Will these wheels work on a 84 944?

IXLOR8 · 12-06-2006, 03:52 AM

I am looking to get new wheels for an early Porsche 944.

Will these fit without any modifications?

17 x 7.5 front 23MM offset -- P205/50 ZR17 tires

17 x 9 rear 15mm offset -- P255/40 ZR17 tires

Please let me know if that will work? Or suggestions? Wheels that will work?

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

The offset's will work fine..however your are going to understeer real badly with those tire sizes.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

255 is WAAAY too much rubber for a 944NA. I Don't see why you would want to put on a bigger tire than you need - it only increases unsprung weight significantly, which is exponentially more vital than "sprung" weight. Watch your off-the-line response get significantly worse.

Geo31 · 12-06-2006, 08:20 PM

They will work, but that's a bit more offset for those widths than there should be on the car - 23mm is correct for 7" wide and 10mm is correct for 8" wide.

Eldorado · 12-06-2006, 09:05 PM

when i was buying tires, you guys were telling me to buy the widest i could find...
strange that you tell him 255 is way to wide..

in any case, i didn't listen then.. i'm running 205 in the front, and 215 in the rear.

shikzachaser · shikzachaser's Garage

I went w/ 225X45X17 front and 255X40X17 rear and love it. The Mille Miglia wheels from Tire Rack are great for these cars. I actually had 215X60X15 Yokohamas on my stock wheels all the way around and that also worked great.

Steve

IXLOR8 · 12-07-2006, 03:24 AM

Doing a tire calculation on the rear tires and wheels. The wheel will be .9 closer to the suspension and stick out 1.1 more than stock 215/60/15. Tire diameter is almost the same. It should fill out the wheel well very good.

Dantilla · 12-07-2006, 06:08 AM

I've had quite a few different combinations on my 944.

Fat tires in the rear look great, but as stated above, induces understeer. You're throwing out the wonderful handling the 944 is known for. For nothing more that tame street driving, you may not notice much difference. But if you enjoy spirited driving at all, you will be dissapointed. The tires I use to get my 944 race car on and off the trailer are 255 in the rear. I get lots of compliments on how nice the car looks, but when I go out on track, I'm not about to use them. No way.

If you just want to look good, go ahead. But a 944 is most fun to drive with equal width tires both front and back.

dangerous · dangerous's Garage

I've found this to be true also. I have the same set up Steve mentioned above on my N/A. It looks great and compliments are abundant, but acceleration is affected significantly.

IXLOR8 · 12-18-2006, 04:43 PM

New wheels! Look better than the 15x7 Phone Dial wheels!

shikzachaser · shikzachaser's Garage

Bling Bling, those look great, what are they?

Steve

IXLOR8 · 12-18-2006, 06:51 PM

CHROME CUP II MILLE MIGLIA RIMS. Early offset.

Steve - I saw you car on E-Bay. Did you sell it? It looks really nice!

I actually got the wheels and tires by UPS today. An early xmas present. It makes the car a little modern looking.

My car is Platinum Metallic. I have been thinking of changing the color, but I am not quite sure. The door jams, trunk, and engine area is in great shape. It would not need painting.

shikzachaser · shikzachaser's Garage

I got jerked off and decided to just keep it, I actually am glad it did'nt sell. I'm just going to pop for something else over the winter w/ a little more go fast, I'm tired of my wife blowing my doors off w/ her 4 door automatic. I have never been a fan of changing colors of a car, it will never be right no matter how good a job you do.

Steve

IXLOR8 · 12-18-2006, 07:28 PM

Quote:

I have never been a fan of changing colors of a car, it will never be right no matter how good a job you do.

I agree with you 100% It would be a lot of work. All the hidden areas.

My 911 was a lot easier to paint than the 944.

Tervuren · Tervuren's Garage

The '86 has 17x7.5's and 17x8.5's with 205/50's and 255/40's if I remember aright. Combined with the LSD the car could outlaunch any of the other of the 944's in terms of traction. It had a solid feel in handling, combined with the LSD, it was a very "pushy" car, but once you did break the tail loose, you had a lot of acceleration traction to keep you going the right direction.

When its running again, if I put a 944 motor in, the rear tires will be replaced with 245/40's for slightly shorter ratios(Its got the taller gearing of the '89 gearbox, I don't need to hit 65MPH in 2nd).

A wider rear tire is just fine so long as you aren't trying to flick the car around. I could put a lot more power down out of a corner with that car. You just have to watch for understeer.

ronbo456 · 12-20-2006, 11:56 AM

"You just have to watch for understeer."

Or make sure you dial it out, no? Lots of ways to do that, I believe.

dally_de · 12-20-2006, 03:13 PM

what was the price for that wheels??

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Love the shape of those - hate the chrome look though. Congrats on 'em though if they're what you like!

IXLOR8 · 12-20-2006, 04:14 PM

FOUR 17" CHROME PORSCHE 993 CUP II WHEELS & NEW TIRES

Item number: 150071831381

Set on E-bay for $1500 plus $150 shipping.

New they go for about $2400 with tires.

IXLOR8 · 12-20-2006, 04:27 PM

When I got the car. It had cookie cutter wheels on it. The car shake at any speed with those rims. I took the car to the dealer to have the wheels rebalanced. I found that one rim had several cracks in the spoke area. The other rim wobble so bad, it was unsafe. I am not quite sure how any would ever drive a car with all the vibration. I am guessing that the PO put a set of wheels to sell the car. These wheels were "JUNK".

So I was in a hunt for a new set of wheels. The car is really sharp looking with these wheels.

I think why you do not see many chrome wheels any more is due to EPA requirements. The chrome also is a little heavier too.