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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Will the wheels fit

Gents

A spendid chap of this parish has offered me some rather fine alleycats - 13 inch.

I am informed inset is 8mm (ie offset of -8mm) and that hub face to inner rim is 90mm.

I seem to recall my standard OE Rostyles have an offset of 20mm

Therefore

If fitted, alleycats will protrude a further 28mm outbound.

Is this an issue with any part of the wheel fouling any part of the car - ie track rod ends, suspension, rear spring hangers etc.

I would have thougght that if anything, clearance will have been improved, and the only thing I need be aware of is the wheel protruding from the arch?

Thoughts most welcome.
Mark O

thoughts only as I mess figures up

rear wheel arch proximity on tight fast turns (depending on your suspension set up and settings)

TREs?

but I mainly wonder how it would feel on the steering, when I tried the Cosmic wheels originally on my car the steering didn't feel right (no idea of their dimensions) and I'd guess this could be amplified by tyre size selection

you've probably already looked at this link but in case not - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg4.html
Nigel Atkins

Wow... thats sad

From the photo... they didnt look like they would have that much offset

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Chaps

For clarity

Assume rolling wheel radius does not change from present configuration which does not foul arches.

Prop - they do not have offset - rather inset - which is negative offset - which shoves the wheel outward.

Cheers

Mark
Mark O

Yes...I was using the word generically

Im thinking your best friend is going to be a strudy brick and a DTI measuring device

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

have I got it wrong, wont these wheels stick out from the bodywork but your current ones don't - unless you have plenty of wheel arch lip clearance now and after change (I was thinking if the car is lower than standard and with perhaps soft or weak rear suspension it might lean a lot at the back)
Nigel Atkins

You might need a panhard rod, or convert to rwa

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

before you go any further, have you checked they are the correct 4" PCD for the midget?
Cheers John
HALL JOHN

What's the overal rim width?
The tyres on our 5.5's only just clear the bodywork on the outside (SWA) and the springs on the inside. The backspace is either 102 or 106mm comapred with 90mm on these wheels. If the rim width is 5" or greater I think it would be a challenge on a SWA so it would be worth trying them on to see how they look before buying them.
Paul Walbran

I'm still attempting 6 inch minilites on my RWA. I will need panhard rod/rtl to keep the tyres off the bodywork, and also some spring mods to move the clamps.
Rob Armstrong

Marks' car is RWA so there's no issue with the wheels catching the rear arches. Also, as there's a lip at the rear there's no issue with them sticking out past the bodywork. And, because they have an inset, they don't foul anything in the inside such as TREs at the front or the rear springs. The main issue/query is whether or not the wheel will stick out too far at the front. Certainly, with 145 profile tyres they didn't. Not sure how much wider 160/70 profiles are but I'd guess no more than a cm each way in which case I'd say they'd be ok.. Here's a pic of the front arch with a 145 tyre (suspension has settled a bit since the pic was taken.) showing them sitting inside the arch..


graeme jackson

Correct Graeme, but from your pic, at the lower rearwards end of the arch, it looks like they do!
Mark O

Just wondering if like John says they are actually 4" not 100mm.
Dave Squire 1500

I must have misunderstood what Mark meant by how far the wheels/tyres will stick out but I do know he has a RWA (and pointed out such on another thread)

IF the rear tyres stuck out and depending on how the car's suspension is set up and it's condition, tyre size, ect., then even with a RWA you could get the tyres touching the wheel arch lip in certain circumstances

160 tyres are nominally 15mm wider than 145

Graeme,
just a suggestion - nothing to do with me if you follow it or not - fit one of the Alleycat wheels to the rear of your car and take a photo same as your Profile photo
Nigel Atkins

Before I carry on, I'll point out that a fully inflated 165 profile tyre sits flush with the outside rims of a 5.5j wheel - Based on measuring my own minilites so all the following measurements with the rim would also equate to the outside edge of the tyre.....
following Nigel's suggestion I have been out to the garage and taken the following sequence...

1. Rear arch with straight edge showing around 12mm between outside edge of rim and the lip of the arch.




graeme jackson

next rear arch showing how much space the wheel takes up - note... new springs around 800 miles ago.


graeme jackson

third. front arch showing around 10mm gap between the rim and the edge of the arch using a straightedge

A note to a comment mark made earlier - my sills roll under slightly (possibly due to my welding 'skills') so the top of the wheel arch is further out than the bottom of the sill.


graeme jackson

finally one of the front arch - again, new springs 800 miles ago so there'll inevitably be some settling over time.

Hope these prove useful.

p.s. as already mailed to mark these wheels have a genuine 4" PCD.
and
ignore the jack - it's not supporting the car in any of the photos.


graeme jackson

They look good, but in my opinion those tyres are too narrow for those rims. Wheels are cool though :) :)
Rob Armstrong

indeed - those are 145 profile. The rims need a 160 or 165.
graeme jackson

sorry Graeme I didn't realise the tyres where no longer on the wheels when I made the suggestion

suitable tyre width for rim size can vary with the model of tyre but I'd think 165-185 for 5.5"
Nigel Atkins

The point is now moot as mark has decided not to buy these wheels.
graeme jackson

I suspect someone will bite your hand off soon!
Matt1275Bucks

Graeme,
at least you have the confirmed information should you chose to advertise to other Spridget owners

a bit of research will find what other cars had 4" PCD or eBay sale, now you've started keep the momentum to to get something for them and not worry about continuing to store them

or perhaps spring might be better for sales (I don't know) as cars come out of hibernation
Nigel Atkins

How much are the wheels graeme? Email me if you've a mind to.
Lawrence Slater

This thread was discussed between 10/01/2014 and 14/01/2014

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