Wheel options....what do they weigh?

  • Thread starter Thread starter KeninFL
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That gets spendy in a hurry. When I thought I found a deal on a set of 16x7.5J Brabus wheels for my last car, they needed to be straightened and refinished and it cost $600. Good thing I only paid $500 for the wheels. :rolleyes: I shopped around for simple refinishing (no straightening or color change) on the used Victory Spokes, and $75 each is as cheap as it gets (I paid $300 for the set, with some minor curb rash on two of them). I’m formulating a different plan.
 
Giosan said:
Funny you'd say that. I have a '22 se that I race in our local SCCA solo events. I'm in GS class with the only modification being different tires. I always beat the jcw which is much more modified and has wider tires. The se is amazing, on a short course at least, and with the right performance tires.
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I also have a blast autocrossing my SE in GS. I did get a set of Enkei RPF1s and put some RE-71RS tires on them. I also swapped out the rear sway bar for a huge 25mm sway bar which made a giant difference!
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Jim In Tucson said:
Brand of sway bar? Link?

Do you notice much improvement in street driving?

Thanks,
Jim


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NM Engineering 25mm adjustable rear sway bar. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-nm-engi...utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=map&ref=yotpo_8
I have not noticed any difference at all in street driving. The ride quality and handling characteristics in normal driving are exactly the same as far as I can tell. It’s only in autocross-level aggressive turning that I’ve noticed a major change. Understeer is completely gone. I have the 25mm bar on the loosest setting because I figured I could always crank it stiffer as needed, but I think that setting is perfectly dialed in and I actually worry about too much oversteer if I go any stiffer. I will say that I was shocked at what a tiny twig the OEM sway bar that came off the car was, compared to this massive tube.
 
Rogue Synapse said:
I also have a blast autocrossing my SE in GS. I did get a set of Enkei RPF1s and put some RE-71RS tires on them. I also swapped out the rear sway bar for a huge 25mm sway bar which made a giant difference!
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I'd read that the only way to change the rear sway bar was to drop the battery. Is that true? How difficult was it to change and where can I read the steps involved? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated as I'd already given up on the idea.
 
KeninFL said:
I haven't found anywhere information about the weights of the different wheel options the SE has. I don't know if they are w/i a pound or two of each other or if there are bigger differences.
If I were buying an ICE Mini I'd want to know the unsprung weight at each corner. For the SE I'd like to know in the interest in keeping the total weight of the car as low as possible.
Anybody have info about this?
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I recently bought a set of powerspoke wheels and weighed them. Without the tpms but with a few weights attached, they weigh approximately 21 lbs. I used a digital luggage scale that you hang onto the object and then lift.
 
Giosan said:
I'd read that the only way to change the rear sway bar was to drop the battery. Is that true? How difficult was it to change and where can I read the steps involved? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated as I'd already given up on the idea.
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I had the sway bar installed at a local BMW/Mini shop (https://www.bimmerlogic.net/) so I can’t tell you the particulars, but they said it was no big deal and that the pictorial step-by-step instructions that came with the sway bar (picturing an ICE F56 Cooper) were very helpful.
 
Rogue Synapse said:
I also have a blast autocrossing my SE in GS. I did get a set of Enkei RPF1s and put some RE-71RS tires on them. I also swapped out the rear sway bar for a huge 25mm sway bar which made a giant difference!
View attachment 18168
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Try the Yokohama a052 when you need a new set. Grippiest tire I've ever used. I used the original re71's, 245/40/17, on my former STX Scion FRS. I'm actually faster in the mini with 205/50/16 and 300 lbs more weight.
 
Rogue Synapse said:
I had the sway bar installed at a local BMW/Mini shop (https://www.bimmerlogic.net/) so I can’t tell you the particulars, but they said it was no big deal and that the pictorial step-by-step instructions that came with the sway bar (picturing an ICE F56 Cooper) were very helpful.
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I took a look at the swaybar and it does look like you'd have to lower the battery to replace it. How much did the dealer charge you to install it?
 
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According to the sway bar mfg the bar can be removed and installed from the right side of the SE, at least on the S.


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Giosan said:
I took a look at the swaybar and it does look like you'd have to lower the battery to replace it. How much did the dealer charge you to install it?
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It was pretty pricey (in my opinion) - I think about $500. They said they had to drop the subframe but didn’t mention anything about the battery; maybe that was assumed. Also, it wasn’t a dealer but a third party BMW/Mini mechanic, because the closest actual Mini dealer, where I took delivery of my car, is over an hour away.
 
Rogue Synapse said:
I also have a blast autocrossing my SE in GS. I did get a set of Enkei RPF1s and put some RE-71RS tires on them. I also swapped out the rear sway bar for a huge 25mm sway bar which made a giant difference!
View attachment 18168
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I did a 75mph 'moose test' in my SE a month back. A pickup I was following kicked up a brick sized piece of semi tyre to windscreen height. I swear I tipped considerably further than the autocross picture. I was surprised and a little alarmed at it.
The moose test was an utter failure, though. My Mini handled it perfectly.
 
nowkent said:
The Pedal Spoke (60 year spoke) wheel is 23.8 pounds
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foxelijah77 said:
Wanted to take a moment to thank you for this answer. I've referred to it probably 5 times over the years lol.
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I had to use google to remember what a Pedal Spoke wheel looks like (why "Pedal?"). I'm sure I've never seen one in person. They certainly do a much better job of showing off the disc brakes than the aerodynamic, Iconic SE-exclusive (from the factory) Power Spoke (originally "Corona Spoke) wheels on my SE do! Does anyone know "60 year spoke" in @nowkent 's post means?

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insightman said:
I had to use google to remember what a Pedal Spoke wheel looks like (why "Pedal?"). I'm sure I've never seen one in person. They certainly do a much better job of showing off the disc brakes than the aerodynamic, Iconic SE-exclusive (from the factory) Power Spoke (originally "Corona Spoke) wheels on my SE do! Does anyone know "60 year spoke" in @nowkent 's post means?
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I ordered my 2024 Mini SE with the Pedal Spoke rims (the spokes are supposed to resemble gas pedals). They are kinda rare actually. I've got four in my garage after swapping with Mach Performance MP41s. I believe the 60 Year ones are silver/gray instead of black
 
I have the victory spokes but I'm looking for a lighter wheel. It's hard to find a light 16, it seems like it's a weird size for wheel manufacturers, especially w the 5x112 hole pattern. I thought about 15 bc they're so light, but I don't know how they'd feel in daily driving.

So far, I've only found some Oz wheels at sub 15 lbs.

Anyone else have another known option?
 
I've been redrilling 5x114.3 wheels. There are few 15s that can fit over rear calipers. I have some used SSRs. The wheels that could fit need the calipers ground for clearance, fortunately in a low stressed area. I have never managed to get a wheel clearance drawing from any manufacturer, so it is suck it and see. 15x8 ET45 with 205/50 feels and handles great, 225/45 should be similar. 15x9 with 245s needs offset of around 32 and that hurts steering feel, but moar grips! Smaller diameter means better acceleration and slight lowering without screwing roll centres. I run 15s for autocross, 16s for daily.
 
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