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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Minator wheels

Musing about fitting Minators to the 73 RWA, and as such, been conducting an extensive trawl of the web to ascertain more. However, some things remain unanswered, so risking the wrath of those who have told others a zillion times before....

For R13s, 5 or perhaps 5.5 width, what is the maximum width of tyre one can fit without further modifications and without causing any fouling/rubbing issues? 160 seems the limit......

If considering fitting R14s 5.5 or even 6 for purely aesthetic purposes - and ignoring the potentially adverse ride issues - what max tyre width may be fitted here? Similar I assume......

Does any allowance need to be made for the offset when using Minators or is it a just bolt on job?

Minispares seem to do a decent range - albeit out of stook at present... Thoughts?...I quite like the polished rims.....
Mark O

I've got Minator 5's with 165/70/13's under the square arches of my Sprite with no clearance issues at all if that helps. Under the rwa's there will be even less of an issue.
Lawrence Slater

Lawrence

Good info...thanks. Bolt on with same (Rostyle) nuts and no further mods?
Mark O

Yup I just used the same chrome rostyle nuts, but I understand that you can get hardened inserts too to protect the wheels when you tighten the nuts. I seem to remember speaking to someone about it on the phone, but they said in practice you don't really need them. So far, my nuts haven't come loose or eaten into the wheels.

However I was also told that the wheel nuts from Minator, are cut at a slightly different angle where they meet the recesses in the Minator wheels. I can't remember who told me that now, but anyway, being a tight wad and having all my rostyle nuts already, I ignored that. :).
Lawrence Slater

Ok good useful stuff. I also like the look of the 14s and they do seem to fill the arches rather well, but note various comments about harsh ride etc....
Mark O

Mark

I also have Minator 13" x 5" fitted with 165/70/13 Continentals on my RWA with 6mm spacers all round and with absolutely no problems. MIne was supplied with new wheel nuts and I was told to use these instead of the Rostyle nuts because the seating angle was slightly different. I was also told not to exceed the recommended wheel nut torque - 45 lb ft or 6.2 kg m. I have had no problems at all since I bought them in 1998.
Peter B

Mark.

I have a set of brand new 14" JBW Minilites sitting here.

£290 inc VAT shipped to your door.

Will get details and pics for you tomorrow if you are interested.
Pete Moreland-Moore

Peter B

Dumb question perhaps but are the spacers twixt all wheels and all hubs, and if so, did you use longer studs?

Appreciate the point about the seating.

Pete

Sent you a PM


Cheers

Mark

Mark O

Mark

Yes the 6mm spacers are fitted all round and I have not used longer studs, although it is something I seriously thought about at the time. I found front spacers were necessary to avoid very slight tyre contact with the arb link on extreme lock on the nearside front (left) that was picked up on an MOT test. For some reason the offside front never caused a problem. The wheel nuts have always done up nicely, so it's my opinion that the standard studs are fine with the thin spacers.
Peter B

175 on 5 inch KN minators on my RWA, rubbing on the back under mega conering but fixed with a 5mm spacer each side, standard studs and nuts. I've got 5mm on the front as well to keep the handling balance the same.

Mini wheels have the right PCD but the wrong offset, particularly in 13.

absolute max on an RWA may well be 185/60 14, watch this space...
Rob Armstrong

Rubbing on the anti roll bar is caused by too much steering lock, which is governed by the king pins against the stubaxles. Because the stub axles have been rebuilt and passed through various owners hands, they get "altered" from time to time. Mine looked as if they'd been ground back to increase the lock. My tyres rubbed with standard wheels when I first went up to 165's. Myself and Guy both rectified this with a blob of weld on the stubaxle, but spacers will do it more easily I guess.
Lawrence Slater

a supplier I've used, giving excellent VFM is
http://www.midlandwheels.com/
They offer even better deals at MG Stoneleigh spares days, usually in Feb.
David Smith

5inch don't give trouble 5.5 inch do rub into the wheel arches. Don't ask me why I know...

Flip
Flip Brühl

>>If considering fitting R14s 5.5 or even 6 for purely aesthetic purposes - and ignoring the potentially adverse ride issues - what max tyre width may be fitted here? Similar I assume......<<

ignoring the need/practicality/handling or not for whatever sized wheels and tyres - here are links to four pages that tell you all about wheels and tyres, offsets, and has a tyre size calculator

this is the page you'll probably want to start with as it has the tyre size calculator and info on offset and wheel sizes - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg4.html

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg2.html

(this page is not for C L Carter or possibly yourself) - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg3.html
Nigel Atkins

ETA: I'm on 5" rims with 155 width tyres but obviously my car hasn't the mighty halfshaft twisting power of a tuned engine on single HIF






and the power to weight drops to trace when me and the missis get in
Nigel Atkins

I have a SWA midget. I successfully fitted some 5.5 inch Compomotive alloy wheels with 165/70/13 tyres. They were fine for road use BUT only after I fitted a Panhard rod (otherwise they rubbed on the rear arches but were fine at the front). However, on track days they rubbed on the rear arches even with the Panhard rod so I've dropped down to 5.0 inch Minilite replicas (not sure of the make), again with 165/70/13 tyres and no problems despite the most vigorous cornering on track and grippy tyres (Yokohamas). I'm not convinced that there is much gain from bigger (i.e. 14 inch rims) or wider (5.5 and above).
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

Mark,

As I have mentioned before, if you are looking to offload your old rostyles I might be interested. Either just the rims or rims + tyres if you are going to get new boots at the same time (assuming the old ones have some life left in them... they have got to be better than my 5 10+ year old tyres that are all different non-branded ditch finders!).

Cheers,
Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

14 inches means bigger brakes and a much better range of H rated tyres - good for K's but less necessary for others.
Rob Armstrong

Chaps

Many thanks - much to think about. Midland wheels seems to offer some good deals. Black miniltes with a polished rim...mmmmmm.

Cheers

Mark
Mark O

This thread was discussed between 14/10/2013 and 15/10/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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