Sueden

Andrew,
Maybe you could TUB the wheelwells to get them to fit!

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Dennis
82 weissach #142

redpathtribe

Andrew,
I checked this when I installed some 6mm spacers on my '90 GT (got 'em from Performance Products, around $13 ea. IIRC), 14 turns w/o spacers, 9 turns w/ spacers, so no problems. This was on some OEM Porsche 993 wheels, so I'm not sure what, if any, difference there is in the bottom of nut to hub distance.

danglerb

The carbible site is pretty good, another one is PHOR physics of racing or something like that, and I read at least a dozen sites last night and don't feel much smarter. Two points seemed relevant;

1) Possible traction varies over the road surface and the tire, so the larger the contact patch, the higher the chances of getting good traction spots in it. Several sites said essentially this, and it makes little sense to me.

2) Coefficient of friction for a given tire drops as load increases. Likewise I don't understand this, but apparently its empirical fact.

One thing really clear is all things being equal the guy with the sticky tires is going to win. Drag slicks beat drag radials which beat street radials. Don't know if I am ready to see a 928 running Hoosiers though.

I'd still like to see some numbers comparing same model tires of different widths on the same car, same surface.

AO

I can't change the laws of physics... but I can change how th car looks. One of the key reasons for putting 11" wheels with 295's aside from the hope for more traction is for looks. I cannot tell you how bad-*** a 928 looks with max rubber! I think it's one of the best improvements (looks-wise) one can make to a 928.

So here's another questions for all of you fender flarin' experts. I've heard two suggestions for getting the fender to cover the wheel.

#1. Take a length of dowel rod (~1/2" thick) and roll it throught eh arc.

#2. Use a pry-bar with a gentle touch and pull the metal out slowly across teh entire arc of the wheel.

Is there another method? Which of these two is prefered? Remember the fender lip on the GT is already rolled from the factory.

AO

315's! Now that's some rubber! BTW, I've discovered that the price of tires increases exponentially with size after 275!

275's = $150-$200ea.
285's = $200-$300ea.
295's = $275-$400ea.
305's = $350+ea.
315's = $????

JPTL

Makes the cost of every burnout go up dramatically!
Re: successful rolling, Tom Falkenberg had pretty nice results w/his black auto. I don't know what his method was, but he's got 11's on that car, IIRC. Very beefy looking.

Dennis K

Re: widths

Very interesting. I'm running 315/30/18's on 11's (13.2" section, 25.5" dia.) Without spacers and at maximum compression, they rub on the trailing arm and the chassis at the very top of the tire travel.

I think yours rubs at the front of the wheel well because your 295/35/18 tires have a larger diameter tire than most. (12.0" section, 26.1" dia.) I think w/ 295/30/18's you'd be good to go.

Peter F

Good catch Dennis,
I have 285/30-18 on my rears with no issues.

/Peter

Tony

DONT USE A PRY BAR!
If you use it to pull the fender out a bit you will find that it will pull just in that isolate area...think of a door ding but outwards. You need to apply the pressure over a wider area. I know DR has the facory tool hanging on his wall...but he told me all he has ever done is just give it a couple of good tugs by hand. Its a hard thing to swallow but thats what i did and it worked fine. Two hands about 12'' apart on the lip and pull. I also had to roll the lips on my S4(a step you dont have to do) i did that with a 1inch wooden dowl rod and my stock tires. With the dowel between the tire and fender i would "pry and roll" at the same time. The wood would grip on the rubber of the tire and move along the perimeter of the wheel...it would "slip" in the inside of the fender flattening the lip.
Make sure the paint is warm. I left mine parked out side in the vegas summer...worked fine. Perhaps just set a halogen work lamps close enough to warm the paint a bit...i know it aint too warm up there ya poor sod

..oh yeah...
Dont Fu$% it up.

I really like those rims though...good choice!

JPTL

Dennis is on to something. As he says, your current overall wheel/tire height is 26.1" with 295/35/18. If you bite the bullet and pay out for a pair of 295/30/18, you'll drop the overall height of the wheel/tire down to 24.9, or by 1.2". That's considerable. BTW, 24.7" is the factory rear wheel/tire height for your car (factory is a full 2" narrower at the tire, though).

Based on your re$earch of the price of these meaty tires, that may be a costly solution, but I'll bet it will be enough to eliminate your rubbing issues.

Ed MD

Andrew, check you rear ride height-170mm. I've seen the two hand fender pull..it works, wear gloves. Also lowering the sidewall profile will help a lot, realising that the travel line is not vertical but along a concentric arc. Anyway "we don't need no sinking fender liners!" Ed M

AO

Yeah, I know the diameter is ideal... but I'm sure the diameter is going to get smaller!

Tony, thanks for your tips. I'm pretty much decided on using a 1" (maybe 2") harwood dowel and a little tug job. Since there's almost no photo documentation on this proceedure, I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

chaadster

Pictures? Man, we expect more than that from you, Andrew! Do you want me to swing by and work the camera so you can make a movie? I promise I won't zoom in on your face when you scream, "Oh sh*t!!"

AO

Actually, Chaad, I have another use for you! I need to you run the car for me. What are you doing on Saturday Morning?

chaadster

Saturday AM I'm yours (in the Platonic sense). Call me (*wink*wink*)