Spacers - Porsche 996 C2 1998

[jorgenkarls]

Hi ,

I´m thinking of buying spacers to my Porsche. Thinking about 15mm back and 7mm front , or maybe 15mm all around..hm...

What do you think , is 15mm back and 7mm front better then 15mm both back and front ? I´ve seen in some shops they sell 15mm and 7mm in a kit.

I have 18" wheels and 285 wide back and 225 front.

Can you give me some advise ?

Regards Jörgen Karlsson

[bBunny]

Hey there.

You mention having 18's with 225 up front and 285 in back. That probably means for NB (narrow body)

225/40R 18 ET 50

285/35 ZR18 ET 63

You already have a correct setting for rim/ tire/ offset. Why are you wanting to "push" the equation farther away from the correct axis?

Porsche engineers everything for very specific reasons especially tires, rims and relationship to the chassis and road.

You've got 8 inches of rubber upfront which is plenty . Presuming your running 35 aspect ratio on rears you've got close to 11" of rubber.

Inserting spacers will likely push you right up against both front and rear fenders creating problems you don't want as well as stressing the bearings and ride control on non lowered cars.

there are ample threads regarding wheel and tire aspect ratios that are worth the read.

bBunny

[jorgenkarls]

Hi , thanks for you´re answer. The main reason is to make the car look better. They put 255 in back tires from factory but now it is 285 , and original 225 in front.

So you think its not good for the car ? More stress to bearing etc ... ? Yes my car is not lowered. Ive seen spacers on some 996 and it looks good :)

Thanks !

[CabC2]

Can go as far as rear 17mm, front 15mm. With conservative camber or 1 degree or so. No rub.

[JasonStern]

They put 255 in back tires from factory but now it is 285 , and original 225 in front.

So you think its not good for the car ? More stress to bearing etc ... ? Yes my car is not lowered. Ive seen spacers on some 996 and it looks good :)

Thanks !

If the main point is aesthetics and not safety/reliability/performance, then the answer is fairly subjective.

From a safety point, you're probably fine as long as you live in a speed regulated area and obey posted speed limits.

From a reliability standpoint, you have altered the suspension geometry. So, yes, best case there is an increased potential for tire wear. But more likely all of the suspension components are no longer balanced, so you can expect a reduced life. The rate at which the components fail does heavily depend on your driving habits, though. As there are quite a few people who track their 996s on these forums, the emphasis on performance and safety tends to be prioritized.

From a performance standpoint, spacers neither increase traction for cornering ability nor reduce role resistance for straight line speed. If anything, you have increased wind resistance. So, no wins there.