Hammbone50

3rd in the queue to get a 992 GTS at my dealer..... building out GTS and hoping to have my first Pcar come spring time next year! I have been searching all over the forums and see some complaints about CL wheels. I want to make sure I have the fact straight. Seems the biggest complaint is aftermarket wheel options. I have always installed aftermarket wheels on all my other cars, but in all honesty spending this much on the car I am hoping to just leave the stock ones on there and in this regard I like the look of the CL over the Spyders slightly. It will be sitting in the garage when it snows, so not swapping winter wheels in my garage like I currently do. So really the only downside I see is if I get a flat I need to make sure the shop I take the car to can handle CL or I take it to a dealer. Since I don't have a spare set of wheels, no true spare, if I got a flat with 5 lugs aren't I in the same boat where I need a tow? Its not like I am on the side of the road changing my tire in either case or am I missing something?

ChrisF

There are a lot of negatives:
- need giant expensive torque wrench
- can't use an impact gun to get them on/off
- need to learn a very specific removal / install procedure to ensure they're on safely
- if you track, they have a mileage timeout where nuts, hubs need to be replaced (5 lugs don't)
- majority of tire shops (and even some dealers) are sloppy and don't install them correctly, putting your safety at risk
- if you are not mechanically inclined, you have to rely on the dealer for tire swaps, tire changes, etc

Positives?
- they look cool?

If i had spec'd my GTS, I would have deleted them. Majority of GT car owners feel the same but can't. If you never touch your car and like the way they look, no harm then.

rk-d

If you like how they look, then get the center locks. Doubt you'll be using the local Firestone to change your tires. The car has no spare and roadside tire changes aren't happening. You shouldn't use an impact wrench on wheels anyway.

Sometimes you can overthink this stuff.

colnagoG60

HYTORC to the rescue...maybe:

4carl

I have a Gt3 Touring on order and you can’t get five lug wheels I really don’t want the center locks.They make absolutely no sense on the street car. When Ferrari first came out with the testarossa in 85 they had them and eliminated them a year or so down the road. The work reward ratio just isn’t there .carl

HenryPcar

I can't think of any pros in using center lock wheels as opposed to cons. Its expensive, heavier, needing special tools, lack of off market wheels, getting a flat......etc......the list goes on and on.

colnagoG60

The Hytorc lock nuts, in combination with their drill/adapter, would actually be a simpler solution than 5-bolts...drill could be carried in the car, and one would not need exceptional strength to loosen over tight/stuck bolts. That said, it still would need to come to market.

gcurnew

With the right tools, CLs really aren't that much of a pain to deal with once you know the remove/replace and lubrication procedures. I've done it myself many times, sometimes with help and sometimes without using the wood clamp technique. If you think the process is onerous or a problem then it is; the bottom line is if it's something that looks too technical or too much work then avoid CLs. That tool looks like a killer solution though, and would be easier to carry in the trunk rather than the Precision Instruments torque wrench and a breaker bar for road trips (which was my approach).

I think the Pelican case could be smaller, however. No need to have space for the locking nuts as they would already be installed on the car. If I had a car with CLs I'd be interested, so long as the price was in the range suggested in the video.

detansinn

If you plan on traveling anywhere with the car, ie long distance driving, avoid centerlock wheels for all of the concerns cited here. You don’t want to be stuck in some rural place without the tools to do the job.

They look cool, but offer near zero upside with plenty of negatives.

HenryPcar

A popular saying in Chinese on over-engineering...."Those who take their pants off to fart".
Seriously, name one instance the center-lock have it over the normal wheel lugs.

ipse dixit

Get the CL if you like the way they look.

The worry and stress of changing tires with a car fitted with CL versus 5 lugs is completely overblown.

If you're stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere, you're not going to be changing your own flat anyway (cuz, are you really carrying your own spare?). And you don't want roadside changing your tires anyway, want them just to tow it to authorized Porsche dealer or a reputable shop with CL tools.

If you're one of those folks that like to tinker with their toys, getting a CL tool to change your tires is small $$$ to pay for the enjoyment of CL if you like the way they look. And, lets be honest, a majority of 911 owners spec their cars based on cosmetics (i.e., color, deviated stitching, wheel styles (aside from CL v. 5 lugs), model delete, etc.) as opposed to functional use.

detansinn

They can be lighter overall when you consider the whole hub assembly, despite the centerlock wheels themselves being typically heavier. We're not talking a huge difference here, but that is something. Of course, if we're talking titanium lugs, the weight advantage can shift back to the traditional setup.

ohniner

I'm on my third 911 with CL's, never had any issues whatsoever.
My thoughts;
1. If you plan to track the car at all get the 5 lug.
2. If you plan on keeping the car forever and play with wheels get the 5 lug.
3. if you will sell or trade within a few years and don't track get the CL's. Buyers associate certain 911's with CL's.
4. If you like the way they look then get them.

Hammbone50

This was my thought, I don't have a spare with me anyway so kinda stuck no matter what and you are right, not letting roadside change it out. Looks I am really back and forth on but figure if I am going for a GTS isn't part of that "package" CL wheels?

Hammbone50

Thanks, helps to hear and know someone that has had them for a while without issue. All these points help lay things out for consideration. It's my first Pcar so trying to spec things that make the most sense. I like the fact that the CL arent a wheel that can be had on other 911 models so was leaning that way but don't want to hate myself later for going that route.