick the wheel further out widening the track which may seem like a good idea but it does have its draw backs, its all compromise. I have always gone to the manufacture and ordered the specific offset I wanted. Nigel did you get the a539s as i find these work really well but getting the 176/60s fronts are getting alot harder. WEST
_________________ IF wile e coyote had a GTM he would have one with Nitrous too! watch out road runner! The First GTM into the 11s then the 10s, PB 10.87 @ 125.5 Mph on A048 tyres, and fully road legal at Santa Pod
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:00 pm |
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gtmdriver
On the Road
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:44 am Posts: 632 Location: Chester le Street
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Re: Coupe wheel sizes
Another reason for running on 13" wheels is the decreasing range of tyres available for 10" and 12" wheels.
_________________ GRP rules!
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Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:00 pm |
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