15" FUCHS Wheel Question and confirmation please

[JonT]

From my research on this board I have received this recommendation for 15" wheels for SC NARROW flares:

From Bill Verberg:

Front 15x8 ET27 ::: TIRES 225/50 or 225/45 tires

Back 15x9 ET15 or 9.5 ET19 ::: TIRES 245/40, 245/45 or 275/35

I can find the 9's off the rack online but the 8" fronts look like they will have to be custom. Is this correct?

Where would be the best place to source these wheels? Thank you

[LJ851]

The only Fuchs in 15x8 that i have seen are 10.6 offset . I'm interested if a set could be had in the 23-30mm offset range, i would consisder going back to 15s if 8s and 9s were available.

What tires would you be considering for those wheel sizes, not a lot choices out there.

[Flojo]

Originally Posted by JonT

... this recommendation for 15" wheels for SC NARROW flares:

Front 15x8 ET27 ::: TIRES 225/50 or 225/45 tires

Back 15x9 ET15 or 9.5 ET19 ::: TIRES 245/40, 245/45 or 275/35

honestly, this is brutally beefy for a narrowbody.
and you'll have to deal a lot with camber and rolling fender lip.

you may contact Duane Wick as he has gone maximum wide on hiss white narrow hotrod and it's the only narrow where I like the fit.

[JonT]

The tires I'm looking at are BFG Rival 1.5S, per Bill.

Hoosier has sizes that fit the 15x8 and 15x9 as well if I wanted a pure track tire (which I don't).

Thanks Flojo I do have camber set higher and rolling fender lips for large 17" tires, I've had 245mm on fronts and 275mm rears before but I don't want to fight that fight again.

The 15's in 8 and 9 have been done before so I'm just trying to get info from folks who have gone through this exercise. I'm getting closer!

[Bill Verburg]

This is 8ET25 225/45 & 9.5 ET19 255/40 x17 I have run 235/45 & 275/40 on the same wheels

In front it's a balancing act too low ER sits too far out too high ET sits too far in, the ET25 I have would be better 2mm in hence ET27, In back its' less critical unless you go w/ max wheel and tire, 9.5ET19 is perfectly placed but still need to have extra work done at the trailing arm and lip to work w/ a 275, 235 & 275 still have height restrictions that need to be adhered to. 225/255 can be as low as I want. You don't need more that a 225/255 uless tracking the car even w/ modified 993 motor







going w/ 15s simplifies things a lot as the tires are shorter for the same width

here's a std 7 & 8 x15 Fuchs set compared to what you see above the tire f/s is red because it is right at the limit of what can be made to work w/ some effort


Here's a custom 8 & 9.5x15 set of Fikse w/ 225/245 compared to what you see above, the only red is the torque loss w/ the 17s

[darrin]

JonT -- think the key here is that while you can do what you want to do with 15" wheels, there are not any 15" FUCHS (per your thread title) that will give you the width / offset you need to do this --

[JonT]

Darrin you are correct I would need to have some made with custom offsets. The 9" rears I can find easily on ebay or other Fuchs replica sites but its the fronts that may be harder. I may just end up with 15x7's and 8's rear but trying to research what's available it seems there are more options with all the fuchs replica makers.

[JonT]

I will add this is with a mildly built 964 engine with 993 SS cams, 993 pistons, Pauter rods, Wong chip. Gears are 915 stock except for 5th is taller than stock for highway cruising. Makes approx. 300 hp at flywheel.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by JonT

I will add this is with a mildly built 964 engine with 993 SS cams, 993 pistons, Pauter rods, Wong chip. Gears are 915 stock except for 5th is taller than stock for highway cruising. Makes approx. 300 hp at flywheel.

JMO but the short 15's aren't a good match for a built 3.6,
If you are limiting yourself to Fuchs then here's the options
1) 15, 7ET23.3 & 8ET10.6 tires are limited to 205/50 or /55 & 225/50 maybe 225/45 f & 245/40 r the issue w/ the latter is that the wheel is at the narrow end of what is ok

2)16 7ET23.3 & 8 Et10.6 w/ 205/55 & 225/50 possible 225/50 & 245/45 but again the wheels are at at the low end of what works, better 7 & 9 ET15 205/55 & 245/45, w/ some effort and restricted ride height you could squeeze 225/50 on the 7 in front but again the wheel is at the low end

[JonT]

much appreciated Bill. I really am just curious as to what the 15" wheels and corresponding short tire diameters will do to acceleration and handling. Always a quest for something better....

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by JonT

much appreciated Bill. I really am just curious as to what the 15" wheels and corresponding short tire diameters will do to acceleration and handling. Always a quest for something better....

The acceleration will be great!!, but there is always a cost, which is more frequent shifts and buzzier cruise

When I first installed a 964 in my car back in '95 I had 7 & 8 x16 w/ 205/55 & 245/45 tires, even w/ those tall compared to 15s tires there was too much shifting in daily use and too buzzy a cruise.

Even now w/ slightly taller tires and slightly taller trans gearing I am always reaching for another gear after 5. My track 993 has an RSR trans which is geared very low for a 993, but is perfect for street driving. Going back and forth between them really brings out the differences