I know that the offset on the '86 is different than later models, which wheels/spacer combo have people used? I was thinking about the 18x10's off the 993 for the back and maybe some 18x8.5 from a later model for the front. Do they look the same if years are mixed? There are lots of wheels out there, but I still love those on the 951.

 

I'd go with 17" without spacers, but if you're willing to try here's a good write-up:

Since the later '87+ 944/951 wheels have 52.3mm offset (911s/Boxters generally have 55mm offset), you can use spacers to fit those wheels to the earlier cars. Here's a list of Porsche genuine parts that can be used:

FRONT WHEELS

PART NUMBER QTY DESCRIPTION
911.331.671.00 10 65mm wheel bolts (stock is 45mm) ~ $5/ea
477.501.701 2 21mm wheel spacer (came stock on rear of '82-85 944NA) ~$15-25/ea


REAR WHEEL

PART NUMBER QTY DESCRIPTION
901.331.671.01 10 72mm wheel bolts (stock is 45mm) ~ $5/ea
(pre-'85.5 944NA should use 100mm wheel bolts here)
930.331.611.04 2 28mm wheel spacer (used on rear of 911-turbo) ~20-40/ea


OPTIONAL: OPEN-ENDED LUG-NUTS if you want to go back and forth with your old wheels ($20 total)


INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

FRONT:

- remove brake-caliper (look for two LARGE bolts holding it onto spingle)
- pry off the hub center dust cap with a screwdriver
- you'll see a clamping nut with an Allen pinch bolt. Undo that little bolt a couple of turns (line up little cut-out on the hub to access it)
- pull hub off spindle
- unbolt brake-rotor bolts and remove from hub (mark position so you can re-install with same orientation.
- place large socket on back of hub that will clear head of stud
- place socket on anvil or sturdy surface and pound out stud (into socket).
- install new longer studs and repeated with deep-reach socket on other side (thread side). This socket bracing is so you don't distort your hub and get vibrations later on.
- repack wheel bearings and install hub on spindle.
- put hub back onto spindle and adjust tightness of bearing
- put hub dust cap bac on
- reinstall brake caliper
- grind 1/4" bevel on inside of spacer to clear hub cone.


REAR on '85.5-86 944NA and '86 951 (can't remove hub because of one-piece pressed-in bearing):

- remove brake-caliper
- remove brake disc
- remove the parking-brake actuator and lower-springs AND the cable
- the hole that the cable protrudes from the trailing arm is where the studs will be removed and installed from.
- remove the parking-brake cable assembly (there's a metal clip over the pivot-pin, use needle-nose pliers to remove and DON'T lose it inside the trailing arm)
- also remove metal hole-cover as well.
- then just line up a stud with that hole and pound it out
- remove all of them. Then put the new ones in the same way (do one at a time completely)
- put the big end into the hole, line up the hub and pull it out.
- use a crowbar or big screwdriver pried against the trailing-arm to push out the stud as much as possible
- put the spacer on and use an open-ended lug-nut (flat side facing in) with an impact wrench to pull the stud fully outwards and into the hub OR
- or you can fit a deep socket over the stud and clamp together with giant C-clamp
- repeat for all the studs
- re-install the parking-brake cable & actuator assembly
- install brake rotor
- install brake caliper

REAR on pre '86 944NA

- before doing anything, loosen giant rear-axle nut
- remove brake-caliper
- remove brake disc
- remove giant rear axle nut
- remove rear axle
- place large socket on back of hub that will clear head of stud
- place socket on anvil or sturdy surface and pound out stud (into socket).
- install new longer studs and repeated with deep-reach socket on other side (thread side).
- repack wheel bearings and install axle & adjust
- install giant axle nut and really tighten it down
- install brake disc
- install brake-caliper

 

Or you could simply use bolt on spacers and leave the studs in.

 

Solid information, I'll look at doing that.

 

A slightly different spin on the above writeup. If you look at the wheels you have, you should see a part number stamped on the back of the wheel. It will look like 7Jx15 ET 23,3. The 7 and the 15 are pretty obvious. Width and diameter of the wheel in inches (Why not in millimeters? Got me). The ET number is the offset. This is in millimeters. They use a comma where I would use a decimal. The good news is that the 'late offset' wheels that you are probably looking at can be converted to "early offset" using spacers. The wheels you will be looking at may have offsets in the 50's (millimeters), say 54. The spacer thickness you need is the difference between the 2 numbers. 54 - 23. 3 = 30.7 mm. You can convert to inches by dividing by 25.4.

 

I wasn't sure if it was that simple when going to such a wider wheel/tire. I know there is room to move outboard with the stock setup but wasn't as sure about inboard and keeping the same offset does a little of both. From my research is seems like an offset of 35mm was a good target. (vs. 25mm) With the early 993 18x10 wheels it looks like they come in an offset of 40mm which should be pretty close without a spacer. I was going to see if that works. 10" wide is a good number for me too. Might just have to be a trial and error thing, maybe some additional searching well let me know if those wheels have worked on the early offset cars without spacers.

 

You're going to need spacers to fit the late offset wheels...

 

Getting some tonight from Cole. I'll work on swapping the studs out next.

 

Sounds like a lot of trouble to me. You should select a wheel set from a 986 or 996 - you can use them with bolt-on spacers (which have their own studs). The spacers add a lot of unsprung weight, but the turbo twists are relatively light wheels.

My 86 951 came with 17x8.5 ET 50 with bolt-on spacers (all around, square setup), and I still use them for the street setup. Basically, these are two sets of rears from a 986. If I were getting turbo twists myself, I would put 17x7's up front. 8.5" wheels up front may look cool, but for a daily driver it's just too much. The steering feel would be much better if you used a standard 986 or 996 wheel turbo twist wheel set that used a 7" or 7.5" wheel up front.

 

I appreciate the advice, I'll give that some thought.

I thought about running a square setup, what size tires are on your 8.5's out of curiosity?

 

My 17x8.5 wheels have 255/40/17 tires, which is the absolute widest they can accommodate. This is the same size tire Porsche used on the 17x9 rear wheels. My 996 came with 17x9 turbo twist wheels in the rear and had 255/40/17 tires on them. The fronts were 17x7.5 and had 205/50/17's on them.

 

I run 275-40-17's race tires on 17x9 wheels. They fit fine.

 

Those give me some ideas for direction. Thanks guys!

 

I've seen 17x11.5" with 275/40-17 tyres fitted on the rear of '86 951. Some fender-rolling necessary.

 

I just put the turbo hollow spokes on my 86. I used bolt on spacers; 15mm in rear and 25mm in front. Fits great!

http://wongontheweb.com/auto/porschepics.html

See bottom pics.