Tyre Recommendations....

[DSCBoy]

Gents, in the ongoing mission to stop the Biturbo scaring the living daylights out of me Iäve decided to replace all the tyres... the Pirellis on the car seem to date from Mid 1999 so while virtually unused, I am not certain they still retain any stickiness nor sidewall flex.

Also I had a little incident driving back from Zurich last week. When rejoining the autoroute in the wet, from a short petrol station slip road I accelerated hard in 1st to rejoin the traffic, as I dropped her (quite gently, we were upto speed and there was no rush) into 2nd, the power came in hard and I got a massive fishtail which I only just held.

Now I would be tempted to replace like with like, as I find the curved sidewalls of the Pirellis to be very progressive when hanging the tail out (or when the car chooses to hang the tail out.... which is more often) but some (TISPJK in particular... anyone noticed how he`s suddenly all over the 993 forums? Me thinks he´s seen the light and sold the kettle) have suggested that the Pirelli´s don´t look like they fill the arches/ sit that well on the Speedlines.

So suggestions? Currently on P Zeros, 235/35 ZR 18 from June 1999 on the front and 285/30 ZR18 from Feb 01 on the rear.
Tend to be a Conti or Michelin fan usually myself, anyone got any thoughts? I´m not going to be taking the car on track in the near future so a real road tyre rather than a cunningly disguised cut slick would be required... far more worried about staying in one piece in the wet than ultimate cornering pace.

Cheers
Rick

 

[Hacki]

For your purpose best experience with Michelins here.

Rgds

Hacki

 

[DSCBoy]

Hmm, that would be my preffered option Hacki... but I think the reason the car is on Pirellis is that I can only find a Pirelli tyre listed anywhere in the size of the fronts.... Pilot Sports only seem to come in a 19 inch with the 235/35... plenty of choice on the rears, (imagine its because they are standard fit on Boeing 727´s...) but Michelin website doesn`t list an 18 incher?

 

[rs phil]

defo,michelins ps2 are closest you will get to track tyre i think

 

[Gordon Attar]

Wet and cold roads are a problem for Turbo's when on full boost. Suggest you also post on the Turbo forum as well and get a number of responses. On my std 964 I would only run Continental sport contacts as perfect for all weathers.

On my 993TT I'm running Michelin Pilot Sports, there fine once warmed up.

 

[Jamie Summers]

Just to throw in a curve ball, I've read several magazine tyre tests in teh last couple of months, and consistently the winner has been the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric. Admitedly none of the tests used a fire breathing rear engined Porsche, but in all cases the wet grip was streets ahead of the competition, and the dry comparable with the best. They look a pretty reasonable compromise to me ...............

Jamie

 

[Stewart H]

I'd add a word of caution. When OPC Reading refurbed my car (before I bought it) they fitted Bridgestone Expedia S01 tyres to it. They are not N rated and have too much rim protection (oh err missus) according to GT One and on hard cornering, the nearside tyre rubs the cat heat shield.

Suggestions welcome here. Should I fork out for a new set of tyres, which pains me because they've got less than 1,000 miles on them, or should I fit some really thin shims (3mm?) to the rears?

 

[George Elliott]

can i be frank, I hate pirelli, they are crap. (the symptoms you describe would have been the same the day they were fitted in 1999)

Michelin

george

964rs

 

[DSCBoy]

George, I would tend to agree... always found them lacking in grip, which has added to the "hoot" factor... but since I'm now more interested in staying alive without having to hang a monster rear wing on the car again I think Michelin are the only solution.
Going to have to get my calculator out and work out what my options are in Michelin then as I've not done the switching of the aspect/diameter thingummybob before

http://www.etyres.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator.htm

Would appear to be what I need... but I'm not sure how the tread width affects the tyre diameter? Am I missing something?

Cheers for all the helpful responses!

 

[Tony]

Stewart, with std wheels you can go as far as around 20mm spacers on the rear, might be worth going for the wider track rather than just getting tyre clearance.

Tony

 

[Stewart H]

Thanks Tony. I guess this week's car purchase will be spacers. Is 20mm the recommended size and should I go for something at the front as well?

 

[jason]

Hate Pirrellis also.

Mich Pilot Sport N1s I think on my Turbo and in your sizes. MPSCups on 17s on the RS...for track

 

[TISPKJ]

Rick your car is running something like 9.5" and 11.5" x 18's

If you say you have 235 and 285 fitted already your going to need 245 and 305 if they make such a tool to fill those rims, I recon you could also go up a profile to compensate the extra width .........

Pop it round the weekend and I will see what Ive got inthe shed []

 

[Tony]

Stewart,
Adrian Palmers notes in 'the book' suggest max is 22mm rear & 15mm front with std mag wheels. It will vary a bit depending on tyres as you've already found and the cars vary (not built by robots!). I bought some 20's but they were too wide with a set of aftermarket wheels I ran at the time so had them machined down to 18.
The fronts will load up the steering, personal choice here I don't the steering any heavier than it is!

Tony

 

[wallonia]

Congratulations for keeping it on the road in Pirellis, maybe stretching them helped!?!
Size/Availability/spacers/best wheel size........
Your better off asking RUF
http://www.ruf-automobile.de/
www.gemballa.com
http://www.techart.de/
Turbo Technics
http://www.t-t-p.de/english/index.php

Tyres look too narrow for your wheels and your not using all of your wide body.

What a steed indeed. Good to see it in the flesh and your self at Ragley, before you left.(you did not miss anything)
Great story, provenance, thanks for sharing.

Keep safe, wear a rubber that fits, Ya.
Keep smiling

 

[wallonia]

or Porsche[]