Mark Dreyer

Having run a variety of tire widths on my 986 track car, my guess is that in street scenarios you won't notice a big difference in handling regardless of the chosen tire widths.

legin

Really you need to change a 4 corners at the same time to keep the balance by increasing width on the front also. Understeer on the road most noticeable in the slower and tighter corners in my experience and wet conditions which I guess isnt a major consideration.

CAlexio

Thanks guys, good info.

digitalrurouni

I am curious but for those who are looking for more of a planted feel and more grip from the car in general, have you looked in to getting a more aggressive alignment done on the car? As in more camber? I am pretty much at max negative camber in the front which is around 1.4 and that definitely helped with understeer a lot. Did 2 track days on the stock Pirelli tires and came away very impressed. Onboard G meter showed peaks of 1.4g lateral. I think only way I can get more is if I go with grippier rubber all around like Sport Cup 2s.

MagicRat

I did that on my 911 but only to make it turn in as well as the Spyder! Think you're right re the SC2s

il pirata

I have the N0 Pirelli tires and do not like them. Sport Cup 2 is not available in OEM size. I am waiting for the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, suppose to be available in March in OEM size.

digitalrurouni

I have the N1 spec and I don't mind them in the least. They are sensitive to temperature and pressure for sure. For track days I have them down to 28-29 psi cold and then they heat up to 32 psi and they are solid. I have had them get quite hot and as a result see over 36 psi and that's when they start losing grip.

But that is the only tire I have experienced in this car. If I drove another Spyder shod with the Michelin Supersports that I had on my M3 then maybe it would perform better I dunno. All I know is aggressive alignment plus right temps and this car has staggering grip. And once the grip is gone the car does go in to mild understeer to all wheel drifts which gets more exciting

Agreed that Sport Cup 2 is not available in OEM size but I am intending on going wider anyway to accommodate Sport Cup 2 rubber. I gotta keep surprising my GT3 buddies after all and I have just about hit the limit of what the car and tires currently would do in the turns. I have about 4200 miles on the car and 2 track days and quite a few mountain runs. Wear has been remarkably good!

RWR

I have same concerns. My Spyder has 15000 miles on N1 Pirelli's . They have worked for me but spirited driving only and no track days. I am anxious for the Pilot Sport 4's to become available and intend to go that route in OEM size.

CAlexio

15000 miles????... what am I doing wrong with bald rears at 7500?... just twisties no track.

Suicide Jockey

I don't think it's you. I think your hotshoe fiancée has been taking the car out when you haven't been looking!

digitalrurouni

15k-20k miles is what I have read folks are getting with the Cayman/Boxster for the rears. 7500 is a bit extreme imho! Unless you got a lead foot!

John@Fabspeed

HAHAHAHA

Schmidts Cat

I've rarely seen you not wot, that's how!

CAlexio

Small update on the tire change.

I went with a small width increase to
245/35-20 front
285/35/20 rear
Michelin pilot Super Sport

This keeps the proportion of front to rear diameter the same at 1.039, and increases front and rear approx 0.3 inch diameter.

The end result visually seems to be that the wheel wells fill out nicely, and negate the need of spacers in my opinion.

I was very surprised about how far off the alignment was, especially the toe.. as carefully as I maneuver around potholes, norcal and San Francisco roads especially are unforgiving.

Need to redo the autodip on the wheels as expected after tire change, it all peels off. I might stay with bronze, or go black.. or really go nuts and do RS-style red wheels to match the brakes.

I like it.. now I'm going to drive it

Boxster7

This extra width looks like you get some protection from curbing the wheels. I've managed to scrape 2 of mine in the last 8k miles !