Wider rear wheels?

[TorqueTube]

If I go from an 8" wide rear wheel to a 9" rear, and stay with 7" wide wheels on the front, will the handling be negatively affected? In other words, is going to a 9"/7" stagger a bad move for me?

[justin]

I wouldnt think it would be a bad move, people do it all the time.
Good Luck

[thamlin000]

Howabout move the 8" wheel to the front?

[TCMdocs944]

Tire rotation issue

Weight issue? Think it might change weight distribution.

What type of rims are you thinking of ?(new rims are on my "get soon" list)

[stupenal]

Handling will be affected in the terms that you'll have more understeer and less neutral handling. Good thing is you'll be able to power out of turns a bit faster without worry about the rear end not gripping. On my bmw I run 8.5" in rear, 7.5" in front. I had 245/40 in rear and 225/45 in front before and while it sucked not being able to turn in as well, coming out it felt a lot more stable as the rear end stayed much more planted. Now I run with 235 rear and 225 front and understeer is still there but not as much.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by thamlin000
Howabout move the 8" wheel to the front?

YES! That is the key in our cars!! I run 8Jx16's at all four corners when I'm on the track, shod with 245-45/16 Pirelli P-Zero C's (R-compound) tires. That steup (with a stock suspension) VASTLY improves the handling characteristics of my car. Turn in is more crisp, and I actually have some nice rotation of the car in the tighter corners.
The biggest reason the 951 and 944S2 have a staggered tire setup is to build in a little more understeer into our cars: the average Joe-USA driver will typically slow down when things start to slip, and in a car that understeers, slowing down brings back control.

I think a 7" front 9" rear would work, depending on what the tire width difference is. I wouldn't go more than a 20mm difference (ex: 225-50/16 front, 245-45/16 rear. BTW: you can run 225's on a 7-inch wheel, and 245's on an 8-inch wheel).

-Z-man.

[TorqueTube]

I am planning to go to a 17" cup- or twist-style wheel. It's primarily a looks issue, but I don't want to mess up my handling in the process. I have found a good deal some Cups with the late offset, but they're 9" and 7". I can't move my chrome manhole-cover 8" rear to the front because it would look plain goofy.

The answer to the understeer may be in the choice of rubber that I put on the wheels.

If the cups don't work out, I was also thinking of buying some replica turbo twists (Mille Miglias) and sticking with 8" and 7". Anybody have an opinion on these OEM replica turbo twists?

[TCMdocs944]

Why not just get some wheels off a Boxter? That is what I am looking for right now. Tons of them out there.

Problem is though....Everyone is listing them on ebay at over $1000, NOBODY is selling them at that price though. Seems like there is a glut from boxter owners upgrading their wheels.

I personally, wouldn't mind picking up a set in the 500-1000 range depending on what tires where on them.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by TorqueTube
The answer to the understeer may be in the choice of rubber that I put on the wheels.

IIRC, the 7"s and 9"s are probably a good match on a 911, but not really ideal on a 944.

What do you mean by choice of rubber? Widths? Brand? ? ? ?

-Z.

[TorqueTube]

Yeah, I've been watching those Boxster wheels on E-Bay and I agree that there must be a glut of them. Those people need to get real with the supply and demand for them at what they're asking.

By "choice of rubber" I meant the width of the tire.

[Dantilla]

Ditto to what Z-man said. The car looks great when I steal the 17" Fikse's off of the 911, but the car is more fun to drive with equal tires all around.

[justin]

Originally posted by TCMdocs944
Why not just get some wheels off a Boxter? That is what I am looking for right now. Tons of them out there.

Problem is though....Everyone is listing them on ebay at over $1000, NOBODY is selling them at that price though. Seems like there is a glut from boxter owners upgrading their wheels.

I personally, wouldn't mind picking up a set in the 500-1000 range depending on what tires where on them.

Dont know if you know this, but the offsets are different for our cars,you would have to run spacers,thats too much money for me plus the rims.

[justin]

I plan on running 7.5 front 8.5 rear.

[350HP951]

OMG - you guys let Z-man moderate here? Oh Man!! (Z, Matt H from RL here!)

Justin - I bought my Boxster wheels (3 of them) for 75 dollars. The pair of 9" rears I am buying is less than 300 bucks. All told they will have cost less than 400 dollars and I will have a spare front.

TCM - check at the local race tracks those wheels are super common there! You will need spacers and perhaps longer wheel studs.

[naparsei]

Originally posted by 350HP951
OMG - you guys let Z-man moderate here? Oh Man!! (Z, Matt H from RL here!)

Justin - I bought my Boxster wheels (3 of them) for 75 dollars. The pair of 9" rears I am buying is less than 300 bucks. All told they will have cost less than 400 dollars and I will have a spare front.

TCM - check at the local race tracks those wheels are super common there! You will need spacers and perhaps longer wheel studs.

350,
Did you need spacers and longer studs for the Boxster wheels on your '87 951? I have the same car, and I'm looking for a 17" solution currently. I'd like to go 8"/9" if possible. I know I can get 245/45 on my 16" wheels (8" rears), how big can I go on the 9"s? (If I go 255/40/17 the all-in height should be about .35" taller, by my math).

Thanks.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by 350HP951
OMG - you guys let Z-man moderate here? Oh Man!! (Z, Matt H from RL here!)

Hi Matt: Welcome to my dungeon.... Muhahahaha!!

-Z.

[lousailor]

All,
remember the laws of rotational mass. If you replace your stock tire/wheel set-up with wider or bigger wheels, it will reduce your effective horsepower (i.e. require more torque to accelerate), which will outwiegh the handling benefits and make you slower at the track or around the cones.

[TCMdocs944]

Yes - you could lose some performance on the earlies..... (did I really say that like it matters?)

Naparisi - My Spacer/Boxter wheel thread


For me, the best thing about doing the upgrade is that once done, you can forever get new boxter wheels and tires for less than reshodding your old ones.

Just check ebay.

[UconnTim97]

I have 225s on the rear, and 205s on the front. The car handles great in my experience. Then again I just had the alignment done and put on new tires...

[naparsei]

Originally posted by TCMdocs944
Yes - you could lose some performance on the earlies..... (did I really say that like it matters?)

Naparisi - My Spacer/Boxter wheel thread


For me, the best thing about doing the upgrade is that once done, you can forever get new boxter wheels and tires for less than reshodding your old ones.

Just check ebay.

Thanks for the info. I'm a late offset; I know that you need spacers for the earlier car, but that doesn't apply for me. I am trying to find out who has used Boxster wheels on a late offset, and what was necessary. Someone has already pointed out the economic benefits of running Boxster 17" (or 16"), given the high replacement rate.



All, remember the laws of rotational mass. If you replace your stock tire/wheel set-up with wider or bigger wheels, it will reduce your effective horsepower (i.e. require more torque to accelerate), which will outwiegh the handling benefits and make you slower at the track or around the cones.

If you can carry momentum in a track situation, that the marginal cost of acceleration out of the turn can be compensated for by the extra rubber and assumed extra carried speed through the turn. For me, going larger should improve, not hurt, lap times.