[feeshta]

Hello all. The tires my car came with when I bought it have now reached the end of their lifespan, and then some. They are Michelin Pilot Super Sports, and the rear tires went from just about to touch the wear bars, to "holy crap there is cord showing!" in a remarkably short span of time and mileage. The car has since received a new suspension and been realigned, so hopefully the same fate will not befall a new set of tires.

My car came with the 19" sport wheel option, and while I do like the way they look, I have always been much more focused on real world aspects. 18" wheels would not only be lighter and perform better, but they would ride sweeter, and offer lower tire replacement costs as an added bonus. The fact that the 19s seem to be a popular upgrade for other owners and would probably not be too difficult to sell for a fair price is another factor driving my interest in this idea.

To that end, I've started researching my options. Surprisingly, I am having difficulty finding good threads on the subject using the search function. It seems that virtually all threads must have some reference to wheels in them, as the number of off topic results is well over 95% of searches I have tried so far. Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with how the search algorithms work on this site to properly search for what I'm looking for, but in any case, I thought I would run this past the experts.

So, what size and offset should I bee looking for in an 18" wheel? I'm not looking to squeeze an insane amount of rubber in there, but filling out the fender wells slightly would be a nice upgrade in appearance, and a little extra rubber wouldn't hurt if that's the case. to give an idea of usage, I do not track my car, and do not intend to in the future. Most of my fun driving takes place on very bumpy back roads, and I am not interested in feeling the car moving under me etc, I want laser precision. RUB WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

Options that have caught my eye so far include the following. Input on their quality etc is always appreciated.

O.Z. Racing Alleggerita HLTs: 8.5 and 10 inch widths front and rear available. Decent price and nicely light, if their listed weights are to be believed. Styling isn't particularly striking, but also not offputting.

Forgestar CF5: Available in numerous widths and offsets. Very reasonable price, and would be very east to keep clean which is always a nice bonus. Not 100% sure on the styling though. They look a bit 90s. Also can't find weights listed.

Forgestar F14: Same as above on widths and price. May be slightly lighter than the CF5. Styling is fine, if not particularly inspiring. Would be a pain to clean though.

HRE FF15: Also 8.5x10". No 11" rear option. Slightly higher price, but still well within reason. Best styling of the bunch in my humble opinion, but might be a bear to clean. No weights listed for the application. HRE has a very good reputation for quality, but this is their new "entry level" wheel which is flow formed rather than forged.

So, are there other options I should consider? What would be the best sizing and offset combo on the Forgestars? Tire size options with a given width etc? Any other considerations I may have missed?

 

[jdavis8361]

You might consider looking for some of these 18" Champion wheels:

http://www.planet-9.com/attachments...4-what-did-you-do-your-987-today-img_5358-jpg

 

[Rlazer3]

Switched from stock CS 18's to OZ Alleggerita's a couple of years ago. They are as light as advertised. Massive difference in turn in and transition. Noticeable difference.

 

[feeshta]

You might consider looking for some of these 18" Champion wheels:

http://www.planet-9.com/attachments...4-what-did-you-do-your-987-today-img_5358-jpg

Those could be a contender. Any info on pricing? Their site just says call, which usually means prepare for sticker shock.

 

[Rlazer3]

Champion wheels are spectacular. They do come with a hefty sticker. Just for reference, these 19's are listed on Rennlist:
https://rennlist.com/forums/parts-m...pion-motorsport-19-rs98-wheels-and-tires.html

BTW, I will argue the 18's are no "downgrade"

 

[feeshta]

Champion wheels are spectacular. They do come with a hefty sticker. Just for reference, these 19's are listed on Rennlist:
https://rennlist.com/forums/parts-m...pion-motorsport-19-rs98-wheels-and-tires.html

BTW, I will argue the 18's are no "downgrade"

I saw those very wheels and tires listed on ebay last night for $2700 "buy it now". Seems he hasn't been getting any bites for several months, so he has reduced the price. One minor note he has in the description does concern me slightly when it comes to their fitment. He states that they do rub over large bumps, which I absolutely despise. There is almost no more cringe-worthy experience to me that tire rub. It's worse than fingers on the blackboard and Bette Middler's speaking voice. LOL!

When it comes to wheels, I just can't really find the value in true forged wheels at the moment. I understand of course that they are empirically superior in strength, etc, but in my experience, flow formed wheels are plenty strong enough for my intended use, just as light, and cost a whole lot less. The difference in cost is such that you could damage and replace 2 or even 3 wheels and still be under the sticker price of the forged wheels.

The only wheels I have ever damaged where forged BBS BMW factory rims, and I don't think any wheel could have taken that beating. There was a massive pothole concealed in a small puddle in that case. Fortunately I was able to get the state to pay for it because I was able to prove that the state had been informed of the condition of the road (there was a newspaper article about it with comment from the MVA) and had failed to repair it in a timely manner.

 

[jdavis8361]

Those could be a contender. Any info on pricing? Their site just says call, which usually means prepare for sticker shock.

They were a special run and I'm pretty sure they're not anxious to do it again. Here's the very, very long thread that discusses them:

http://www.planet-9.com/porsche-tir...motorsport.html?highlight=RAC+Monolite+Wheels

I bought mine, which were used, last year at a fair price. I've seen others for sale on the forum, not for awhile. but they may be out there.

jD

 

[feeshta]

Thanks for the head's up on those. They might not end up being ideal for me, but it's always good to know what's out there.

 

[RickH]

Well yes you will save some unsprung weight and the tires will be a somewhat cheaper. But IMHO you are making a mistake. Your car looks great as it and a set of tires will be a lot less expensive than wheels and tires. But you pays your money and makes your choice.

 

[cajundaddy]

I burn through 3-4 sets of tires every year so 18s are the only way to go for me. I am partial to OEM takeoffs which are light, strong, wide enough, and reasonably priced. They can be found often for $800-1000 for a pristine set.

Full disclosure: Performance driving is my game and I don't give a rats azz what they look like as long as they do the deed. My car will not be caught dead in a C&C meet or PCA concours.

 

[Ubermensch]

BBS RS-GT from tire rack are available in 18" and clear easily with no rub. Two piece, forged, and they even clear my girodisc rotors.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brian C in Az]

I have both 19" wheels and 18" wheels. The 18" wheels are by far more comfortable on the street. I won't comment on any performance comparison because the 18" wheels do not have the same brand tires as the 19" wheels. I am looking to pick up a set of 17" wheels for track use though.

 

[Apex1]

I have found that Signature Wheels that have forged 18 inch wheels, SV104 for a reasonable price of about $2750 per set. 9.0 inch in front and 10 inch in rear. They say they can customize the offset to fit my needs like an offset pf 50 in front and 35 in the rear. Currently using Porsche 18 inch standard 8 inch 57 offset F and 9 inch 43 offset Rear while using 18 mm spacers F and 23 mm spacers in the rear. Weight is around 19 lbs for both sizes, a little less in front than the rear. You can find this info on their website. I asked about the safety certificate from Germany, which they say they have. Maybe the black tint will work on my black car. These wheels will be fitted with with either RE71R's or Hoosier A7. I am sort of favoring the Bridgeston's as the northwest has a number of rainy days that are attracted to autocross days.

 

[feeshta]

Those look really nice, but their website shows a price of $4500.

Does anyone happen to know what offsets would be good for a proper fitment that would fill the wheel arches reasonably well but not result in any rub?

 

[Apex1]

Ivan from Signature Porsche suggested 50 front and 35 rear for aggressive 18 inch SV 104 wheels. I was dealing with Ivan for a end of quarter deal for $2750. Maybe this coming quarter end I can pull the trigger. Currently I have 23 mm spacers on rear with Porsche Cayman 43 offset wheels and and 18 mm front spacers with a Porsche Cayman 57 offset wheel. My wheels do not rub, even with a 30 mm drop from the Ohlins. Cantrell Motor Sports, told me that the negative camber helps avoid wheel rub on top of the wheel arch. I run -1.6 front and -2.1 in rear camber.
18 inch Signature SV 104 are available in 9.0 inch front and 10 inch rear. Please see post #13 for details.

 

[feeshta]

Do you happen to know the rim widths they were using?

 

[cajundaddy]

My last set of Porsche 18" takeoffs were found for $1k including a decent set of street tires. 8" & 9" widths. I run a 35 sidewall F/R to keep the PSM happy, retain rake and corner balance, and lower the gearing a few % for better corner exit.

 

[feeshta]

My last set of Porsche 18" takeoffs were found for $1k including a decent set of street tires. 8" & 9" widths. I run a 35 sidewall F/R to keep the PSM happy, retain rake and corner balance, and lower the gearing a few % for better corner exit.

Wold running an 18 inch tire with a 40 sidewall cause PSM issues? The tires on the 19s are 35 sidewall, so it seemed appropriate to go to a 40 on the 18s, as that is the factory fitment. Otherwise, it basically defeats one of the main reasons for going down a size.

 

[Apex1]

feeshta- In a pistonheads web thread, CMOOSE, thread title, 2006 Porsche 987 Cayman 3.4 Bore Score Edition, starting on page 14 through the end, has chosen 17 inch wheels and tires for his equipment as his driving style on back country UK roads favor these smaller but comfortable wheels. Take a look at his plight with Bilstein B 12 fitment install issues. You can follow his saga along until finally resolved by fitting H&R front springs along with spring spacers. Its a good read and successful ending using 17 wheels and tires that he purchased for his winter mountain use. Great pictures along the way. He compares the 17's to his standard 18's in very favorable context. I am not sure that would work for me, but it really works for him. He fit the 17's to his Cayman S by using 6 mm wheel spacers to clear his red S brake calipers. I would have used 20 mm square front and back on the Boxsters rims he chose. Hope all is well.

 

[cajundaddy]

Wold running an 18 inch tire with a 40 sidewall cause PSM issues? The tires on the 19s are 35 sidewall, so it seemed appropriate to go to a 40 on the 18s, as that is the factory fitment. Otherwise, it basically defeats one of the main reasons for going down a size.

As long as you maintain a similar width stagger F/R, 35 or 40 or 45 sidewall all around will keep PSM and ABS functioning normally. Going with significantly different widths and/or sidewall can result in hyperactive PSM.