HRMINI

I've been hunting for new rims for Tug and I'm seriously confused...  What in the heck is "hyper silver" color??   Why doesn't anyone make decent looking CHROME rims anymore?  Hell, there aren't any polished aluminum rims anymore!   :099:  Help?

One other question...  Where is the heck do they get the idea that THIS rim is black??  Yeah, they call it "hyper black" but, black, it is NOT!

(http://edgeracing.com/images/wheel/enkei_wheel_evo_6_(hyper_black)_front_zoom.jpg)


Anyway, that is the one I'm leaning towards now...  How do you all think that would look on Tug?  Anyone?  Beuller?  Beuller?  By the way, the model is Enkei Evo 6

centerlinewheels.com if you want forged chrome rims that are light.  Wheels are a very personal thing, and often you may find yourself looking for something else once they're mounted.  What size are you going for?  Do you have a weight in mind?  Also important is making sure you pick the right range of offset, so you don't have rubbing issues.
 :109:

These Hyper colors really aren't. Actually the Hyper Chrome is kinda chrome. Think if chrome with a light dusting of brake dust. Black is kinda the same way, I've seen it called black chrome too. Think of chrome with SEVERAL layers of brake dust. Nice look. I like it anyway. I think those would look good mounted on Tug!

Here's my 2 cents worth:  get polished aluminum rims if possible.  Steel and chrome are heavy.  10 pounds of unsprung weight is worth 100 pounds of sprung weight.  The only reason I have the BBS RK rims is they came on my MCS when I bought it.  If and when I buy new ones, they will be aluminum.

What do you all think of these rims?  After talking to Frank at CF about rim distortion and so forth, these look pretty sturdy but they don't say what they weigh. The spokes fade into the center of the barrel of the rim so they should be pretty strong. The best part is, they are CHROME!  :icon_mrgreen:

http://www.performanceplustire.com/products/wheels/searchType/searchByVehicle/year/2007/make/MINI/model/COOPER%20S/applicationID/9998/wheelSize/17/manufacturerID/2/productID/5629/wheelDataID/47034#prodAnchor

(http://www.performanceplustire.com/imagesProducts3/5047.jpg)

Look good Jeff. What happen to having the others chromed?

It's an expensive process and adds weight to already heavy rims so...   :102:

I haven't found the weight of these yet but... Whaddyathink?  Sorry for the huge picture.

(http://www.wheelsnext.com/images/wheels/large/ICW_447_MACHINE_BLK_2_STOCK.jpg)

I think that with the face of the rim being machined and the rest being black, these will fit the bill nicely.  Black = no problem with brake dust and machined face = a happy Jeff because it's shiny!  :icon_mrgreen:

they look like they should be easy to clean

I bought my rims from wheels next.  Be sure to check the security of the balance weights.  They are stuck on the rim with some sort of 3m tape essentially, which I found pretty cheesy.  If you're not buying them with tires however, you should be fine.  Just have them balanced by a quality shop here like Boss Wheels or Joes.

Use wheel wax on the inside to make it easier to clean the brake dust off.  I've used it on LiL Stinkers wheels and it really works.

Amen to that my friend!  :icon_mrgreen:  Did I tell you about Rejex?  The stuff is incredible!  Mike A. turned me onto it and it made Tug's factory wheels as slick as a freshly oiled baby butt!  I can spray the brake dust off at a wand-wash and about 97% of it just flies right the heck off of the rims!  :icon_eek:

Thanks for the tip Ben.  I'm getting my tires locally and was wondering where to get them mounted.  Where are the two places you mentioned above and are they used to dealing with anal compulsive Mini owners?   :icon_mrgreen:

I found out some info on the wheel that is black on the inside above.  The offset is 42 or 45, size is 17 x 7.5, it weighs 21 pounds (bad??) and they include hubcentric rings in the price of $140 each.  Shipping for the set is $30.  The brand is ICW Racing and the model is Fusion (447mb)  I know that's about as heavy as my stock Crown Spokes but dammit... it's sexy!  :096:  WhaddoIdo?  :017:

Have you try-ed Edge Racing.com?

Yeah I did, Steve.  They don't have the ICW Racing wheels that I like though.  They do have an Enkei rim that I like but I like the ICW Racing one better...

Ok, new dilemma...  Now that I actually have the money to spend on some rims, I'm rim shopping again.  I bookmarked a LOT of websites when I was shopping before.  The rim below is the one that I like the most so far.  I'm about to call the vendor to get the weight of it and the offset.  Any thoughts on this rim would be greatly appreciated.


(http://wheelstudio.com/catalog/images/r1/gt4_hypblk.jpg)

Oooh!  It's looking GOOD!  They weight "roughly 18 pounds"!  Not bad for 17 x 7 eh?  ET is 40 (factory Crown Spokes are ET 48)  Whaddayathink?  C'mon! spill!  Good or bad!   :icon_mrgreen:

sexy yes... they are very attractive rims but i could not imagine cleaning them... but if Rejex works as good as you say it might just be acceptable.

Fancy!  Too much space to clean for me, but hey, I only wash/wax my car 2-3 times a year and the wheels have only been scrubbed once in 14 months!  (Probably shouldn't have admitted to that...  Oh well...)

Yea, thats not something you want to tell the MINI world. :018:

What Big Red said will be a problem with the brake dust around those little bolts. :icon_sad:

Why doesn't anyone make a perfect wheel for me?!  The search continues...

I have been searching for rims too. A friend recommended BOSS/high-dust 4x4 on Virginia beach Blvd. The one next to Joes rims. I went by and saw Dave. I'm impressed. He said he can order anything I want. Any kind of rim! And his price was right too. You should check it out. They got books and books of chrome rims.

Mmmmmm....   Chroooommmmmeeeeee....    *drool*   :icon_mrgreen:

Ok, so how about these by Enkei?  They weigh 17.5 pounds as a 17 x 7

(http://edgeracing.com/images/wheel/enkei_wheel_rs7_(silver)_angle_zoom.jpg)

Steph and I are also looking for rims. Does anyone know who makes this rim?

Thanks !!!
Don

http://2009minicoopers.shutterfly.com/

Hey Don,

 The wheel on this link looks just like that one except that the center is black.  Now that we know the name/brand of it, it can probably be found online in chrome if that's what you want.  :icon_mrgreen:


(http://www.onlinetires.com/ImagesUpload/Wheels/Tenzo%20R/shu4GM.jpg)

http://www.onlinetires.com/default.aspx?PageData=wheelDetails&wid=20325


This is the wheel that Don is looking for.


(http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b8cf39b3127cce9854862e180c00000046100AbOWrVu3Yt2NA)

Don, That wheel is made by MAXIM.
Jeff, That wheel looks great.

 :017:  That's not like any Maxim wheel that I found.  The one above is a Tenzo R model SHU-4   :102:  :icon_mrgreen:

OH. It looked like the M logo on maxim rims :103:

Jeff, I would have to go with this one. Everything else so far dosen't have the "BLING FACTOR" that these have. Knowing your fondness for chrome, I believe this one will do the best with that blue.

The bling is my thing!  :icon_mrgreen:   So far that is the top contender for me.  I'm still perusing CraigsList and a few other car related sites locally hoping to find something different/unique but still blingy and light.

Any opinions on Gram Lights?  Anyone?

Hey Don, I found the Tenzo R SHU-4 in silver but not chrome.  Not yet anyway...

http://www.wheelwarehouse.com/p-2149-shu-4-silver.aspx

They don't list a price, just a "request a quote" link.  :icon_rolleyes:

I forgot to mention cleaning these properly will require removing them every so often to get behind them. I do it with my factory web spokes and the neighbors must think I'm nuts.

hey Jeff,

Holy cow! What a difference lighter rims and real tires make. I ended up with a 10 spoke enkei rim that weighs about 16 lbs. Yokohama 205/50-r16's. It rides AND drives so much better.

That's great man!  :icon_mrgreen:  I can barely wait to get mine now!  I've got some stuff to do tomorrow but I will fit some local rim shopping in.

Forrest, what kind of Yoko's did ya go with?

Let me tell y'all about my wheel search for the Clubbie. I found a set on a guys car on NAM. I emailed him and he said they were Focal F5's. Pretty good looking I thought. So I was at my local wheel shop, which happens to be 4 doors down from my shop and inquired about them. My luck kicks in here! Focal is going out of business and has no stock on the wheels I want. Back to the drawing board!

In looking closer at those wheels, they seem to be black on the inside side of the spokes.  Either way, I'd go to great lengths for the bling factor. Hehee   That's ok John, my neighbors already know that I'm crazy.  :icon_mrgreen:

hey all,
I went with the Yoko advan A680. its a high performance summer. Keep in mind I'm setting this tire rim combo up for in case I decide to do autox in the spring. When I find the right 17" rims I want, I'll purchase an all season for my everyday use.

Thats a nice rim Jeff. I think it would look nice on tug.

/Users/forrestharrell/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2008/Nov 22, 2008_2/IMG_3071.JPG

Hey Don,

 The rim below is VERY similar to the one you are looking for back on page 2.  It is made by Nakayama and it is called a Schumacher R8.  It is available in chrome for $212 per wheel in 17 x 7.  That includes the center caps.  Tuner lugs are required and are $70 for the set.  You do need hubcentric rings though.  They sell plastic ones.  I've been talking with a local machine shop and he assures me that he can make a really decent aluminum hubcentric ring for a very reasonable price.  The offset is 38 and they are painted what looks like a charcoal/matte black in the back behind the spokes.  They weigh 18lbs each.

(http://www.wheelsnext.com/images/wheels/large/NAKAYAMA_SCHUMACHER-R8_CH_2_W.jpg)

What do you guys and gals think of these rims?  They are made in America (a big plus IMHO) and weigh 14ish pounds in a 17 x 7. High polished aluminum, no clear coat, drilled only to 4 x 100 and include center caps.  I can use my factory lug bolts with these too.

(http://centerlinewheels.com/images/wheel_deals/12437storm.jpg)

They are $300 each shipped

I like the other set above.  They just don't look right for a MINI. :017:

So many choices!!!!!!!!!!! :shock:

Do you mean the Nakayamas, Steve?  I kind of like them too but they are heavier than what I want.  Is 3 or 4 pounds per rim going to make a big difference in autocross?

 
 

I think it depends on how serious you are. For a local event, I'd say no. If you were chasing ProSolo points or a national title, maybe. For your average autocrosser that small of a difference wouldn't be noticed. Even considering I've autocrossed for darn near 30 years, I wouldn't worry about it and I've trophied at national tour events. Not that that means anything to anybody. I know there are people that will argue with my opinion. In 80% of autocrossers the driver needs more work than any part of the car. I'd be more interested in A) seat time, B) good brakes, C)sticky tires! The weight of my wheels wouldn't be a major concern. Go for what ya like. Worry about the weight later. The Enkies we use for Tyler's  car are heavy, but we've won 4 out of 4 events each.

I like these they are clean and simple...  and thats what i look for in a rim!  but hey its your call!

I agree with Dale. Unless your going for that last thousandth of a second a couple of pounds on each corner isn't going to make a difference. And that's only if you've got years of experience and feeling the edge of adhesion come naturally. If your running street tires a few pounds will make absolutely no difference.

Buy the rims you like based on style first and weight second. Everyone knows lighter is better but with light weight also come less metal and possibly less strength. Forged rims are stronger than cast rims but they are also more expensive.

I agree with the above comments. Your just getting started and when you get serious then you'll need a second set of rims and tires. So get what is pleasing to your eyes. :023:

Thanks for your honesty and candor Roy, Steve and everyone else.  :icon_mrgreen:  Now I'm going to try to find the balance between blingy and lighter-than-stock.   :103:

Ok, I've made an executive decision...  The rims that I'm getting are the Nakayama Schumacher R8's in CHROME as seen below. 
(http://www.wheelsnext.com/images/wheels/large/NAKAYAMA_SCHUMACHER-R8_CH_2_W.jpg)

I chose this rim for several reasons.

1: It's CHROME
2: It's sexy!
3: The back is coated/painted a charcoal-ish color that will help hide brake dust.
4: It's CHROME
5: It's reasonably light at 18-ish pounds.
6: The caps are included.
7: It's CHROME
8: It's sexy!

One of the few questions that I have for those of you with aftermarket rims are...

1: The offset or ET of this rim is 38.  The factory crown spokes are 45.  Does this mean that these rims will be closer to the inside of the car or the outside?

2: If this is going to move them inside, would it be by 7mm each wheel as the math indicates?

3: If so, do I need 7mm spacers?

4: Metal hub centric rings or aluminum?

5: It requires tuner lug bolts.  If what I've read is correct, are those the ones that all look like lock lugs and take a weird special little tool?

6: Is the center of aftermarket wheels about the same thickness as stock or are longer/shorter lug bolts needed?

I'm sure that there will be more questions...  Everytime I figure one thing out it seems to lead to 10 more questions.

Tug...  Sexy?  Can I forcast a centerfold in the coming weeks?  :PopcornEmoticon:

Nice selection!  :023:


(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc74/doniaduck/Smilies/ththanksgiving.gif)

Jeff, this is what I found out when I put rims on the other day.

tuner lugs are the ones with the special little tool. Make sure you get a tuner kit for 07/08 because the 06 and down will not work(different thread pattern I was told).

The hub centering ring were plastic but they are just there to line up the lugs. I was told they just keep it in place, that there is no significance other than that.

As far as the off set. It was explained to me that the higher the number the further the wheel sticks out.

Thats all I got, I'm sure some of these guys have more info but it was fresh in my head.

I'm the guy that told Forrest about the centering rings. They help line up the wheel to make it easier to screw the lugs on. The lug nuts/bolts are what actually aligns the rim and holds it to the spindle. The rims on my car right now are supposed to have them but I ain't got none so I went without. I took extra care to insure the lugs centered in the tapers and torqued them down. They're running great. I also ran a track event on borrowed rims and tires (off an Integra of all things) like this and didn't have a problem. You will never put the kind of stress on rims driving on the street that I put on them flogging it around a race track. When on the track with my MINI I generally have two speeds - hard on the brakes or WFO

One note about centering rings though. Plastic is fine but if at all possible get solid rings rather than the ones that have some open space and ribs in them. Lelane found out the hard way that the ones with ribs don't hold up to the heat from the brakes when on track. The solid ones are holding up just fine.

That right it was Roy that told me about the rings. Thanks. They say the mind is the first thing to go.

Are you implying that you want to see a pic of me and Tug naked?   :103: :106: :016:

Thanks for the info Forrest.  :icon_mrgreen:




Roy,

 Thanks for the explanation.  I was under the impression that the rings were there so that the weight of the car actually sits on the center of the rim via the raised lip on the hub.  I know that the lug bolts (in our case) holds the rim to the rotor/hub and thus transfers weight that way.  I was kind of concerned about that and the fact that these rims are 38 offset.  I was considering having a machine shop fabricate some combination rings/spacers that will add back the lost 7mm of offset at each wheel.  "Wider is better"  Right?   :icon_mrgreen:   Without the spacers, I'm going to lose a total of 14mm of width in Tug's stance.  I know a local machine shop that will custom make what I want in high grade aluminum at a reasonable cost.  Should I bother or is the difference in stance negligible?

Thanks John.  I'm as happy as a tornado in a trailer park!   :icon_mrgreen: :023:

Those are the BLING. :103:

Bling is my thing!  :icon_mrgreen:

   

 :100: Well I didn't  :009: mention anything about you, but if you're game :112: I think you should chat with Wendy about using it :101: for the forum opening page :103: for an upcoming month. :003:   (http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc74/doniaduck/Smilies/Mooning.gif)

Oh, so you want to see Tug naked then?  :shock:  He's always naked!  :icon_mrgreen:

Tug naked?  No way!  :101:  There's too many  :045: coats of Hydro on him to even consider nudity.  :icon_lol:

Well....  After a long and arduous process in trying to find wheels that I like, I was just told when I called to order them that Nakayama is no longer making them and will go out of business once their inventory is depleted.  :087:  I'm not going to buy a wheel that I can't get a replacement for so...  the search continues.  Dammit!   :093:

I've found another rim that I really like!  They are PIAA Euro Tech vintage wheels in 17x7.  They weigh 17 pounds and the ET is 40.  No little bolts to collect brake dust, the back part is black and they are "Racing Buff" finish.  That translates to bright silver.  Take a look at them on the picture below!  BTW, they are on sale this weekend for $180/wheel.

(http://www.altaminiperformance.com/shared/images/products/488/1013_large.jpg)

Alta has them on sale and they have a picture of them on a Laser Blue Mini too!

(http://www.altaminiperformance.com/shared/images/products/488/1014_large.jpg)

 :078: :078: :078:



























JUST KIDDING!

Those are really nice wheels...you should buy 'em!

 :038: :038: :038:

Very nice!  They look like they'll be fairly easy to keep clean.   :023:

Well, I ordered the PIAA wheels.  :icon_mrgreen:   I dunno when they will get here but I hope it doesn't take too long!  :026: :038: :026: :038: :026: :038:

 :023: :023: :023:

YEAH bro YEAH those are perfect! a good blend of style and ease of care

 :023: :023: :023:

Thanks!  I think they will do nicely!  :icon_mrgreen:

Well you got new style with old looks. They some what look like a modern mini-lite. And you saved some weight too. :023: