doc_

I recently got very familiar with a median while entering a turn lane. Blew out both left (brand new) tires /bent both rims & blew out the struts.

Fast forward & I'm borrowing a friends spare wheels from his 88' 944.
(Just got finished with the suspension work)

We both have phone dials, but mine we're a lot wider A), & B) his spokes around the rim protrude & mine are depressed.

There's a man with a handful of 944 parts cars nearby that I'm doing a core swap with, but when did they start with the variations? Are there more changes?

I'm trying to keep her exterior looking as factory as possible

catamax944

Take a look here http://www.944racing.de/felgengewichte.php
Aside from those there are also the 928 variations

FrenchToast

Are you sure your PD's are wider? Or do they just sit further out in the fender?

If your car is an '86 or earlier, that could explain everthing. Your borrowed wheels have a larger positive offset, thus sit inside the fender more.

If your car is an '87 and later, there still could be a similar issue in that your friend's wheels are actually originally from an early 928 automatic, and are 15x7's with very high positive offset.

The 15x7 PD was offered in three different offsets.

Take care!

doc_

I should have mentioned that I have an 86, but yes. My PD's sit noticeably further out in the fender than his.
My specs are P215/60R15 & his are 195/65R15. (I wish I knew how to read tire sizes!)

Here are mine

and here are his

doc_

Pardon the (brake) dust

xsbank

The rears are different from the fronts - you need an apples to apples comparison.

215/60R15
215 is the width of the cross-section, 60 is the height, R means the speed rating, 15 is the rim diameter. 0807 is an example of a date code when it was built (8th week of 2007) and somewhere will be a number like 180 - 400 or so, which is a meaningless wear rating that has no set standard but might indicate relative longevity within a particular manufacturer's offerings. Lower number = faster wear.
Nowhere on the tire will you find rim offset which is how it is centered over the hub/brake.
The 195/65R15 are taller but narrower and have the same speed rating (slow, not meant for sustained high speed).

Kurt R

Not on an N/A - the 16" Turbo phone dials were wider in the back, but the 15" were only 7" wide, or 6" on the 924s. Some 924s will have 7" wheels, but they will also be late offset.

You want to find two that say 15x7 ET23. They were on 944s up to 1986. If you look on the back of the spokes on your friend's wheels they will say ET52.

xsbank

Thanks for that - my 86 n/a has different wheels, wider at the back.

bordin34

You have a car that requires early offset wheels, from 1983-1986. Late offset started in 1987. If you want late offset wheels to fit you need spacers.
Also the correct way to read the sidewall of a tire is this.
If the tire is 205/55r16
205 = tread width in mm
55 = sidewall height in percentage of tread width
r = radial construction
16 = 16 inch wheel

Jamesr6967

IIRC :

H (as in HR) = 120 mph speed rating

Z (ZR) = 149 mph speed rating

Edit - VR= 149 mph

BCN

H= 130

doc_

Either way I can't get this baby over 120 without going downhill...

doc_

Obviously as time goes on they make changes to the design, but what was the benefit of the later offset if they sit further into the fender?

Jamesr6967

The deeper offset was to allow room for the ABS system hardware on the late 944 models.

FrenchToast

You'll notice on your friend's car they don't sit further in the fender, but sit the same way the proper wheels for your car do.

The offset was changed to allow for ABS-ready hubs for '87 and newer cars. Mind that not all '87+ cars came with ABS, however. Edit: Jamesr6967 beat me to it!

The difference can be easily seen by peeking inside the rear wheels on both you and your friend's cars, and looking at the depth of the brake hats.

Take care!