JJR512

The option code label on my car has M395, which means 16" forged light metal rims.

But my car actually has 15" phone dial rims, white to match the Alpine White body.

Which wheels are the M395 wheels?

Dougs951S

The m395 wheels are 16" fuchs, its a pretty uncommon option and the wheels are worth some decent money, too bad it sounds like somebody swapped them from the car at some point. FWIW, option code m348 is Grand prix white 16" fuchs, which in original factory finish are worth even more money to the right buyer.

JJR512

Thanks...what were the widths and offsets of these wheels?

Dougs951S

Not positive, but I believe they were the same as early offset 951 16" phonies, 7" front et23 and 8" et10.6 rears. Some 911 had the very desirable 16x9 fuchs rears.

JJR512

Thanks.

My car also has the M456 sport suspension option, which I think I've read elsewhere means it sits slightly lower than those without this option. My car definitely does have a slightly lowered look. Correct me if I'm wrong about that.

The reason I mention it is that the tires that are on the car, put on by the PO, are 225/50-15 at all four corners. I don't believe 225 was the standard width for 15" phone dials (they had 205 width tires, right?). I don't know how wide these wheels are, or their offsets, but they look "natural" on the car, like they belong there, not sticking out too far or anything like that. But on hard cornering, I definitely hear some rubbing sound coming from whichever corner is most loaded, depending on which way I'm turning and if I'm accelerating or decelerating. Just the one most loaded corner.

I think whoever put these wheels and tires on must not have done all their homework, because even though they look right, I'm guessing that the proper size and offset wheels with proper size tires shouldn't produce any rubbing at all, period...correct?

Where exactly on the wheels should I look for their offsets, isn't it stamped somewhere on each one? I'll take a look and see what I've got, and also see if there are any spacers. I know the rears don't have spacers, since I took both off to adjust the parking brake, but I'll check the front end soon.

Dougs951S

M456 cars should not sit lower than stock, your suspension is blown. Rubbing under cornering load basically confirms tha.

JJR512

I have read elsewhere that M456 sits lower. But no hard evidence. I've also read different things about what shocks they have.

My car has Koni adjustable yellow shocks in the back. I don't know what the front ones are, but they're black. If you can identify what exactly they are from these photos, that's be great. And also let me know if these front and rears are what's supposed to be with M456 or if they're atypical or what. The rear Konis appear to be original, at least they're stamped with "3/86" which I assumed to be a date code.

JJR512

A wider view...

Dougs951S

those look like regular sachs shocks, not the correct ones for the 456 package. M456 is basically just M474 koni suspension on all 4 corners plus heavier sway bars, the springs are stock and sit at stock ride height. It sounds like you have the correct m474/456 rear konis and regular factory struts up front. The springs appear stock. The front struts are probably blown, as I stated earlier. This is of course assuming the rubbing under cornering load is from the front. The stock koni rear shocks could also be toast.

mel_t_vin

True.


Partly true. 1986 944 turbo rims [both PDs and Fuchs] were 7" et 23.3 front and 8" et 23.3 rear.

mel_t_vin

The reason your car appears to have a slightly lowered look is that on 225/50/15 tires, it is sitting 0.5" lower to the ground than it would be if it were on stock 215/60/15 tires.

BTW, your PDs are probably 7" x 15" et 23.3, front and rear.

Dougs951S

derp, nice catch. Had a brain fart, 10.6 is a 911 ET. early 944 are 23.3 all around, late cars are 52.

mel_t_vin

Those front struts, 944.343.031.11 [left] and .032.11 [right], are the correct part numbers for an early '83-'86 944 configured with either sport suspension [M456] or sport dampers [M474]. The same struts were also used on the '80-'82 931 [standard] and the '87-'88 924 [M456/M474].

An M456-optioned car should also have a 23mm front and 14mm rear sways. Have you measured the ones on your car? What's the part number on your rear dampers?

mel_t_vin

Correct, on all accounts.

JJR512

I haven't looked at or measured the sway bars. I'll do that next.

So you are saying that both the front struts (Sachs) and the rears (Koni adjustables) are correct for M456 on my year...correct?

The phone dials are 7" front and rear, I checked both the front and back (driver's side) tonight when I was checking the struts. They're 951.362.104.00, 7Jx15ET23.3.

To be honest, I like the look of phone dials better than Fuchs...but I'd rather have 16" or even 17" wheels, than 15" wheels.