PCMAX

I'm looking at buying a set of 17" wheels 7.5F & 9.0R.
The blurb says that the offset is 47mm Front & 52mm Rear.
Will these fit my '84 model 944 without spacers or will I need to get some?

Bones944

Those are late offset wheels and you'll need spacers.

97xray

What are you willing to spend, I have set of nearly new Mille Miglia (<1000miles on them) - one of the aftermarket brands. Oh wait... you're in Sydney. Forget it; shipping would SUCK!

Pearceman3

i may be interested...pm me with what you are looking to get for them.

Dave

As per the infamous TSB, all 944s (both offsets) with 17" wheels will also need 968 casterblocks installed and a wheel alignment (needed after caster block installation anyway) to different specs than those for a car with 15" or 16" wheels.

judd944

I thought that was just for 18" rims?

Dave

Search for "18" wheel TSB"and I'm sure you'll find all the details.
This TSB is Porsche's official position on wheel upgrades and says, in their own way, that 18" wheels should NEVER be used and that that the caster block upgrade and different alignment are needed for 17" wheels. IIRC, Porsche went so far as to void the remaining warranty on car violating the TSB (back when there were still any cars covered)!

PCMAX

The TSB have no juristiction in AUS but what are 968 caster blocks and what purpose do they serve. Do the add to safety etc or is it just govt department red tape stuff.

Peter

Dave

A TSB is a "Technical Service Bulletin," kind of a "memo" from the factory to the service departments, it has no "jurisdiction anywhere but in a Porsche dealership. A caster block is a part of the front suspension, one of the pivot points for the control arm IIRC, and an adjustment point for the alignment (also IIRC). The 968 part is stronger than the 944 part so Porsche says it's OK to use 17" wheels if you have them installed and set the alignment to different specs that were designer to work with the 17" wheels.
Porsche can't MAKE you do anything, but this was their recommendation.
The 944 front end was not designed for the added stress of 17" or larger wheels as these wheels didn't exist when the car was built. the biggest weak links seem to be the ball joint and the caster block.

PCMAX

Apologies Dave, I thought you were referring to the Transportation Safety Board. Which seem to get involved with everything from aircraft to shipping and all thing in between.
Thanks for the information and explanation anyway, I'll have a look at that part in PET when I get home.

Robby

I'm not sure about this, but, I don't think changing caster blocks require an alignment- I'm pretty sure, but not positive- they might say you need both, for whatever reason, but. I don't think that replacing the caster block requires a re-alignment in & of itself.... PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong though- I just changed mine, along w/a lot of other stuff- I need an alignment anyway, b/c of other susp replacement, but, would still like to know....

Dave

I'm not positive, but I thought the Caster block was one of the adjustment points when doing an alignment. If this is true, the replacement of the caster block would make an alignment necessary to verify that the alignment didn;'t change when parts were swapped. In this case, it really doesn't matter because Porsche specifies different alignment specs for 17" wheels, the car would need to be aligned anyway.

PCMAX

Does anyone have a part number for the 968 casterblock? I can't seem to find this item in PET even using the word search function.
Thanks
Peter

Robby

I'm w/you Dave....

As for the part #- I just checked through all my reciepts & couldn't find my Technodyne reciept from when I bought mine- you can post a thread I'm sure someone will have it- there is a dif name they call them, technically speaking, so that's why you wont see them on PET while looking for "casterblocks." Sorry I couldnt be of more help....

Robby

Check THIS out....

http://www.weissach.net/968_M030-Opt...sionComponents


Evidently, the caster block mount is: 951-341-023-01


I've been screwing around w/this for hours now- the guy who did this did an EXCELLENT job!