CarsFan

Noob Porsche question - I just got my (new to me) 2007 C4S with turbo 19 wheels, my first Porsche. As I live in New England now, I went out and bought a set of barely used Sottozero snow tires mounted on Porsche 18 in wheels (from Craigslist) - so they're already balanced and supposedly have TPMS.

I've changed wheels before when I had a flat- probably takes 10 minutes per wheel. I bought a jack and wrench (not a torque wrench). I planned to change them myself over the weekend.
Couple of questions
1) Is there anything special about changing wheels on these cars? anything different from the average American / Japanese sedans? Anything I should do or not do?
2) Maybe a funnier question - Has anyone fit 4 of these wheels/tires in a 997 before? Wondering if I can fit 4 of them in the car and drive down to the nearby shop. Wondering maybe if I can even do 2

Thanks for any tips! I'm hoping it's the simpler answer.

CP911

The lug nuts typically require a lot more torque to properly tighten than the average American or Japanese car. I believe it's 130 Nm (96 lb-ft). Probably best to have a torque wrench to make sure you are tightening them enough and evenly too.

Something else to consider are the dimensions of the 18" wheels you just bought. Depending on the offset, you may need some wheel spacers to achieve proper fit without rubbing.

It is possible to get the wheels inside the car, but the few people I've read about doing it say they regretted it and wouldn't do it again because it made the interior so dirty.

I used my wife's SUV to drop my winter wheels off at the dealership the night before they were to be installed. Then I went back the day after to pick up the wheels they removed.

CarsFan

Thanks CP911!
I wonder how they got 4 tires in. I could probably use trash bags (doubled up!) to make sure they're clean, but I wonder how they physically fit 4 in the cozy 997 interiors... I could barely do it in a larger sedan.
Thanks for the feedback.

CP911

You're welcome! I imagine they just folded down the seats, put 2 wheels in the back seats, 1 in the passenger seat up front, and then maybe 1 of the front wheels in the frunk with deflated tires? Just a guess, but maybe someone who has actually done it can chime in and shed some light.

Wayne Smith

If you are doing this yourself, Suncoast (and others) sell locating pins. Buy two. Put these in the first two removed lug positions before removing the last three. This will let you slide the wheel off and on and will protect your calipers and make putting the new wheels back on a lot easier.

kellen

There aren't lug nuts but lug bolts. So mounting the first and getting the lug bolts lined up is more difficult in my opinion. They do sell wheel hangers that are just a peg so the wheel sits on it while you out the other 4 bolts in. I think 2 would be ideal.

I tried to fit 4 in. Don't think it's doable if you care about your interior. I got two, one on the rear shelf and one in the passenger seat without a mess.

If you are going to do it yourself, wheel totes and a wheel tree make it much easier.

Totes :
Wheel tree: https://www.ecstuning.com/ES2593852/...FcZlfgodfqULKw

stevepow

Agreed - wheel hangers - I just use one - are the best; a must have. One comes in the Porsche Jack Kit. Some chocks for the wheels are handy too - at least I feel a lot better having them in place.

I just changed out four wheels/tires - pretty easy except that some of the bolts were super tight so I needed an extension for the lug wrench arm- I used another lug wrench from a second jack kit - a short pipe would work too. I was pretty sore the next day after doing all four; not used to working crouched on the floor for that long.

I don't see how 4 tires/wheels is going inside the car - maybe in a cabrio with the top down - even 18s - and if you're taking off 19s, they have to come home, so...

+1 for the wheel totes too.

CarsFan

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll make sure to use the wheel hanger in my kit. I never knew there was one, I learned something today! (like every day!)

Bruce In Philly

Get a torque wrench. Very cheap at Harbor Freight and is a safety issue. I also use a tiny dab of the silver (aluminum paste) anti seize on each bolt so a breaker bar will never be necessary.

I think you implied the rims were Porsche so u need to obtain the wheel dimensions and offsets to ensure they are the correct spec for your car; Porsche can change the spec a bit with each model revision. Incorrect offsets can put an off-spec load on your wheel bearings and decrease their life. Some say this is not that important.... I like to only use Porsche spec per my model for wheels.

I don't use the alignment pegs, but I changed wheels so many times now, it is not an issue for me. Just tighten each very evenly and never tighten one when all others are loose.... Turning each just a bit will ensure the wheel will align itself on the hub.

Just my opinion.

Peace,
Bruce in Philly

BIG smoke

Have fun. Be safe. Never extend an appendage under a jacked only car.
Little tire up front. Big tire out back.
Buy a torque wrench. Call it a cost saving tool, or an early present.
Make sure you back the tool off to zero for storage. That instruction is on the unread piece of paper that comes with the tool.
No way you can safely transport four tires and rims in a carrera.

mpath

^Great advice!

When I swapped to winters I was pleasantly surprised that the car could be jacked up once per side and do both front and rear swap. Almost brought a tear to my eye.

CarsFan

Great advice here, thanks for the helpful posts!

Learned new things here - alignment pegs / wheel hangers, anti-seize paste, jacking up once per side!

Thanks to others who chimed in on some things I knew as well (offsets, etc.) - might be handy for others.

Anyone suggest a specific torque wrench they like for wheels? That I can pick up from Home Depot, Pepboys/Napa/Advance Auto, Walmart, etc.?

CarsFan

Oh, and I'd second the things I knew for others - tighten each bolt progressively along with the rest of the bolts for the wheel. Good way to align them.
Also, loosen the bolts before lifting the car. The weight/friction holds the wheels in place for that initial loosening.

One other thing - check for directional tires. I found a shop that did not install the wheels/tires in the right direction....

BIG smoke

Not so much on the Carrera. As they are staggered and directional.
Get some tire chalk or grease pencil.
I label my tires for the next install location.
front left? and the year forward location . LF16/LR16 RR16/RF16
I do my 3 cars, sister inlaws 2 cars, and five + other friends. Sometime 12-13 cars a season.
On your torquing? I do a star pattern across the five, then follow it up with a double check circle. some suggest a double check of the torque in 50-100 miles.
If you are helping a friend. Remember. No good deed goes unpunished.
Make them do the final torque on their wheels. Who missed that bolt? They did.

big smoke the safety bear

3Series

Whether or not a tire is directional is based on the tire, not the car. You'll have to look on the tires you have.

Lots of good advice on here. The short answer is that there is nothing special about these wheels from most other cars.

And, garbage bags or contractors bags won't fit 19in wheels. You'll need something bigger or you'll need to macgyver two bags together with some tape...