Mark Hubley

Ever since I bought my 1986 944 four years ago something has bugged me about the wheels. My 15X7 phone dials seem very deeply recessed into the fenders. At an autox back in October someone asked me if I had put late offset wheels on my car. I hadn't changed the wheels, but maybe a PO did? That would explain why the wheels don't "fill out" the fenders. I assume the early offset wheels have a different part number than the 87-on wheels. Can anybody tell me what the two part numbers are (early 15X7 phone dial and 87-on 15X7 phone dial)?

I'm going to try to measure the backspacing, but I would trust the part number more than my measurements.

Thanks,

Mark

marksportcts

Mark, if you take your wheels off and look at the casting on the spokes, they will have the part number, wheel size and offset. It should be 23.3ET for early cars. I noticed that even the 15" have 951 part numbers and will clear the 951 brakes. I did the turbo brake convesion and found that my second set of 16" fuch spokes didn't clear the face of the turbo calipers. They would fit a non-turbo as the n/a caliper is smaller and the wheels also have 911 part number. I ended up having to use my original 15".

marksportcts

Does it look like this? This is my '86 944

Matt O.

15x6/7 phone dials won't "fill out" a 944. If you want that go to wider wheels or spacers.

-Matt

Mark Hubley

First off, my car doesn't look like the one in the picture. My rear wheels don't extend out even that far! I think I now know the reason: I went ahead and pulled one of the wheels, and here is what I found--

7JX15 ET 52.3, backspacing between 5 3/4" and 6". The part number is 944.362.104.00.

Looks to me like my car does indeed have late offset wheels!

Anybody want to trade a set of late offset phone dials for early ones??? I've thought about spacers, but I think I would need new studs to get enough spacing. Seems to me that spacers and studs will cost nearly as much as a set of good, used phone dials.

marksportcts

Mark, Crow Automotive quoted me $40 per 1" adapter-style spacer (the ones that integrate the bolts, you bolt it to your hubs and wheel bolts onto it) and $70 for the 2" adapters.
http://www.crowautomotive.com/

Mark Hubley

$40 sounds like a pretty good deal. Any thoughts on the safety of using these adapters?

Lemon Yellow 87 n/a

Mark, are those boxed rockers I see on your car? I'm planning on getting a set real soon. Are they difficult to install? I think they are pretty straight forward, no?

marksportcts

Fairly simple, but I did a poor job on mine. I may get them molded on when my car gets repainted.