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MG Midget and Sprite General - Midget Minilite

Have just purchased a set of 5x13 minilite wheels for my midget. Could anyone tell me the best size of tyres to have fitted to these please.
RJ Harrison

'best' ???
depends what the intended use is !
- commute on motorways?
- potter around on pot-holed roads?
- thrash down country lanes?
- motorsport only?
David Smith

Yes probably should have provided more details. Its a square wheel arch model as believe that effects size too. Its mainly for mixed usuage, motorway a little but more for pottering around. Been told by the place I bought them to get 155/80/13, on other forums mentioned 175/70/13, but few mention this might rub on cornering.
Any help appreciated.
RJ Harrison

What wheels have you got, size, wires??
Nigel Atkins

Nigel, he already said they are 5x13 Minilites. RJ I have the same question. I am building a square arch car and have 5x13 Revolution wheels. I have had two recommendations, 155/70 x 13 or 165/70 x 13 tyres. The 155 will make the speedo read 2.7% faster, the 165 is as near as dammit the same size as the original tyre. I think it is important not to over-tyre a road going Midget. It is a light car and shouldn't need very wide rubber.
Opinions guys and gals? No doubt there's as many opinions as there are Midget enthusiasts!
Mike Howlett

Well this is the site I bought them from, they did have an offer on to come complete and they fitted 155/80x13's

http://www.mgbreakers.com/wheelsandtyres.htm

This page has some good advice on the various sizes, and suggest limiting tyre size to 165/70x13's

http://www.magicmidget.co.uk/transmission.htm

But am looking for someone who has some fitted to see what their experiences are, as may stick with the 165/70 unless someones experiences tell me otherwise.
RJ Harrison

Sorry I meant what wheel size do you have on the car at the moment?

see here for info -

155 mm is minimum width for 5 (inch) wheel

if your present/previous wheels are say with 145 X 13 then their profile would be 80 (approx), so 145/13/80

so 165/70/13 is nearest for speedo

I've got Yokohama A-Drive and find them very good, they are 155/70/13 as they came as part of a wheels/tyres set

speedos are norminally out so getting exact size isn't too important

ETA: posted this as you were posting yours, I had 155/80/13 on before lift the car a little as they are higher could be usefull - swings and roundabouts with higher sidewall
Nigel Atkins

Er, it would help if I'd put the site for info - http://www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator

n.b. my speedo was more accurate with the wring size wheels on
Nigel Atkins

I ran 155s as a bit of an emergency (the new ones I bought rubbed and I was sailing out to Holland the next day, and that was all that was in!) I would NOT recommend them at all - their road holding was awful, cornering non-existent and as for autotesting in it - well - don't is the only advice I can give you!

However, the last activity did manage to get rid of them as I lent it to two friends, and the amounts of rubber that was left on the airfield after we had all been driving it did solve it!

165 is way better.

HOWEVER, there will be people who say the opposite - and, it's as much about the make of the tyre as the size anyway - so, you pays your money and you makes your choice.

(BTW, out of the two websites you've listed, I would go with Magic Midget - he is really good and has gone out and proved his worth ;)! In fact, I would also stress here that, you'll get 101 opposing opinions on here - so ask yourself the simple question "What do they do with their car - is it working and on the road - are they talking out of their rearends ...?!?!?!?!)
rachmacb

I ran 155/80s on my RWA while it was still A series, in fact I had 175s on the front and 155s on the back for some time, due to a slight error. Get a good set of 155s (I had michelin energy e3b) and you'll be fine. There's not a lot of choice for 'exciting' tyres in that size. 165/70 will fit on SWA without rubbing if the axle is reasonably centred. I'm running 175/70 on 5 inch rims at the moment, no rubbing but on a RWA. I find the extra tyre width useful, it's made the steering a teeeny bit heavier but has more than made up for it in actual grip, especially under breaking - I can only just lock them up now. IT doesn't feel over tyred at all, but the increase in tyre grip will show up any issues with suspension wear/ old bushings, especially the rear leaf shackle ones. Mine was scary on the limit with old tired bushes on the back, wobbly and insecure - this didn't show up with the thinner tyres.

the 155/80s fill the arches very nicely (as they're a bit bigger) and look nice from the side, but IMO look a little skinny from the rear. If I was in your position I'd get the 165/70s in a good make. Other opinions may differ :)

Rob Armstrong

Thanks to all, my mind is pretty much set. Can't really go by my previous tyre size, as one the rostyles were rusty and on putting new tyres on found had to have inner tubes, which has made me both unsure of the wheels and think effected handling.
So glad to get hold of these new ones now and just wanted to get it right first time. So thanks Rachmacb will be taking your advice and going with the 165's so we will see how it goes :)
Cheers to all
RJ Harrison

Cheers Rob, posted mine before I saw your reply, but think just confirms my choice, will go for a decent make as want it to stick :)
Just had the rear suspension rebuilt due to heavy rust and some numpty previous owner welding the bracket to the body!!
Will hopefully remember to let you know how I get on once they are on.
RJ Harrison

Note Rob's comments

Tyre size also depends on your suspension set up and your driving style (as well as your use)

Steering wheel size may follow

On my previous Spridget I had 145/80/13 tyres on disc wheels and 15 and a half" steering wheel and personally I found this combination to be very pleasant and good fun

There's swings and roundabouts and pro and cons on it all so as said there'll be loads of opinions and experience
Nigel Atkins

Just had some 165/70 Yokohama A drives fitted to a new set of 5x13's I bought a few years ago. They were £156 fitted from an online supplier (fitted locally). They look ok but not had chance to try them yet. Have had that size before on same size wheels on a SWA can and they were fine. I think there might be a chance they will rub slightly on the rear arches under hard cornering but nothing too bad.
John Payne

"I was sailing out to Holland the next day, ... their road holding was awful, cornering non-existent"


Rach, your now blaming the tyres? ;)

Arie de Best

LOL Arie - at least my car can go around corners ... :P!!!
rachmacb

the tyre size alone will not give you grip

to compare a 155/70 tyre say with a 165/70 they'd need to be the exact same make, model and compound

more info about 'stick' on tyres see here -

(may need to scroll down page)

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

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

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg3.html

Nigel Atkins

thanks Nigel, exactly what I was about to write. selection of size may well depend on budget and availability of makes/types etc. There's nowhere near the choice in every size that there used to be as 13" wheels are now uncommon.
BTW back when Max was a lad, he & I and a chap called Rob won the California Cup for the Southwest centre at MG Live in roadgoing Midgets, none of us had fancy wide rubber, I certainly used 145s and the others probably 155s, no shortage of grip or cornering power that day Rach.
David Smith

OH, was Max ever a lad?!?!?! - that was donkey's years ago though - probably didn't have tarmac then ;)!!!!

Talk about over complicating things - I'm sure that he'd not buy cheapo tyres anyway, coz he has gone to the trouble of thinking about which size he's got, so why ruin it now?

For the record, I'm running Goodrich in-front and Toyo's behind - not particularly wide, but, hold the road, especially in the wet.
rachmacb

Can't believe David ever won the Cali cup!! :)

Only joking Dave but surely the art of winning Autotest is o have a very loose backend narrow tyres pumped up to 60psi at least! :)
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Proudest moment of the '80s Bob, solid silver pot 2 foot high and they let us keep it at home a few months each... happy days.
David Smith

Well done!

Got to make the point though that my current tyres were from a Cali cup winner and FTD more recently (originally from Berks too) which, I think makes the point of the original question which was what personal experiences did we have of tyres!!!!
rachmacb

RJ,
I've just put 165 x 70s on my 5J x 13 Minators and they do rub against the square wheel arch when the car is fully loaded, ok when it's only me in the car. Wish I'd gone for 155s now.

Dave
D MATTHEWS

I run 155/80/13 on 5Jx13 minators and with a full trunk and 2 people in the car they will rub when cornering with spirit. That could be due a rearaxle that is a bit too flexi but On my square wheel arch there isnt room for more than the 155. But I have quarter eliptic springs with the big radius arm mount. They do rub at the inside of the arch and against the mentioned box. I suppose a panhard rod will solve my problem but going bigger isnt an option. At standstill I can barely put my fingers between the tyre and the arch.

Tip put the balancing weights on the front wheels out of the way from steeringarmjoints. Without the weights I had to grind 2 or 3 mm from the nut to accomodate for the wheels.
Bas Timmermans

Well I put on some Goodyear 165/70x13's and they go on fabulous, thanks to full new suspension the rear, as my midget is square wheel arch, they go under without any rubbing!
The only issue I have had is when they were balanced the weights on the outer lip of the inner wheel hit my steering rack universal joint bolt, so had to have them rebalanced and put in the inner lip.
On one side it still catches very slightly, but bedding it in am hoping that will disappear quickly, otherwise its a bit of filing down to be done!
Anyone else had this issue?
RJ Harrison

I have to adjust my TREs so they don't touch the 'Minilites'...

A
Anthony Cutler

Hi Anthony, how did you adjust them?
RJ Harrison

I made it sound more than it really is... with your car on flat ground and front wheels relaxed (or moved at least 6 feet after dropping off the trolley jack):

- you need to prostrate yourself on the ground in front of the car... this gets your car in the right mood...

- take a look at the TRE body, and its proximity to the wheel rim; maybe an inspection light is needed

- experiment moving the TRE body to provide more clearance...

... as simple as that.

A
Anthony Cutler

This thread was discussed between 08/03/2011 and 21/03/2011

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