Porsche 17" OEM wheels Weight

[LuisR]

Does any body know the weight for most of the 17" wheels for porsche. I am looking for a used set of wheels for Autox and track DE and i want to get the lightest OEM set available. I would preffer the 7.5" front and 9" rear for better car control.

If you don't know the weight but know where I could find it let me know.

Thanks

LRR

[Toby]

Don't know 1st hand, but by inference from the specboxster, well, spec

Wheels

Any factory cast aluminum rim intended for use on the Boxster matching the original offset is allowed.

Wheel weight must be equal to or greater than stock.

Front 17x7 inch - 18.5lbs minimum - 55mm offset

Rear 17x 8.5 inch- 20 lbs minimum - 48-50mm offset

[LuisR]

Don't know 1st hand, but by inference from the specboxster, well, spec

Wheels

Any factory cast aluminum rim intended for use on the Boxster matching the original offset is allowed.

Wheel weight must be equal to or greater than stock.

Front 17x7 inch - 18.5lbs minimum - 55mm offset

Rear 17x 8.5 inch- 20 lbs minimum - 48-50mm offset

Thanks Toby, you seem to be the only one around here that knows something about OEM porsche wheel weight. I am just trying to get a used set of OEM 17" wheels for autocrossing and occasional DE event, and since there are a hand full of Porsche OEM 17" from the 993 and Boxster, I want to get the lightest set possible.

LRR

[Paul Fraser]

http://www.944racing.de/reload.php?urltogo...engewichte.html

[mikefocke]

You must be an awfully experienced racer for wheel weight to matter.

I guess what I'm implying is that so many people focus on the equipment when it is the driving skill they should be focused on. Once you have gotten everything there is out of the equipment you have, then you change equipment to create a new challenge. If a given turn can be driven at 45 and you are driving it at 38, the fix is to learn the corner, not try to throw equipment at it. Because if you improved your speed by improving your equipment, you'd still have improvement the driver needed.

Good luck, have fun.

[Toby]

http://www.944racing.de/reload.php?urltogo...engewichte.html

Thanks Paul for posting.

Luis: It looks like the stock 17" Boxster S wheel is as good as other Porsche wheel. (And also quite light by absolute standard.)

I have an extra set of these for my track days. If you are lucky you can get them for ~$500, or you can get them directly from a dismantler for a couple hundred more.

[Topless]

You must be an awfully experienced racer for wheel weight to matter.

I guess what I'm implying is that so many people focus on the equipment when it is the driving skill they should be focused on. Once you have gotten everything there is out of the equipment you have, then you change equipment to create a new challenge. If a given turn can be driven at 45 and you are driving it at 38, the fix is to learn the corner, not try to throw equipment at it. Because if you improved your speed by improving your equipment, you'd still have improvement the driver needed.

Good luck, have fun.

Mike,

While I am totally in agreement with what you say...." fix the nut behind the steering wheel first" ... and yes people spend way too much dough fiddling with their cars before learning how to really drive them the way Ferry intended. You do need a good set of tires for AutoX/track days. The stock 16" Porsche wheels are too narrow (6/7") with too few choices of good tires to really even get in the game. So if you want good tires you need 17 or 18 inch wheels. Someone could do what I did and find average wt. wheels with a lightly used set of good tires on the cheap ($400) knowing that a wheel upgrade may still be in your future, or hold out for a nicer lightweight set for more $$ and never have to upgrade.

Simply upgrading my tires shaved about 8sec. off my runtime from one weekend to the next. I'd like to claim it was all talent... it wasn't. It was tires. How much horsepower would I need to add to get the same improvement in performance?? About 200hp I figure. Good tires are still the best bang for the buck by a longshot.

[Toby]

Mike,

While I am totally in agreement with what you say...." fix the nut behind the steering wheel first" ... and yes people spend way too much dough fiddling with their cars before learning how to really drive them the way Ferry intended. You do need a good set of tires for AutoX/track days. The stock 16" Porsche wheels are too narrow (6/7") with too few choices of good tires to really even get in the game. So if you want good tires you need 17 or 18 inch wheels. Someone could do what I did and find average wt. wheels with a lightly used set of good tires on the cheap ($400) knowing that a wheel upgrade may still be in your future, or hold out for a nicer lightweight set for more $$ and never have to upgrade.

Simply upgrading my tires shaved about 8sec. off my runtime from one weekend to the next. I'd like to claim it was all talent... it wasn't. It was tires. How much horsepower would I need to add to get the same improvement in performance?? About 200hp I figure. Good tires are still the best bang for the buck by a longshot.

Yes tires are best bang for the buck upgrade, but don't sell your own improvement short. On an average ~1:30 lap, RA-1s or MPSCs driven at the limit is no more than 2-3 seconds faster than standard street tires.

It's not unusual to improve by many seconds in the first few events. Congrats!

Going forward it would be most useful to compare against the really fast drivers in similar car/tires (e.g. Boxsters, 964s, 993s and even 996s in instructor groups). It provides a good gauge of how much is still left in the car.

[LuisR]

You must be an awfully experienced racer for wheel weight to matter.

I guess what I'm implying is that so many people focus on the equipment when it is the driving skill they should be focused on. Once you have gotten everything there is out of the equipment you have, then you change equipment to create a new challenge. If a given turn can be driven at 45 and you are driving it at 38, the fix is to learn the corner, not try to throw equipment at it. Because if you improved your speed by improving your equipment, you'd still have improvement the driver needed.

Good luck, have fun.

i know what you are saying and all, but i am at a point where I am looking for a used set of wheels, therefore I won't lose anything by trying to get the best overall wheel-tire set. i don't want to buy a set of wheels to then find out that I could have bought something better!!!!! i am not saying that by getting lighter wheels i will become a faster driver, no, I am just trying to spend my money wisely!!!

i have found a used 17" set from a standard boxster (7" wide fronts and 8.5" wide rears). i know that a wider front wheel will give me better tire selection but I think is a good deal.

[Toby]

i have found a used 17" set from a standard boxster (7" wide fronts and 8.5" wide rears). i know that a wider front wheel will give me better tire selection but I think is a good deal.

Since you are getting a set of track wheel you will want R-Compounds. 235/40 and 255/40 Toyo RA-1's are the tires of choice for Boxster stock 17". My brother and I have used these for the last 80 or so DE days and many AXs. (Almost everyone else in our region use the same.)

Just to preempt your next question. Yes 235s will fit 17"x7" rims. The extra rubber helps dial out understeer esp. at corner exit.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Toby

[LuisR]

i have found a used 17" set from a standard boxster (7" wide fronts and 8.5" wide rears). i know that a wider front wheel will give me better tire selection but I think is a good deal.

Since you are getting a set of track wheel you will want R-Compounds. 235/40 and 255/40 Toyo RA-1's are the tires of choice for Boxster stock 17". My brother and I have used these for the last 80 or so DE days and many AXs. (Almost everyone else in our region use the same.)

Just to preempt your next question. Yes 235s will fit 17"x7" rims. The extra rubber helps dial out understeer esp. at corner exit.

How about Kumho Vito Racers!!!! The wheels that I am getting come with a used set of Kumhos Vito racers. They are pretty much worn down but I should be able to go through them for the summer.

I am also planing on driving to events with these tires!!!! I can't afford to have a trailer or a second car to bring the track tires separately. Would i be fine by driving the Kumhos or RA-1's on the street??? Will I damage the tires by driving them on the street???

LRR

[Toby]

You can definitely drive RA-1's on the street. They are not sensitive to # of heat cycles at all, and even at half tread they are decent in the rain.

Even after I got my track rims and trailer, I still use RA-1's on the street. I trailer the "slick" set for dry track use, and the full-tread ones for street driving and rainy track days.

I have no experience about how durable Victoracers are, (track use or street driving) but I know people who drive them to AX's, so they must be fine with light street use. (Edit: why don't you ask the guy who sold you the wheels ;))

Watch out for their asymmetric tread design, though. With stock suspension, the outside edge of the fronts tend to wear very quickly. Symmetric tread (such as RA-1's) allows tires to be remounted inside-out, (aka "flipped on the rim) which make them much more economical.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Toby

[LuisR]

(Edit: why don't you ask the guy who sold you the wheels ;))

Watch out for their asymmetric tread design, though. With stock suspension, the outside edge of the fronts tend to wear very quickly. Symmetric tread (such as RA-1's) allows tires to be remounted inside-out, (aka "flipped on the rim) which make them much more economical.

I did ask this questiosn to the guy who is selling the wheels, but I wanted to get more than just one opition. He tells me that he loves the Kumhos for their quality and price range.

Thanks again for all the info on the RA-1, I didn't know they were that good.