MGC Forum

Minator 15x5.5

No, no,
they look terrible just box them up and ship them to me it will save you so much embarrassment...

you should be pleased no more 70mph shake.. that will be nice!!

Any clearance issues and what tires/tyres are you running?

Boots for me too. Yoko's

got some tasty yokos for my car better get it on the road before the tires expire.

Currently running the Michelin Primacy MXV4 185/65R15 tires that were mounted with tubes on the wire wheels that came with the car. Although the wheels and tires are tubeless, the old wire wheels dimpled the bead to the extent that the tires couldn't get a tubeless seal, so right now the tires still have tubes.

I ordered a new set of Vredestein Sprint Classic 185/70R15 tires to replace the Michelins. Then I'll remount the Michelins and tubes on the wires and offer them for sale. My preference would be to sell them individually, ready to put into the boot/wheel well for use as a very capable spare, but I won't necessarily refuse an offer for the set. All four need to be balanced and possibly trued, but the chrome is fine and the splines are good. They have no markings, so my guess is they're old Dunlops made in India.

But the ride on these Minators is incomparably better. Absolutely no vibration or pulling. Smooth and relatively silent, even with the old dimpled tires and tubes. I expect the Vredesteins to make it even better. With the tires and tubes mounted, three Minators required only 0.25 adhesive weight and the fourth required a 2.25 weight, all due to the tubes. No clearance issues and I expect none with the Vredesteins.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2016-10-27 04:48 PM by stolizino.

That's why I identified my wheels as socks!

Nice wheels.

Those chrome wheels were purchased by me from Gary H used , he might know the origin.
Russ

Thanks, Russ. No matter, they've served well and now someone else may be able to put them to good use. I particularly like the Minators, so it seemed logical to me to get an entire package with period tires. Will be showing it again on Saturday at the All British Car Day in Boerne TX. Our club is the sponsor.

BTW, I traced the reverse light issue to a faulty switch attached to the gearbox. Working on little details now.

Gary
I am sure the ride is MUCH better, There was always some vibration at different speed, could never get them perfect at all speeds. had I kept the car it was on the top of my list to get those wheels, you got a good price on them.

Gary,

I fitted 4 15" by 5.5" Minators many years ago, wonderful NO Steering wheel shake at any speed, just like a modern car. Much better turn in and general handling with my GT.

Currently I am using Michelin XM1+, 185/65R15's which have done 23,000 miles so far with a few mm's of tread available (about 60% worn) and on my car they work very well.

I will be interested to see if you have any fouling with 185/70's as I have been considering these for my next set. The rolling diameter is 4% bigger and will go better with the FORD 3.64:1 diff that I have in the IRS. This will reduce the speedo error from 14% to 10%. I use a Polaris head up display GPS speedo.

The real problem with wire wheels has always been that they never run true either radially or laterally, the rims and spokes flex under load and with modern radial tyres are just not up to the job. Balancing helps but the problem is that as the wheels turn through curves the rims get into and out of phase depending on how out of true (under load) they are. This causes the rack to shake so causing the Steering wheel shake. From new my Dunlop chrome wire wheels [a factory option for export cars] always caused shake from 65 to 70 mph right where I drove it most of the time. The Minators were a revelation. I put my dial guage on the bead section of 1 rim and the maximum run out was .015". I never checked the others.

Bruce.

Gary,

I was interested to see you are running MXV 4 tyres which are not available in OZ in 15" rim [your socks] size.

I ran MXV 3A 185/65R15's for years, great performance and the best life ever at that time on my car [we could enjoy driving in the days before Revenue/Tax cameras were everywhere] over 24,000 miles when the best I had previously out of 4 tyres was only half that.

The factory fitted Dunlop SP41's all 5 were bald (no tread depth indicators then) after 11,000 miles including 1,000 mile running in then a 2,500 mile interstate trip. Never fitted any Dunlop tyres after that experience. Pirelli's never lasted either. Michelin's all gave excellent life and handling in all conditions. I used to drive very enthusiastically on our hinterland mountain roads. No more, or no licence, what a pity. Decades of development cannot be applied anymore.

Bruce.

Bruce, is that an AC condenser in the wheel well? Any road debris issues?

Hi Gary,

That was the most practical place to fit the condensers, sadly here they are no longer available from the local A/C components supplier. There is more than enough heat in the engine bay as it is. Photos attached. A/C with extensive cabin, firewall from engine side tunnel both inside and underneath has made for a very quiet comfortable GT car in our Sub Tropical climate.

As you may gather my car is very far removed from the disappointing Brand new MG I drove home after the ship unloaded it, new from Abingdon. I don't car about originality anymore, this is a Hobby Car to keep me active in retirement.

They are 10" square and 1.25" thick, one mounted behind each headlight bowl. I have never had any problems with road muck and we have driven on a lot gravel rocky roads. As you may have gathered "The Truck" is for driving [as quickly as we can get away with mostly] it is not a "Polishers" show pony car.

I am stripping the body for a full repaint (at this moment) and while it was difficult I was able to remove the indicator/parking lamps and headlights without degassing the AC. I never thought this through when I did the AC back in May 2006 at 102,437 Odometer miles. The car is at 141,000 now and has been on a 2468 long Outback Tour and a 3818 Far North Queensland Tour on some marginal sealed roads.

Bruce.

The weak £ makes me think these lighter than wire/"mag" knock on alloy wheels would be beneficial on several levels.

---

Regards,
Robert Kirk

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