86 to 87 wheels/rims

[Sapper944]

86 944 NA model - having issues with left rear tire rub about 3/8 to 1/2 inch down on the sidewall. no issues on the left side just right. when compressing the suspension (weight on rear bumper) the tire clears the fender no problems. I found one small spot on the inner edge of the fender lip with a rub spot that is in front of the wheel near the bottom (10 o'clock position)

Turbo Twist 911 wheels and Continental tires (205/50R17 on front & 255/40ZR17

any ideas?

suspension is stock (replaced with stock parts)

17s just to big of tire/wheel combo? other than adding some negative camber to the rear wheels im pretty much at a loss.


Next item - 86 versus 87 - considering a 87 turbo and from what i understand the wheel/rim choices/sizes for the 87 are far greater than the 86 due to the offset.

Besides the stock rims and porsche heavy cheap "knockoffs" is there anything else avaialable for the 86 models?

[p-talk]

Are you using spacers? Turbo Twists are new offset, so I imagine you are . .

Originally Posted by Sapper944

86 944 NA model - having issues with left rear tire rub about 3/8 to 1/2 inch down on the sidewall. no issues on the left side just right. when compressing the suspension (weight on rear bumper) the tire clears the fender no problems. I found one small spot on the inner edge of the fender lip with a rub spot that is in front of the wheel near the bottom (10 o'clock position)

Turbo Twist 911 wheels and Continental tires (205/50R17 on front & 255/40ZR17

any ideas?

suspension is stock (replaced with stock parts)

17s just to big of tire/wheel combo? other than adding some negative camber to the rear wheels im pretty much at a loss.


Next item - 86 versus 87 - considering a 87 turbo and from what i understand the wheel/rim choices/sizes for the 87 are far greater than the 86 due to the offset.

Besides the stock rims and porsche heavy cheap "knockoffs" is there anything else avaialable for the 86 models?

[fbgh2o]

I had the same issue when I converted to 17" wheels and it turned out that my shock was toast. When I replaced them, the issue went away.

[timbieber]

I'm looking to upgrade my 85.5 944na to 16 or 17" wheels but am getting pretty confused by the off-sets, models and wheel size combo's! Is there a good forum post where this has all been discussed that i'm not finding?? Can anyone give me some guidance. Thanks

[Dantilla]

All 944s used early offset wheels through 1986. In 1987, the offset was changed to accommodate anti-lock brakes.

The 911 used early offset through 1989, and switched to late offset in 1990.

Late offset wheels can be used on an early car with 1" spacers. Early offset wheels cannot be used on late offset cars, as the tires would stick out past the fender lips.

Porsche uses a unique bolt pattern, 5x130mm, so the wheels have to be Porsche specific. No other manufacturer's wheels will fit.

[Dantilla]

All Fuchs and Cookie Cutters are early offset. D-90s are late offset. I think the only wheels that were made in both offsets was the Phone Dial.

[timbieber]

Thanks for that detail.

As far as off-set are the early off-set i'm looking for for front and rear in the range of 23mm and 55mm (is it the higher off-set or lower off-set for the rear)?

I'm looking at a set of 16" off 2000 Boxster. Seems a lot of guys have put boxster wheels on early 944. Is this the case with or without spacers?

[Pops944]

'86 front and rear are 23mm

[Dantilla]

All Boxsters are late-offset. You can use Boxster wheels on an early 944 with 1" spacers.

[timbieber]

I presume 968 is the same with late off-set (55mm offset). Is 55mm the late off-set and 23 is early offset? I'm looking at a set of 55mm offset 968 16" wheels. The rear tires are 255 wide. Will that be too wide for 85.5 944 rear wheel well? How much do a set of 1" spacers run and I'm guessing universal spacers are fine that any tire shop would carry? Thanks for the info everyone!

[timbieber]

Here's the specs on the wheels i want to put on my 85.5 944NA:
6x16 front 8x16 rear. part numbers are: 944.362.112.00 and 944.362.116.00 -- if that means anything? Guy tells me they are 52mm off-set front and rear. tires are 205/55/16 and 225/50/16.

Will i need spacers front and rear? if so, how big front and rear and is the best place to buy just from the tire shop? I've seen on eBay... can you trust those? what size will i need/want front and rear? thanks guys

[Dantilla]

I bought spacers right here from Pelican, as one of my 944s is a wierdo with early-offset front suspension, and late-offset rear.

Yes, as 968s were built after 1987, they are late offset, and yes, you need spacers all the way around.

255 tires are no problem in the back of a 944. My 944S has 265s on the rear.

You do NOT want "universal" spacers, you want Porsche-specific spacers, that are hub-centric. That means they are designed to work properly with Porsches, as opposed to being centered only by the lug nuts.

[timbieber]

Thanks for that. If i find someone selling spacers on Pelican is there a range i can get away with for size? if my original off-set is 23mm and these wheels i'm buying are 52mm then i want 29mm (1" spacers as you've posted above) x 4 -- even if fronts are 6" and rear rims are 8" wide?

what's the widest i might be able to go. If i find 1.5"...too wide? What's the range i can expect to pay for spacers?