18's or 19's?
06-19-2007, 05:10 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
Damn, this is an old thread...
That said, I disagree with Ron. In my 997C2 without PASM, I don't notice any significant difference in ride, handling, or steering on the street between OEM 18s (Continentals) and OEM 19s (lobster claws with Pirellis) at factory pressures, and I'm very sensitive in both regards. (I've only used the 18s on the track.) I also think the car looks 10x better with 19s; I can almost sleep in the rear fender gap with the car on OEM 18s.
That said, I disagree with Ron. In my 997C2 without PASM, I don't notice any significant difference in ride, handling, or steering on the street between OEM 18s (Continentals) and OEM 19s (lobster claws with Pirellis) at factory pressures, and I'm very sensitive in both regards. (I've only used the 18s on the track.) I also think the car looks 10x better with 19s; I can almost sleep in the rear fender gap with the car on OEM 18s.
06-19-2007, 05:45 PM
#17
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OEM 18s for narrowbody are 8" front and 10" rear widths. That will take up to 235 front (what comes oem) and say 285 rear (though 295 will fit - see the tire company specs). I'm running 245 fronts and 305 rears -- my wheels are 8.5" wide front and 11" wide rear. There are so many sizes in 18 available... Because Porsche changed the diameters on the 997 to 25.5" front and 26.5" rear (approximately), that makes tire choice interesting if you want to keep the speedo and odo correct. Fortunately, the RA1s in 245/305 are "perfect" to oem diameters.
Alan -- that's really interesting because you may be the only person that's ever found no difference... I've read many articles in Excellence and elsewhere, seen the video posts of reviewers, read many posts, and have my own experience of 18" PS2s vs. 19" PS2s, 19" PS2s vs. 18" RA1s, etc. It's night and day...
As to looks - There's absolutely ZERO fender gap difference in a car on 18s vs. 19s -- the tires are the exact same diameter. My 19" PS2s are 26.3" diamter and my 18" RA1s are 26.3" diameter -- no difference in gap. There's the difference in opinion -- you like the look of more metal and less rubber and I like the reverse and besides, I don't care 1 iota what it looks like, I want the best performance.
The OEM wheels have much smaller tire width for the 18 vs the 19's
What width tires are you running on 18".?
Also the easily available 18 sizes will be slightly less overall diameter... Did you go to the 996 overall diameters 265-30-18, or the 997 265-35-18.
Alan -- that's really interesting because you may be the only person that's ever found no difference... I've read many articles in Excellence and elsewhere, seen the video posts of reviewers, read many posts, and have my own experience of 18" PS2s vs. 19" PS2s, 19" PS2s vs. 18" RA1s, etc. It's night and day...
As to looks - There's absolutely ZERO fender gap difference in a car on 18s vs. 19s -- the tires are the exact same diameter. My 19" PS2s are 26.3" diamter and my 18" RA1s are 26.3" diameter -- no difference in gap. There's the difference in opinion -- you like the look of more metal and less rubber and I like the reverse and besides, I don't care 1 iota what it looks like, I want the best performance.
The OEM wheels have much smaller tire width for the 18 vs the 19's
What width tires are you running on 18".?
Also the easily available 18 sizes will be slightly less overall diameter... Did you go to the 996 overall diameters 265-30-18, or the 997 265-35-18.
06-19-2007, 06:27 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by RonCT
There's no comparison -- the 18s are superior in all ways to the 19s (I have both). 19s give a rougher ride, are more expensive for everything (wheels and tires), don't have enough sidewall flex to absorb irregularities in pavement (think traction), etc. I just don't understand this trend of people saying 19s (or 20s) look "better" on a Porsche (or any other car for that matter) -- a wheel and tire is a functional thing -- who the heck is focusing on the ratio of metal to rubber?
Consider this concept... A Porsche is a high-performance car that has a rich heritage of racing. Look at every race car out there Porsche or otherwise -- what's the ratio of rubber to wheel? Do you see lots of chrome, silver, or whatever wheel and then almost no tire? Where did this concept of bling come from?
When you read the articles and listen to the racers that have reviewed the 997 product with both 18 and 19" wheels, they all say the same thing -- 19s don't belong on the car. They were put there to satisfy marketing because marketing told them that people want bling and will pay more money even though performance is lower and cost is higher. It's that simple. I could have bought the argument that 19s were needed to make room for bigger brakes -- but that's not the case at least on my 997S. My 18" Fikse wheels fit the car perfectly, have plenty of room for the brakes, etc.
The world is all about getting what you want -- so if you want 20" wheels, then go for it. If you put aside the "aesthetic" (bling) argument and want performance and efficiency, then get or keep the 18s.
Consider this concept... A Porsche is a high-performance car that has a rich heritage of racing. Look at every race car out there Porsche or otherwise -- what's the ratio of rubber to wheel? Do you see lots of chrome, silver, or whatever wheel and then almost no tire? Where did this concept of bling come from?
When you read the articles and listen to the racers that have reviewed the 997 product with both 18 and 19" wheels, they all say the same thing -- 19s don't belong on the car. They were put there to satisfy marketing because marketing told them that people want bling and will pay more money even though performance is lower and cost is higher. It's that simple. I could have bought the argument that 19s were needed to make room for bigger brakes -- but that's not the case at least on my 997S. My 18" Fikse wheels fit the car perfectly, have plenty of room for the brakes, etc.
The world is all about getting what you want -- so if you want 20" wheels, then go for it. If you put aside the "aesthetic" (bling) argument and want performance and efficiency, then get or keep the 18s.
06-19-2007, 06:35 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by RonCT
There's the difference in opinion -- you like the look of more metal and less rubber and I like the reverse and besides, I don't care 1 iota what it looks like, I want the best performance.
The OEM wheels have much smaller tire width for the 18 vs the 19's
What width tires are you running on 18"?
The OEM wheels have much smaller tire width for the 18 vs the 19's
What width tires are you running on 18"?
As for performance, I'm sure your RA1s on 18x8.5 and 18x11 Fikses are great...but they are hardly an apples-to-apples comparison to OEM wheel/tire size, weight, and performance.
06-19-2007, 06:42 PM
#20
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I got you now -- 10mm higher on non-PASM car... Yes, Fikse and RA1 is not oem and PS2 -- I'm just very happy with the superior ride quality of the 18" format and how it confirmed everything I'd read and heard...
06-20-2007, 06:26 PM
#21
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Just got new tires and had the lobter claws treated black two months ago. I was so happy until I read this. I have a sudden urge to test drive a "base" C2 with the 18" set-up. Thanks a lot Ron.
06-20-2007, 10:21 PM
#23
Nordschleife Master
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
Damn, this is an old thread...
That said, I disagree with Ron. In my 997C2 without PASM, I don't notice any significant difference in ride, handling, or steering on the street between OEM 18s (Continentals) and OEM 19s (lobster claws with Pirellis) at factory pressures, and I'm very sensitive in both regards. (I've only used the 18s on the track.) I also think the car looks 10x better with 19s; I can almost sleep in the rear fender gap with the car on OEM 18s.
That said, I disagree with Ron. In my 997C2 without PASM, I don't notice any significant difference in ride, handling, or steering on the street between OEM 18s (Continentals) and OEM 19s (lobster claws with Pirellis) at factory pressures, and I'm very sensitive in both regards. (I've only used the 18s on the track.) I also think the car looks 10x better with 19s; I can almost sleep in the rear fender gap with the car on OEM 18s.
06-20-2007, 10:24 PM
#24
Nordschleife Master
I asked this before and had no replies...
1 - can a 997S be ordered from the factory with 18s?
2 - will 18" rims fit around PCCBs on a 997S?
1 - can a 997S be ordered from the factory with 18s?
2 - will 18" rims fit around PCCBs on a 997S?
06-20-2007, 11:02 PM
#25
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I couldn't get my 997S with 18s -- that is unless I went with the dealer's suggestion of a swap for no credit (my Lobsters for their 18s).
I'm not sure on PCCBs unless they are "engineered" forged wheels -- check with the people that deal in wheels like Fikse, Forgeline, Wheel Enhancement, etc. They would know.
I'm not sure on PCCBs unless they are "engineered" forged wheels -- check with the people that deal in wheels like Fikse, Forgeline, Wheel Enhancement, etc. They would know.
06-20-2007, 11:49 PM
#26
Nordschleife Master
Ron:
Are your 18" wheels 11"wide in the rear? Did you end up with the same width tire patch on your 18" 305 in the rear or so?
Are your 18" wheels 11"wide in the rear? Did you end up with the same width tire patch on your 18" 305 in the rear or so?
06-21-2007, 12:18 AM
#27
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by RonCT
There's no comparison -- the 18s are superior in all ways to the 19s (I have both). 19s give a rougher ride, are more expensive for everything (wheels and tires), don't have enough sidewall flex to absorb irregularities in pavement (think traction), etc. I just don't understand this trend of people saying 19s (or 20s) look "better" on a Porsche (or any other car for that matter) -- a wheel and tire is a functional thing -- who the heck is focusing on the ratio of metal to rubber?
Consider this concept... A Porsche is a high-performance car that has a rich heritage of racing. Look at every race car out there Porsche or otherwise -- what's the ratio of rubber to wheel? Do you see lots of chrome, silver, or whatever wheel and then almost no tire? Where did this concept of bling come from?
When you read the articles and listen to the racers that have reviewed the 997 product with both 18 and 19" wheels, they all say the same thing -- 19s don't belong on the car. They were put there to satisfy marketing because marketing told them that people want bling and will pay more money even though performance is lower and cost is higher. It's that simple. I could have bought the argument that 19s were needed to make room for bigger brakes -- but that's not the case at least on my 997S. My 18" Fikse wheels fit the car perfectly, have plenty of room for the brakes, etc.
The world is all about getting what you want -- so if you want 20" wheels, then go for it. If you put aside the "aesthetic" (bling) argument and want performance and efficiency, then get or keep the 18s.
Consider this concept... A Porsche is a high-performance car that has a rich heritage of racing. Look at every race car out there Porsche or otherwise -- what's the ratio of rubber to wheel? Do you see lots of chrome, silver, or whatever wheel and then almost no tire? Where did this concept of bling come from?
When you read the articles and listen to the racers that have reviewed the 997 product with both 18 and 19" wheels, they all say the same thing -- 19s don't belong on the car. They were put there to satisfy marketing because marketing told them that people want bling and will pay more money even though performance is lower and cost is higher. It's that simple. I could have bought the argument that 19s were needed to make room for bigger brakes -- but that's not the case at least on my 997S. My 18" Fikse wheels fit the car perfectly, have plenty of room for the brakes, etc.
The world is all about getting what you want -- so if you want 20" wheels, then go for it. If you put aside the "aesthetic" (bling) argument and want performance and efficiency, then get or keep the 18s.
06-21-2007, 01:06 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by Alstoy
Ron,
I've yet to test drive the 18s. But if all proves true, any ideas on how to best dispose of the 19s and get 18s. By the way mine is a C2. Cheers.
I've yet to test drive the 18s. But if all proves true, any ideas on how to best dispose of the 19s and get 18s. By the way mine is a C2. Cheers.