thoughts on 18"

[Guest]

Morning all,

as a part of the on-going wheel saga, I am considering some 18" turbo look wheels.

details are: 7.5J ET50 front and 10 ET65 back.

a few of questions...

on a late turbo with M030, am I likely encounter any problems with fitment?

how do 18" wheels feel on the 944?

towards the end of this page...

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=251336&page=2

DLS has a black 951 very similar to mine with the wheels on...how do you think it looks?

best

Matt

 

[sawood12]

IMHO they only look good when the vast expanse behind them is filled with brake disk and caliper. I think even the larger M030 brakes look too small for 18" rims - it gives the car the boyed up Corsa look - big wheels with disks the size of a 10 pence peice and lots of daylight between the spokes. Get some Big Reds or Big Blacks fitted then it will look the business!!

 

[Guest]

I have 18" Turbos on my M030. Unfortunately everything is a little different from your situation. The fronts are 8x18 ET50, and fit fine. The Rears are 10x18 but I don't recall the offset. I *think* they are ET40, but I'd need to take a look.

 

[Fen]

As I recall my 10x18's are ET47, but you wouldn't want to go any more outset than them. I'd guess ET65 might well fit as-is, or failing that a small spacer. Not as big a 25mm though with 10" rim width. Rick runs Carrera 10x18's and I bet his offset is quite high as he can fit 285's on them and I can't go bigger than 265's.

 

[lali]

Does having 18"'s make a difference to the accuracy of your speedo??

 

[Guest]

or handling...

 

[sawood12]

Just thinking, over on the 993 forum I read a few months ago that if you fit 18" wheels you should fit a brace on the steering rack due to the extra forces transmitted to the front sub frame. Does the same apply to the 944 in that you should maybe fit a strut brace to stiffen up the front end?

Also i've read that having lowered suspension prematurely wears out the lower wishbone bushes. Again is there any evidence that 18" wheels migh lead to premature bush wear?

 

[Diver944]

The steering rack brace for 993s is a Porsche approved modification for the earlier 993 that came with 16" or 17" wheels. There is no such brace for the 944 and Porsche specifically forbid the use of 18" wheels on a 944. There's a copy here:

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/prod/dialspace/town/pipexdsl/s/asco96/944t/wheels.htm

However, a few years earlier they also specifically forbid the use of 17" wheels, but once they started selling them for the 968, they changed their wording so that they could flog lots of 17" Cups to 944 owners []

A few years ago, the Register went to the Factory in Stuttgart and whilst there we also visited the Techart Tuning. Techart do sell 18" wheels specifically for 944 use and have full TUV approval. For those that don't know, TUV is an extremely harsh, tough and thorough test that all automotive products have to pass before they can be sold in Germany. The fact that their 18" wheels passed the test would satisfy me personally that they are safe.

Of course you do need to have all your suspension components in tip-top condition like teh test will have done (fresh shocks, fresh bushes etc), and yes the heavier wheels and stiffer walled low profile tyres will accelerate wear to your components, but everything comes at a cost

 

[944turboS]

From what I've read a strut brace & 968 castor bushes are good improvements whatever wheel size you have.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: 944turboS

From what I've read a strut brace & 968 castor bushes are good improvements whatever wheel size you have.

As are rose jointed top mounts.

 

[sawood12]

Hey, John, did you find that your rose jointed top mounts compromised road comfort significantly? You got the ones from ESS didn't you?

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

Just thinking, over on the 993 forum I read a few months ago that if you fit 18" wheels you should fit a brace on the steering rack due to the extra forces transmitted to the front sub frame. Does the same apply to the 944......

No because on the 944 we have an engine bolted between the front suspension the help support it, unlike on a 993. [][]

Only kidding. I think a strut brace is a worth while addition, though some others don't see the advantage.

They are relatively easy to fit and cheap - unless you strip the threads on your top mounts when they are an absolute sod to fit and very expensive.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

Hey, John, did you find that your rose jointed top mounts compromised road comfort significantly? You got the ones from ESS didn't you?

I did get the ones from ESS, manufactured by KLA Industries in the States http://www.klaindustries.net/

I wouldn't say that road comfort was reduced significantly. The car is a bit more prone to rattles, perhaps because more vibration is being transmitted. Also, as Tony pointed out, there is a very small amount of play between the rosejoint and its seating which can knock on big bumps. IIRC Tony shimmed his to stop this.

Rose joints (spherical bearings) have a limited life so will have to be replaced at some time. They aren't desperately expensive but none of us yet know when they are going to wear out while being used as a top mount. I think we best watch Tony as I believe he has been running them the longest on the forum.