After changing from runflat to normal tyres I opted for DIY retro-fitting the optional MINI space-saver spare under the rear boot/trunk floor, this can be done on the R50 MINI One and Cooper, also the later R56 One, Cooper and Cooper D. On the Cooper S models the twin exhaust box and rear boot mounted battery box are in the way, also not possible on the R50 One D because of the rear mounted battery? (I think).
Spare wheel carrier assembly part numbers and prices for R50 Cooper and One (petrol) - 2008 prices shown:-
41 11 7 043 349 Holder £3.83
51 71 1 510 375 Protection Foil £0.47
41 11 7 044 687 Guide £0.47
41 11 7 044 685 Spring £4.65
51 71 6 800 127 Cover £5.35
51 71 8 165 737 Lift Handle £2.77
07 12 9 904 868 Hex Nut 3-off £1.92
16 13 1 176 747 Nut Plastic 7-off £0.78
51 71 6 801 257 Spacer Rubber 3-off £2.82
07 12 9 904 864 Hex Nut £0.38
51 71 7 184 110 Support £27.50
115/70x15 spacesaver wheel/tyre
(I was lucky and got an as new Mini spacesaver spare wheel and tyre from ebay for only £20 as it was local and I was the only bidder!)
The retrofit installation of the MINI spare wheel and associated components to an R50 MINI One/Cooper:-
The first thing to do is to open the boot of the car, lift up the carpet and remove the MINI Mobility Kit or whatever may be installed in the cut out in the floor.You will see a rubber bung and three threaded studs.
Get under the car, you will see a plastic cover/undertray by the side of the exhaust. Remove this. It has 2 nuts that need to be removed at the back of the cover and 3 screws at the front.
By removing this cover you can now see the under side of the rubber bung and 3 more studs facing down. The threaded studs may have a rubber cover over them. Remove the bung and rubber stud covers.
Assemble the items inside the car in the order shown in the Realoem.com parts drawing to the 3 studs using plastic nuts. (The latest assembly listed in my parts list above is modified with less parts to assemble than shown on the earlier realoem.com diagram below).
RealOEM links:
R50
RealOEM.com BMW R50 Cooper SINGLE PARTS F EMERGENCY WHEEL MOUNTING
R56
RealOEM.com BMW R56 Cooper D SINGLE PARTS F EMERGENCY WHEEL MOUNTING
From the underside of the car, fix the final component with 3 plastic nuts to the studs.
Fit the 3 rubber bung buffers to the existing brackets on the underside of the boot floor.
Place the space-saver spare wheel over the plastic support assembly on the ground and position it under the car. Fit the lifting handle to the assembly through hole in the boot floor and pull the wheel up into position. You may find that you need to move the exhaust heat shield out of the way of the wheel. The wire spring clip holds the wheel up while you tighten the retaining nut with the wheel brace. This nut is the same size as the wheel bolts. (See also MINI Handbook for more details and pictures).
Spare wheel carrier assembly part numbers for R56 Cooper and Cooper D are:-
1 x 51717184110 Cover, spare wheel
1 x 51717124365 Spare-wheel bracket
1 x 51711510375 PROTECTION FOIL
1 x 41117044685 Spring
1 x 41117044687 Spring guide
1 x 51716800127 Cover
1 x 51718165737 Handle
3 x 16131176747 Plastic nut 6mm
3 x 07129904868 Hex Nut 6mm
1 x 0712990486 Hex nut 10mm
1 x 36111509164 - Black Steel Emergency Wheel, 31/2JX15 ET:35
1 x 115/70x15 tyre.
Thanks to 'Minimainiac' for R56 updated parts list above:
"Comes to about £130 in total and takes approx 15 minutes to fit." (2011 prices)
The retrofit installation of the MINI spare wheel and associated components to an R56 MINI One/Cooper:-
Fitting the kit to the later R56 MINI's is basically very similar to the R50 described above with the exception of an improved plastic top moulding with 3 rectangular foam pads which has replaced the need for 3-off rubber spacers/buffers clipped on pre-welded metal brackets as fitted to the underside of the boot floor on earlier cars to centralize the spare wheel.
Thanks to Mini2.com forum member 'RedMiniOne1' who kindly detailed and photographed each step of fitting the kit to his R56 Mini One recently (despite his local Mini Dealer salesman saying it could not be done!), all the steps in the fitting process are shown below:
Here are the parts you require
How the spacesaver sits in it's mounting
Grommet removed and retaining parts fitted
The studs have underbody protection foam on them that has to be carefully removed due to the studs being made of plastic
So, carefully cut the underbody protection foam and slide it off the studs, again, taking care not to damage the soft plastic studs
Attach upper part of wheel mounting to underfloor using the three studs protruding from boot floor. Only tighten just slightly more than finger tight "just nipped up" or else you'll strip the threads. Don't be alarmed, the weight of the spacesaver is NOT supported by these studs! Just treat the nuts as a retaining device and not something to be "tightened down" as such.
Attach long handle to spacesaver support, pull up through floor and allow spring catch to click into place.
Fit this cover, screw nut onto thread and tighten using wheel brace and the whole lot is supported.
Mission accomplished!
Spare wheel carrier assembly part numbers and prices for R50 Cooper and One (petrol) - 2008 prices shown:-
41 11 7 043 349 Holder £3.83
51 71 1 510 375 Protection Foil £0.47
41 11 7 044 687 Guide £0.47
41 11 7 044 685 Spring £4.65
51 71 6 800 127 Cover £5.35
51 71 8 165 737 Lift Handle £2.77
07 12 9 904 868 Hex Nut 3-off £1.92
16 13 1 176 747 Nut Plastic 7-off £0.78
51 71 6 801 257 Spacer Rubber 3-off £2.82
07 12 9 904 864 Hex Nut £0.38
51 71 7 184 110 Support £27.50
115/70x15 spacesaver wheel/tyre
(I was lucky and got an as new Mini spacesaver spare wheel and tyre from ebay for only £20 as it was local and I was the only bidder!)
The retrofit installation of the MINI spare wheel and associated components to an R50 MINI One/Cooper:-
The first thing to do is to open the boot of the car, lift up the carpet and remove the MINI Mobility Kit or whatever may be installed in the cut out in the floor.You will see a rubber bung and three threaded studs.
Get under the car, you will see a plastic cover/undertray by the side of the exhaust. Remove this. It has 2 nuts that need to be removed at the back of the cover and 3 screws at the front.
By removing this cover you can now see the under side of the rubber bung and 3 more studs facing down. The threaded studs may have a rubber cover over them. Remove the bung and rubber stud covers.
Assemble the items inside the car in the order shown in the Realoem.com parts drawing to the 3 studs using plastic nuts. (The latest assembly listed in my parts list above is modified with less parts to assemble than shown on the earlier realoem.com diagram below).
RealOEM links:
R50
RealOEM.com BMW R50 Cooper SINGLE PARTS F EMERGENCY WHEEL MOUNTING
R56
RealOEM.com BMW R56 Cooper D SINGLE PARTS F EMERGENCY WHEEL MOUNTING
From the underside of the car, fix the final component with 3 plastic nuts to the studs.
Fit the 3 rubber bung buffers to the existing brackets on the underside of the boot floor.
Place the space-saver spare wheel over the plastic support assembly on the ground and position it under the car. Fit the lifting handle to the assembly through hole in the boot floor and pull the wheel up into position. You may find that you need to move the exhaust heat shield out of the way of the wheel. The wire spring clip holds the wheel up while you tighten the retaining nut with the wheel brace. This nut is the same size as the wheel bolts. (See also MINI Handbook for more details and pictures).
Spare wheel carrier assembly part numbers for R56 Cooper and Cooper D are:-
1 x 51717184110 Cover, spare wheel
1 x 51717124365 Spare-wheel bracket
1 x 51711510375 PROTECTION FOIL
1 x 41117044685 Spring
1 x 41117044687 Spring guide
1 x 51716800127 Cover
1 x 51718165737 Handle
3 x 16131176747 Plastic nut 6mm
3 x 07129904868 Hex Nut 6mm
1 x 0712990486 Hex nut 10mm
1 x 36111509164 - Black Steel Emergency Wheel, 31/2JX15 ET:35
1 x 115/70x15 tyre.
Thanks to 'Minimainiac' for R56 updated parts list above:
"Comes to about £130 in total and takes approx 15 minutes to fit." (2011 prices)
The retrofit installation of the MINI spare wheel and associated components to an R56 MINI One/Cooper:-
Fitting the kit to the later R56 MINI's is basically very similar to the R50 described above with the exception of an improved plastic top moulding with 3 rectangular foam pads which has replaced the need for 3-off rubber spacers/buffers clipped on pre-welded metal brackets as fitted to the underside of the boot floor on earlier cars to centralize the spare wheel.
Thanks to Mini2.com forum member 'RedMiniOne1' who kindly detailed and photographed each step of fitting the kit to his R56 Mini One recently (despite his local Mini Dealer salesman saying it could not be done!), all the steps in the fitting process are shown below:
Here are the parts you require
How the spacesaver sits in it's mounting
Grommet removed and retaining parts fitted
The studs have underbody protection foam on them that has to be carefully removed due to the studs being made of plastic
So, carefully cut the underbody protection foam and slide it off the studs, again, taking care not to damage the soft plastic studs
Attach upper part of wheel mounting to underfloor using the three studs protruding from boot floor. Only tighten just slightly more than finger tight "just nipped up" or else you'll strip the threads. Don't be alarmed, the weight of the spacesaver is NOT supported by these studs! Just treat the nuts as a retaining device and not something to be "tightened down" as such.
Attach long handle to spacesaver support, pull up through floor and allow spring catch to click into place.
Fit this cover, screw nut onto thread and tighten using wheel brace and the whole lot is supported.
Mission accomplished!