17" cayman wheels to replace 17" Boxster S wheels

[cbbepop]

Sorry if this question has been covered before. I tried searching but only found questions to do with 18" or 19" wheels.

My question is would the Cayman 17" wheels: http://www.wheelenhancement.com/index.php?t=WheelDetail&id=176

require spacers and longer lug nuts when they are going on a 986 S currently fitted with Boxster S 17" wheels: http://www.wheelenhancement.com/index.php?t=WheelDetail&id=46

I noticed the widths are different so I'm guessing the current tires from the boxster 17" can't be changed over onto the Cayman 17"?

Any help is greatl appreciated, thanks!

[pk2]

There Is so much space around stock 17 inch wheels that I doubt you would have a problem. The key is the offsets which you can learn about on wikipedia. Even if there is a different you can peak around and see if a cm this way or that is going to be a problem.

Regards, PK

[RFM]

987 OEM 17 inch rims are mounted with a little for Porsche unusual tyre sizes: front 205/55/17 and rear 235/50/17 instead of the more usual tyre sizes on the 987 optional 18 and 19 inch rims and the 986 17 inch rims. It is important to reach the same overall wheel height (inclusive tyre), with the 987 wheels as with the 986 wheels on your car to provide strange phenomenons as unexplained Tiptronic, ABS, TC, etc. problems. 987 is wider than a 986 also, i never don it but i would take a good look, you never know with this balloon tyres, they take a lot of room, especially the rear ones.

[cbbepop]

987 OEM 17 inch rims are mounted with a little for Porsche unusual tyre sizes: front 205/55/17 and rear 235/50/17 instead of the more usual tyre sizes on the 987 optional 18 and 19 inch rims and the 986 17 inch rims. It is important to reach the same overall wheel height (inclusive tyre), with the 987 wheels as with the 986 wheels on your car to provide strange phenomenons as unexplained Tiptronic, ABS, TC, etc. problems. 987 is wider than a 986 also, i never don it but i would take a good look, you never know with this balloon tyres, they take a lot of room, especially the rear ones.

So the tires from the boxster S 17"s won't fit the cayman 17"s then? shoot, was trying to save some cost that way haha

[RFM]

I did not say that it is not possible, i just gave the original tyres size for 17 inch 987 rims and the potential problems associated with. The try out is your responsibility.

[cbbepop]

I did not say that it is not possible, i just gave the original tyres size for 17 inch 987 rims and the potential problems associated with. The try out is your responsibility.

ok thanks,

also, so if it turns out I need spacers then probably need longer lugnuts?

[RFM]

Spacers (5mm./10mm.) should always be fitted with longer bolts, 15mm. spacers have studs and are fitted with the standard length bolts.

Important!! If the car is equipped with longer bolts (spacers), take a set of standard bolts in the trunk for use with the small spare tyre, longer bolts can damage the hand brake shoe mechanism inside the rear brake rotors.

[rshon]

Am I the only one who notices the elephant in the room? If you use narrower wheels, you will lose lateral grip, either by shoehorning the stock tires on narrower rims, or by going down in tire width...

To finish the answer to your question, your (986?) Boxster S came stock with 205/50-17 tires on 7x17ET55 wheels on the front, and 255/40-17 tires on 8.5x17ET50 wheels on the rear. The Cayman wheels you're looking at are 6.5x17ET55 on the front and 8x17ET40 on the rear.

If you're still using 205/50-17 tires on the front, they will fit the Cayman wheels, and since they are the same offset, you will not need spacers to use these wheels. For the rear, 8 inch rims are 1/2 inch narrower than the spec for 255/40-17 tires, but you can probably get them to fit (you will effect the handling of the rear by doing this). Since the Cayman wheels have 10mm less offset, they will stick out 10mm more (which should not be an issue; some people put 10" wheels and 285 tires with around 40mm offset on 986's), so you will not need spacers for the rear wheels either.

It is worth noting that the latest Boxsters and Caymans have gone back to 7x17 fronts and 8.5x17 rears as their standard wheel size...

Edited March 12, 2010 by rshon

[cbbepop]

Thanks for all the replys! I wonder why the cayman first generation went with a narrower rim on the rear?