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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Tire size for stock steelies? Staggered?
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 25 2007, 10:53 PM
Can anyone recommend a tire size for the stock 15" steel wheels? I would like to go as wide as possible, but not too tall. Car will be lowered. Additionally, is there any benefit to staggering the tires (smaller tires in front)? Sizes front vs. rear?
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 25 2007, 10:56 PM
there is more room up front for tires and wheels than in the rear. The rear is where you will have fitment issues.
with stock steelies (5.5x15?) you can run 205s or 195s or 185s depending on what you want.
205 50 15s on 5.5 Fuchs
and 205 50 15s (V710s are very wide for their size) on 7" steelies
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Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 25 2007, 11:00 PM
there is more room up front for tires and wheels than in the rear. The rear is where you will have fitment issues.
with stock steelies (5.5x15?) you can run 205s or 195s or 185s depending on what you want.
The car is being set up as a street cruiser...no track time. When I switch to 5-bolts, I'll be installing Fuchs, but for right now, I'm going with stock wheels. Looking for something low/wide.
Those pics on the car are 205/50-15 all around?
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 25 2007, 11:06 PM
yes, 205s front and rear....
1/2" spacers in the rear and 3/4" spacers on the front....
and yes the 7" steelies with 205s fit under the fenders...I could go to 225s if I wanted to because there is enough room. 
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 25 2007, 11:16 PM
1/2" spacers in the rear and 3/4" spacers on the front....
Why are the spacers needed? Do they pass tech?
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 25 2007, 11:23 PM
pass tech in what way? 
I use longer wheel studs and steel lug nuts, not lug bolts.
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 25 2007, 11:30 PM
pass tech in what way?
I use longer wheel studs and steel lug nuts, not lug bolts.
I thought wheel spacers were not allowed on track cars...?
But, doesn't matter as my car will be street only. So...why are spacers needed if we're dealing with stock wheels?
Here are the adapters on my 911 (almost 2.5"). I'm about to purchase a set of custom offset wheels so I can do away with them.
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 25 2007, 11:38 PM
spacers are used by many racers....many newer Porsches come from the factory with spacers
the spacers that are not allowed are ones that change (alter) the bolt pattern.
like a spacer that goes from 4 bolt to 5 bolt.
I use spacers first of all for the rear inside wheel wells. I run so much negative camber that my tires rub the inside of the wheel well without them.
In front I use them to push the wheels out to the same width as the rear.
track width on the front of the 914 is about 1/2" narrower than the rear in stock form.
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 25 2007, 11:44 PM
OK. Got it. I'll mount the wheels without spacers to see how they look first.
Thanks.
spacers are used by many racers....many newer Porsches come from the factory with spacers
the spacers that are not allowed are ones that change (alter) the bolt pattern.
like a spacer that goes from 4 bolt to 5 bolt.
I use spacers first of all for the rear inside wheel wells. I run so much negative camber that my tires rub the inside of the wheel well without them.
In front I use them to push the wheels out to the same width as the rear.
track width on the front of the 914 is about 1/2" narrower than the rear in stock form.
Posted by: Dave_Darling Oct 26 2007, 12:50 AM
Most people can't fit 225s under their stock rear fenders. Some 914s can't even fit 205s, though that's something of a rarity. Check both sides, as they usually aren't the same from side to side.
205/60-15 is a good size for a cruiser. So is 195/65-15.
--DD
Posted by: woobn8r Oct 26 2007, 08:17 AM
Check your tire manufacturers spec on acceptable rim widths. In a 15" rim, a 205 width tire is probably okay between 5.5" and 7.5" rim (with an optimum rim width of 6" or 6.5").
Although it may fit statically, I don't believe a 225 width tire is approved on a 5.5" rim. Not only unsafe, but less performance than a correct tire/rim size selection.
Posted by: rhodyguy Oct 26 2007, 08:33 AM
do you ever plan on rotating your tires? think hard on chosing directional tires tires too. it'll be kinda wierd when you have wider tires on the front than on the rear. 195/60-15s are a nice fit on stock 5.5" rims.
k
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 26 2007, 09:43 AM
Check your tire manufacturers spec on acceptable rim widths. In a 15" rim, a 205 width tire is probably okay between 5.5" and 7.5" rim (with an optimum rim width of 6" or 6.5").
Although it may fit statically, I don't believe a 225 width tire is approved on a 5.5" rim. Not only unsafe, but less performance than a correct tire/rim size selection.
I am talking about the 225s on the 7s, definitely not on the 5,5s
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 26 2007, 11:16 PM
do you ever plan on rotating your tires? think hard on chosing directional tires tires too. it'll be kinda wierd when you have wider tires on the front than on the rear. 195/60-15s are a nice fit on stock 5.5" rims.
Most of my cars have staggered set-ups w/directional tires ('74 Pantera, '79 911SC, '74 Stingray Roadster). Not concerned about rotating tires on a car that I'll only drive 500mi. per year (or less).
So...sounds like a toss-up between the 205-50-15's & 205-60-15's...perhaps I'll stagger those?
Posted by: Dave_Darling Oct 26 2007, 11:53 PM
Your other cars do not have the inherent balance of the 914 chassis. They also have a whole lot of power, unlike your 914. Just get the same size tires all around.
The shorter sidewalls will give you slightly lower gearing, slightly harder ride, slightly better grip, and higher RPMs on the freeway. I'd go for the 60-series for a "driver".
--DD
Posted by: Danny_Ocean Oct 26 2007, 11:55 PM
Your other cars do not have the inherent balance of the 914 chassis. They also have a whole lot of power, unlike your 914. Just get the same size tires all around.
The shorter sidewalls will give you slightly lower gearing, slightly harder ride, slightly better grip, and higher RPMs on the freeway. I'd go for the 60-series for a "driver".
--DD
OK, thanks. (The car is a 914-6 if that matters any...).
Posted by: Dan (Almaden Valley) Oct 26 2007, 11:58 PM
all your other cars have high HP and either loaded up front or in the rear.
914s respond very well to same size tires front and rear.
if you stagger the tires, you will introduce more push in the front end and will need to make suspension changes/adjustments to rebalance the car.
been there, done that
with my 914-6 with 2.7L RS motor...
205s up front and 225s in the rear, needed more rear spring or softer front end to get it to turn in as well as when I was on 205s all the way around.
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