MG ZR 16" Hairpin Alloy Wheels

I'd been looking at changing the alloy wheels since I bought the car. Wheels are a major part of the vehicles exterior aesthetic and the 15" Fission alloys fitted as standard weren't cutting it. They didn't fill the arches and weren't conveying a particularly sporting message.

I narrowed it down to two choices, the 16" Hairpins fitted to the Rover 25 GTi and MG ZR, or the more popular and more sought after 17" Straights only fitted to the MG ZR.

In my opinion the 16" Hairpins actually looked miles better, giving a subtle nod to the style of wheels fitted to the BMW E46 CSL and the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale.

This had two benefits, as most MG ZR owners replaced theirs for the 17" Straights, it meant they were readily available and secondly, cheaper.

I spent quite a lot of time searching around to find a set in good condition, but eventually managed to pick up some 16" Hairpins, removed from an MG ZR, for a steal at £100.

After picking them up I gave them a good clean, they had been stored for some time so needed the cobwebs blowing off. To help keep them looking good, I sealed them using Meguiar's Step 3 Carnauba wax and made the tyres pop with some Meguiar's Endurance Tyre Gel.

Before and After

Two of the Yokohama tyres had plenty of tread left, but two needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, my limited student budget only stretched as far as fitting Runway Enduro tyres.

I ran into an unforeseen problem during a test fitting of the wheels, whilst reversing off the drive at full lock the inside edge of the tyres rubbed on the wheel arch liners. I later discovered this was a known issue and to get around it MG Rover fitted a restricted steering rack to the MG ZR to reduce the maximum lock condition. My Rover 25 had an unrestricted steering rack, hence the rubbing. They didn't rub enough to cause any immediate damage to the tyre, it was just an audible rub, nevertheless not ideal.

I wasn't about to replace the steering rack, so my Dad machined up some 3mm thick wheel spacers. To ensure they didn't corrode I sprayed them with a couple of coats of primer grey.

Thankfully this cheap fix completely solved the rubbing problem, as well as keeping more than enough thread turns on the wheel nuts to keep it nice and safe.

Here's a quick size comparison of the 16" Hairpins against the 15" Fission wheels.

As you can see there is quite a difference in rolling circumference, meaning the 16" alloys will fill the arches more convincingly. The future plans are to lower the car from the frankly dizzying heights it's currently at, which should even up the arch gap perfectly.

The keener eyed readers will notice I swapped out the MG centre caps for my Rover ones. To me, there is nothing worse than dressing a car up as something it isn't, M badges on 318i's and RS badges on Audi A4 1.8s etc. 

So, without further adieu, the pictures of the wheels fitted. 

Before and After

I couldn't be happier with the transformation, they look awesome in my opinion. The larger and more open cell design allows the freshly painted red brake calipers to show through. A definite move away from a sedate family car to a more purposeful, sport orientated car. A significant step in the right direction.

Let me know in the comments below, do you agree with me buying the 16's or are you a die-hard Straights fan?