18*8.5 on '86 Turbo 944??..
11-18-2003, 10:10 AM
#16
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dallas, then Annapolis - now Laguna Beach CA. Well, not so fast - I'm back in Dallas. For good!
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Help me understand -
Why would the 18's be bad?
Of course I understand the ride will be affected - the decreased sidewall will lessen the shock absorbing ability of the tire.
But - a 225 (for example) is a 225, right? If the diameter is the same, a 225 has the same tread width whether it's 16, 17, or 18, doesn't it? With the correct wheel, weight shouldn't be a factor... With the correct offset, clearance should be OK... Is it because of the added grip stressing the front suspension?
I know Porsche says don't, but technology and avail improvements have come a long way...
Why would the 18's be bad?
Of course I understand the ride will be affected - the decreased sidewall will lessen the shock absorbing ability of the tire.
But - a 225 (for example) is a 225, right? If the diameter is the same, a 225 has the same tread width whether it's 16, 17, or 18, doesn't it? With the correct wheel, weight shouldn't be a factor... With the correct offset, clearance should be OK... Is it because of the added grip stressing the front suspension?
I know Porsche says don't, but technology and avail improvements have come a long way...
11-20-2003, 12:11 AM
#18
It is difficult, but possible to get the 18's down to the same weight as a package. You'll probably have to spend some dough to get into this quality and size, but I'd venture that Volk's would get you there.
There is always the issue of tire SIZE (cross section), but I have found construction and compound of the tires can make a huge difference in itself. Often times going to a R compound tire will dramatically increase tramming. How often do we plus size and then go extreme on the tire choice? Soft sticky stiff tires will tram worst no matter what size.
I think on a more theoretically level ( and yes, it may actually play out on a track) it may bring into question of how the contact area interacts with the suspension. Would wide tires on a MG TD handle well without the scrub angle of the original tall thin tires? Think about the differences between the characteristics of making a car handle on bias vs. radial tires. They may look alike on the surface, but requires a whole different suspension setup.
There is always the issue of tire SIZE (cross section), but I have found construction and compound of the tires can make a huge difference in itself. Often times going to a R compound tire will dramatically increase tramming. How often do we plus size and then go extreme on the tire choice? Soft sticky stiff tires will tram worst no matter what size.
I think on a more theoretically level ( and yes, it may actually play out on a track) it may bring into question of how the contact area interacts with the suspension. Would wide tires on a MG TD handle well without the scrub angle of the original tall thin tires? Think about the differences between the characteristics of making a car handle on bias vs. radial tires. They may look alike on the surface, but requires a whole different suspension setup.
