997.2 Turbo wheel options

997.2 Turbo wheel options

Author
Discussion

vxdave

Original Poster:

148 posts

244 months

Tuesday 9th February 2016
quotequote all
I am looking at buying either a 997.2 Turbo or maybe a Turbo S. Looking at the classifieds they seem to come with either the Turbo II wheel or the centre locks. Is it possible to change normal wheels for the centre locks or vice versa? Presumably this would also require changing the hub?

Carl_Manchester

12,184 posts

262 months

Tuesday 9th February 2016
quotequote all
vxdave said:
I am looking at buying either a 997.2 Turbo or maybe a Turbo S. Looking at the classifieds they seem to come with either the Turbo II wheel or the centre locks. Is it possible to change normal wheels for the centre locks or vice versa? Presumably this would also require changing the hub?
Yes you can change, most do not as it is expensive in terms of labour costs and has previously been deemed as not worth it unless you are hell bent on ditching the CL's.

HoraceM

5 posts

98 months

Tuesday 9th February 2016
quotequote all
I have a 997.2 Turbo with centre-locks. They look great.
Problem is that if and when you fancy giving the wheels REAL clean, you can't get them off.... or if you do you are not likely to have the kit to get them back on again. Torque is something like 600Nm. If you've go into a dealers, ask to see the torque wrench they use. It's bloody massive - most blokes couldn't even pick it up, let alone wind it round to torque it up, without the centre locking nut slipping off. (I'm guessing but it looks like a two-man job to me)
And then there's the cost of a bit of kit that you'll only use two or three times a year - I saw one on sale as a "reconditioned unit" at Kimbolton last year for about £145 - I think they're about £450 new.......
I have a pit that allows me to get under and into the centres of the wheels, but even then the wheels need jacking up and are still very hard to rotate (4WD) to get in all the nooks and crannies.
As I said, they look great, but.......
Hope this helps
HoraceM

W1TAK

277 posts

219 months

Tuesday 9th February 2016
quotequote all
HoraceM said:
I have a 997.2 Turbo with centre-locks. They look great.
Problem is that if and when you fancy giving the wheels REAL clean, you can't get them off.... or if you do you are not likely to have the kit to get them back on again. Torque is something like 600Nm. If you've go into a dealers, ask to see the torque wrench they use. It's bloody massive - most blokes couldn't even pick it up, let alone wind it round to torque it up, without the centre locking nut slipping off. (I'm guessing but it looks like a two-man job to me)
And then there's the cost of a bit of kit that you'll only use two or three times a year - I saw one on sale as a "reconditioned unit" at Kimbolton last year for about £145 - I think they're about £450 new.......
I have a pit that allows me to get under and into the centres of the wheels, but even then the wheels need jacking up and are still very hard to rotate (4WD) to get in all the nooks and crannies.
As I said, they look great, but.......
Hope this helps
HoraceM
I totally agree with this. This is my first car with the center lock wheels and to be honest I wouldn't bother with trying to take them off on my own for fear of cocking it up of having a wheel fly off half way down the A24. If you cannot take off the wheels every now and again you cannot give the arches a good clean, e.g. before winter layup for example and god knows what you do if you get a flat tyre - presume you have to call Porsche to come and collect the car ?? Look good but I wouldn't mind if my Turbo S didn't have them.

mm450exc

564 posts

178 months

Tuesday 9th February 2016
quotequote all
Yes. You would need to change the hubs and bearings.

I have done a 5-lug conversion on my 997.2 GT3 as I cannot be bothered with center locks.

DiscoColin

3,328 posts

214 months

Wednesday 10th February 2016
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vxdave said:
I am looking at buying either a 997.2 Turbo or maybe a Turbo S. Looking at the classifieds they seem to come with either the Turbo II wheel or the centre locks. Is it possible to change normal wheels for the centre locks or vice versa? Presumably this would also require changing the hub?
There is even a standard parts kit for switching to CL on the Turbo and it is consequently a manufacturer endorsed modification. CL->bolts would be hubs, bearings {easier to replace than try to reuse supposedly}, wheels, bolts, centre caps. Bolts->CL is hubs, bearings, wheels, CL nut assemblies (including the spring loaded centre widget), centre caps (CL ones aren't like normal ones and are £40 per corner), optimally grease, the socket to take the wheels off and drive pins. The labour is a couple of hours per corner or more. On the rears it is only a few hundred more to also replace the carrier, thus swap out the whole corner and transfer the brakes across (front wheel carriers are significantly more expensive though).