Wheel Spacers on the SE

[F14Scott]

I installed spacers on Jessie, 15mm forward and aft. I like wheels to sit almost flush with the wheel well, so just a little added poke usually does the trick, without having to worry about rubbing or dramatically altering the handling (or, on the SE, the important aerodynamics).

I’ve put all the specs I learned/compiled about the stock wheels, hubs, and bolts, below. Thanks to @idrw’s teaching me about lug bolts, I picked the correctly sized threads and shanks on the replacements to work with the new spacers: 45mm (43mm would have been exactly right, 15mm larger than the stock 28mm, but 45mm worked just fine).

Swapping in the spacers was a piece of cake: just slip them in place and bolt the wheels back on, using the longer bolts. I will say that a wheel hanger bolt made things very easy; after removing the top lug bolt, screw in the hanger, then remove the rest of the lugs. The wheel hanger holds the wheel in place until you are ready to slip it off, and it allows one to slide the spacer and the wheel back on before easily replacing the lugs. Of course, don’t impact them in, use the star pattern, use a torque wrench, and re-torque after fifty miles and again periodically.

I think the final product looks “right” and properly stanced, whereas stock seems, to my eye, like the wheels are undersized, like an economy car’s tucked-in, small wheels.

Here’s the gouge:

Stock Wheel Specs
17" TENTACLE SPOKE
Bolt pattern = 5x112mm
Wheel Width: 7 in.
Wheel Diameter: 17 in.
Wheel Offset: ET:54mm
Color: Silver
Stock tires: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 205/45R17
Center Bore: 66.6 mm
Torque: 140 Nm, 103 ft-lbs
Factory lug bolts:
M14 x 1.25, 17mm head, Conical taper, 28mm shank length.

Spacers, 15mm
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834KSLD9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PU5JFbVD0JVSB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Wheel Bolt, M14x1.25, 45mm thread length
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RKNWZ5Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dR5JFbGEJ45KB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Wheel Hanger
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SFZ6YJL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uzcLFb335J0AW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[insightman]

@F14Scott, thanks for the tip on the hanger bolts. I will soon be changing my wheels/tires and was wishing MINI used studs and lug nuts like the Hondas I've been driving for the past 34 years, but the hanger bolts solve the problem of locating the wheels while inserting the wheel bolts. Now that @Puppethead has pointed me to the Power Spoke wheel-cover removal tool I didn't know I had, I'm going to have an easy time changing my wheels. This forum includes some very experienced and knowledgeable people!

 

[Tommy Electric]

I had never heard of wheel spacers before so had to google them. Turns out they're illegal in Australia unless factory fitted.

I could hardly notice the difference but the car looks great!

 

[F14Scott]

Yeah, mine are on the subtle end of the spectrum. Some people go bananas poking their wheels way out while lowering the cars, and then there is the "stance" crowd who play with the camber, often to extremes:

I just like the look of the line of the body's outermost flair continuing straight down the outboard edge of the wheel, rather than the outermost flair receding back inboard before intersecting the plane of the wheel.

But, to each his own. There are engineering and aesthetic tradeoffs in all mods.

Interesting about the spacers being illegal in Oz.

 

[F14Scott]

I believe I read the SE is actually lifted an inch on taller springs, to protect the battery. But, despite this, the SE has a lower CG because of the batteries' mass being on the bottom of the car.

Looking at it from the side, the gap from the top of the 17" wheel to the fender does look a bit large. I'm sure someone will offer a spring kit to lower it back to standard S specs.

 

[Tommy Electric]

Apparently some people still fit them and they seem to be readily available for purchase despite being illegal in all states.

That stance on the black Mini above is just hideous. Not my thing at all.

 

[idrw]

View attachment 9708

I installed spacers on Jessie, 15mm forward and aft. I like wheels to sit almost flush with the wheel well, so just a little added poke usually does the trick, without having to worry about rubbing or dramatically altering the handling (or, on the SE, the important aerodynamics).

I’ve put all the specs I learned/compiled about the stock wheels, hubs, and bolts, below. Thanks to @idrw’s teaching me about lug bolts, I picked the correctly sized threads and shanks on the replacements to work with the new spacers: 45mm (43mm would have been exactly right, 15mm larger than the stock 28mm, but 45mm worked just fine).

Swapping in the spacers was a piece of cake: just slip them in place and bolt the wheels back on, using the longer bolts. I will say that a wheel hanger bolt made things very easy; after removing the top lug bolt, screw in the hanger, then remove the rest of the lugs. The wheel hanger holds the wheel in place until you are ready to slip it off, and it allows one to slide the spacer and the wheel back on before easily replacing the lugs. Of course, don’t impact them in, use the star pattern, use a torque wrench, and re-torque after fifty miles and again periodically.

I think the final product looks “right” and properly stanced, whereas stock seems, to my eye, like the wheels are undersized, like an economy car’s tucked-in, small wheels.

Here’s the gouge:

Stock Wheel Specs
17" TENTACLE SPOKE
Bolt pattern = 5x112mm
Wheel Width: 7 in.
Wheel Diameter: 17 in.
Wheel Offset: ET:54mm
Color: Silver
Stock tires: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 205/45R17
Center Bore: 66.6 mm
Torque: 140 Nm, 103 ft-lbs
Factory lug bolts:
M14 x 1.25, 17mm head, Conical taper, 28mm shank length.

Spacers, 15mm
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834KSLD9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PU5JFbVD0JVSB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Wheel Bolt, M14x1.25, 45mm thread length
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RKNWZ5Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dR5JFbGEJ45KB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Wheel Hanger
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SFZ6YJL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uzcLFb335J0AW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

View attachment 9709

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Nice!!! Thanks for sharing..

 

[insightman]

I believe I read the SE is actually lifted an inch on taller springs, to protect the battery. But, despite this, the SE has a lower CG because of the batteries' mass being on the bottom of the car.

The SE is lifted is 18 mm (45/64") higher than other MINI Hardtops. To compensate visually, MINI created unique wheel-arch trim for the SE that is wider than that on other MINI Hardtops. MINI says the battery lowers the SE's center of gravity by 1.18 inches.

 

[MichaelC]

@F14Scott - Have you noticed any difference in handling performance and/or efficiency after installing the spacers?

 

[F14Scott]

@F14Scott - Have you noticed any difference in handling performance and/or efficiency after installing the spacers?

Nothing noticeable in either attribute. Handles like a dream, and I average around 110 to 120 miles per charge while hauling *** at 80 on my commute with the AC on full blast to counter Houston's 98 degree afternoons. Milking it, I show 140+.

I just rotated the tires at 10,000 odometer miles (8000 on the tires, as the originals had a dragginess issue). All tires looked like they had even wear; I couldn't tell which were fronts and which were afts, except that I knew their positions already.

After having used anti-seize on the spacers where they contact the hub, they all slipped right off when I rotated.

TLDR: They're just cosmetic, causing neither harm nor performance improvement.

 

[MichaelC]

Superb! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear!

 

[F14Scott]

Just realized that my Rule 1E picture does a pretty good job showing the cosmetic difference my 15mm spacers make:

 

[Jim In Tucson]

Just realized that my Rule 1E picture does a pretty good job showing the cosmetic difference my 15mm spacers make:

Thanks for pointing this out. I had missed the now obvious visual difference of the wheel offset. I think there will be wheel spacers in my future. Is there any reason to be wary of wheel spacers with regard to warranty?


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

[F14Scott]

Thanks for pointing this out. I had missed the now obvious visual difference of the wheel offset. I think there will be wheel spacers in my future. Is there any reason to be wary of wheel spacers with regard to warranty?


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

Per the Magnuson Act, a warranty denial must be caused by the aftermarket part; its mere presence is not sufficient cause for denial. It's hard for me to imagine what is effectively selecting an aftermarket rim with 15mm less offset meeting that standard.

That said, I just passed 16,000 miles with no indication of issues. The undriven rear suspension is pretty simple. The spacers' addition adds less change than a set of new rims.

Also, when I was having what I thought was an alignment problem (but was actually a tire drag problem), my dealer guys did not care about my spacers when they were troubleshooting the alignment issue, because four identical, small spacers would not cause problems.

 

[Carsten Haase]

Per the Magnuson Act, a warranty denial must be caused by the aftermarket part; its mere presence is not sufficient cause for denial. It's hard for me to imagine what is effectively selecting an aftermarket rim with 15mm less offset meeting that standard.

That said, I just passed 16,000 miles with no indication of issues. The undriven rear suspension is pretty simple. The spacers' addition adds less change than a set of new rims.

Also, when I was having what I thought was an alignment problem (but was actually a tire drag problem), my dealer guys did not care about my spacers when they were troubleshooting the alignment issue, because four identical, small spacers would not cause problems.

Worst case they could potentially deny a warranty claim for wheel bearing/hub damage due to the increased leverage of the spacers but that's still probably unlikely. You could also easily just remove the spacers before bringing it in and they'd never know...

 

[hanyoung99]

I also have some poke on the wife's car after installing 17 x 7.5 wide rims with 215 Michelin tires (known to be wider than most). Looking at the side of her car, there is some sprayoff due to the wider tires. Anyone every install mud flaps to help with this? I know - one solution leads to another problem

 

[MichaelC]

I also have some poke on the wife's car after installing 17 x 7.5 wide rims with 215 Michelin tires (known to be wider than most). Looking at the side of her car, there is some sprayoff due to the wider tires. Anyone every install mud flaps to help with this? I know - one solution leads to another problem

The OEM mudflaps are just wide enough for stock wheels & tires. Anything wider or with greater poke will extend past them, meaning you'll still get some spray.

 

[Carsten Haase]

I also have some poke on the wife's car after installing 17 x 7.5 wide rims with 215 Michelin tires (known to be wider than most). Looking at the side of her car, there is some sprayoff due to the wider tires. Anyone every install mud flaps to help with this? I know - one solution leads to another problem

Same problem here, I'm thinking about getting some universal Rokblokz and making my own mounting hardware.

Not sure how they'll affect range but the OEM front ones look useless and I need something since Oregon uses cinder and rock instead of salt which will sand blast the front fender and door behind the tire

Something like this:

 

[F14Scott]

Same problem here, I'm thinking about getting some universal Rokblokz and making my own mounting hardware.

Not sure how they'll affect range but the OEM front ones look useless and I need something since Oregon uses cinder and rock instead of salt which will sand blast the front fender and door behind the tire

Something like this:
View attachment 14619

That lowered and poked looks really good to my eye, but alas, my driveway's steep angle, my terribly potholed street, and my street's numerous traffic humps conspire to keep me mostly stock.

 

[hanyoung99]

Thanks for the info guys? I know that people love their rallyarmour mud flaps in the WRX crowd, but I'm looking for something more subtle. Bummer that the OEMs don't work, as they looked to be a good solution. Carsten, let me know how the rokblokz turn out!