996 Wheel and Tyre Options
Discussion
Looking to get some views on the above.
I am going to get a set of OZ alleggerita wheels for the 996 c2. It's a gen 2 car with aerokit. I'm going to go with White Gold wheels on Arctic Silver (i know, it's not to everyone's taste).
My plan so far is to put a set of GT3 (gen 2) size wheels (width an offset) as i think they sit perfectly on narrow body cars - just enough poke.
I do have a few questions for those who've played around with wheel options:
1. How will slightly wider wheels affect handling? I currently have 225 tyres on the front and 285 at the rear on sport design GT3 wheels. I think the OEM GT3 gen 2 is 235 front and 295 rear so a bit wider everywhere. Will wider tyres feel very different? (Would i have the option to stick with same tyre width as current on slightly larger rims??)
2. What tyres should i go for? I currently have Mich PS2 wwhich is really old tech no. I'm thinking Cup 2 or 4s. Use case will be a handful of trackdays and weekend blasts on dry days. Are there any other good track day tyres that will good for good weather road driving?
The car is quite heavily modified with a baffled deep sump, bit more power (c.350bhp), KW v3s, etc. It's a fun weekend toy only so never need to drive it in thee rain, winter or bad weather (i am thinking of building a 924s "African Safari" for winter fun...).
Any thoughts welcome
I am going to get a set of OZ alleggerita wheels for the 996 c2. It's a gen 2 car with aerokit. I'm going to go with White Gold wheels on Arctic Silver (i know, it's not to everyone's taste).
My plan so far is to put a set of GT3 (gen 2) size wheels (width an offset) as i think they sit perfectly on narrow body cars - just enough poke.
I do have a few questions for those who've played around with wheel options:
1. How will slightly wider wheels affect handling? I currently have 225 tyres on the front and 285 at the rear on sport design GT3 wheels. I think the OEM GT3 gen 2 is 235 front and 295 rear so a bit wider everywhere. Will wider tyres feel very different? (Would i have the option to stick with same tyre width as current on slightly larger rims??)
2. What tyres should i go for? I currently have Mich PS2 wwhich is really old tech no. I'm thinking Cup 2 or 4s. Use case will be a handful of trackdays and weekend blasts on dry days. Are there any other good track day tyres that will good for good weather road driving?
The car is quite heavily modified with a baffled deep sump, bit more power (c.350bhp), KW v3s, etc. It's a fun weekend toy only so never need to drive it in thee rain, winter or bad weather (i am thinking of building a 924s "African Safari" for winter fun...).
Any thoughts welcome
As no one else has commented...
My advice would be to choose the tyre first, and then have the wheel made to suit. By this I mean that 285 and 295 are not common today, so what modern tyre can you get in what size, and then choose the rim width to suit. Don't discount 265.
Some people say that a slightly stretched tyre makes for better response and feedback, as there is less give in the sidewall.
Another consideration is looks versus weight - I had three friends with 996s, and a .2 had 17s on it when we did a couple of track days, and the .1 with us had heavy Sport Classic 2 18s - I was only a passenger in each, but the 17s would be my preference.
If you are set on 18s, I would also stick with 225/40 as again a common size so a big choice.
I would probably go 8.5 front with 225 and 9.5 rear with 265.
What did 'Carrera Lightweight Racing' Rich choose in the end for his project 996?
My advice would be to choose the tyre first, and then have the wheel made to suit. By this I mean that 285 and 295 are not common today, so what modern tyre can you get in what size, and then choose the rim width to suit. Don't discount 265.
Some people say that a slightly stretched tyre makes for better response and feedback, as there is less give in the sidewall.
Another consideration is looks versus weight - I had three friends with 996s, and a .2 had 17s on it when we did a couple of track days, and the .1 with us had heavy Sport Classic 2 18s - I was only a passenger in each, but the 17s would be my preference.
If you are set on 18s, I would also stick with 225/40 as again a common size so a big choice.
I would probably go 8.5 front with 225 and 9.5 rear with 265.
What did 'Carrera Lightweight Racing' Rich choose in the end for his project 996?
Thank for your input Orangecurry.
Good idea on checking the CLR thread. Will do.
I’ve looked at Mich Cup 2 (as they seem to be consensus on being the best tyre other than for cold and wet combinations) and they seem available in most size options incl 295 rear and 235 front. It looks like i could probably run the same width tyres as I do today with gt3 width rims then if a slightly stretched tyre is a benefit?
I do love the look of 18 Oz wheels so think I’ll stick with that (at the end of the day, I’m willing to compromise a little on things if it looks great to me). Though I’ve heard number of times 17’ wheels offer a better ride.
Good idea on checking the CLR thread. Will do.
I’ve looked at Mich Cup 2 (as they seem to be consensus on being the best tyre other than for cold and wet combinations) and they seem available in most size options incl 295 rear and 235 front. It looks like i could probably run the same width tyres as I do today with gt3 width rims then if a slightly stretched tyre is a benefit?
I do love the look of 18 Oz wheels so think I’ll stick with that (at the end of the day, I’m willing to compromise a little on things if it looks great to me). Though I’ve heard number of times 17’ wheels offer a better ride.
Edited by james.a.c.911 on Friday 13th August 09:46
As someone who's pretty much always modified their cars but is new to 996 ownership I was shocked at the cost of aftermarket wheels are the lack of style and size compared to say 5x120.
Also the OE wheels on my 996.2 were nice enough and in good order the tyres were a little older than was ideal and there was some sidewall cracking evident. That was all the excuse I needed to swap them out for something different although my budget was pretty small. Had I been able to afford it I would have gone BBS LM with Michelin PS Cup 2's. Instead though, I found a set of 18'' Bola which came with Goodyear Eagle F1 fitted in 225/40 and 275/35. I know black wheels aren't for everyone and I had planned on doing them in a satin gold finish like newer Cayman. Now they're on the car though I love them and they go really well with the red interior. I also fitted black door mirror caps to tie the whole look together. The finishing touch for me will be yellow brake callipers. Had I been able to buy new though, I would have bought Bola B17 (£735 a set) or possibly the CSR's in bronze?
I think the tyres choice at 275 rear is perfect but I added a 5mm spacer to the front.
Any pics of your car?
Also the OE wheels on my 996.2 were nice enough and in good order the tyres were a little older than was ideal and there was some sidewall cracking evident. That was all the excuse I needed to swap them out for something different although my budget was pretty small. Had I been able to afford it I would have gone BBS LM with Michelin PS Cup 2's. Instead though, I found a set of 18'' Bola which came with Goodyear Eagle F1 fitted in 225/40 and 275/35. I know black wheels aren't for everyone and I had planned on doing them in a satin gold finish like newer Cayman. Now they're on the car though I love them and they go really well with the red interior. I also fitted black door mirror caps to tie the whole look together. The finishing touch for me will be yellow brake callipers. Had I been able to buy new though, I would have bought Bola B17 (£735 a set) or possibly the CSR's in bronze?
I think the tyres choice at 275 rear is perfect but I added a 5mm spacer to the front.
Any pics of your car?
james.a.c.911 said:
Thank for your input Orangecurry.
Good idea on checking the CLR thread. Will do.
I’ve looked at Mich Cup 2 (as they seem to be consensus on being the best tyre other than for cold and wet combinations) and they seem available in most size options incl 295 rear and 235 front. It looks like i could probably run the same width tyres as I do today with gt3 width rims then if a slightly stretched tyre is a benefit?
I do love the look of 18 Oz wheels so think I’ll stick with that (at the end of the day, I’m willing to compromise a little on things if it looks great to me). Though I’ve heard number of times 17’ wheels offer a better ride.
A word of caution, if you decide on the OZ's in an 11" wide rear ET 63 offset with 295's on a 996.1, you'd need to roll the rear arches, though it would depend to a certain degree on the ride heights and camber you propose using. Good idea on checking the CLR thread. Will do.
I’ve looked at Mich Cup 2 (as they seem to be consensus on being the best tyre other than for cold and wet combinations) and they seem available in most size options incl 295 rear and 235 front. It looks like i could probably run the same width tyres as I do today with gt3 width rims then if a slightly stretched tyre is a benefit?
I do love the look of 18 Oz wheels so think I’ll stick with that (at the end of the day, I’m willing to compromise a little on things if it looks great to me). Though I’ve heard number of times 17’ wheels offer a better ride.
I'm not sure if the 996.2 came with a slightly different arch return profile on all the cars (including the GT3) or whether it was just the 996.2 GT3 that featured rolled arches as standard.
Definitely worthwhile checking though, as you could be into having to get them rolled to enable you to fit 11/ET63 rears with what will be pretty square shouldered tyres if you decide on the Cup 2s ...
Not exactly what you are looking for, but I actually did the opposite of your query last year.
I took off 996.2 GT3 wheels from my car in favor of narrower wheels and tyres to 'improve' the drive.
https://youtu.be/iyZIx9Z2r-I
I took off 996.2 GT3 wheels from my car in favor of narrower wheels and tyres to 'improve' the drive.
https://youtu.be/iyZIx9Z2r-I
Slippydiff said:
A word of caution, if you decide on the OZ's in an 11" wide rear ET 63 offset with 295's on a 996.1, you'd need to roll the rear arches, though it would depend to a certain degree on the ride heights and camber you propose using.
I'm not sure if the 996.2 came with a slightly different arch return profile on all the cars (including the GT3) or whether it was just the 996.2 GT3 that featured rolled arches as standard.
Definitely worthwhile checking though, as you could be into having to get them rolled to enable you to fit 11/ET63 rears with what will be pretty square shouldered tyres if you decide on the Cup 2s ...
I beleive the Gen2 has the rolled arches and not the Gen1. This is something i am checking with my mechanic who had a set of GT3 wheels on a Gen2 996 - thanks for flagging!I'm not sure if the 996.2 came with a slightly different arch return profile on all the cars (including the GT3) or whether it was just the 996.2 GT3 that featured rolled arches as standard.
Definitely worthwhile checking though, as you could be into having to get them rolled to enable you to fit 11/ET63 rears with what will be pretty square shouldered tyres if you decide on the Cup 2s ...
TheThrottleCable said:
Not exactly what you are looking for, but I actually did the opposite of your query last year.
I took off 996.2 GT3 wheels from my car in favor of narrower wheels and tyres to 'improve' the drive.
https://youtu.be/iyZIx9Z2r-I
Will check out the video. Do you use the car on track or road only? I took off 996.2 GT3 wheels from my car in favor of narrower wheels and tyres to 'improve' the drive.
https://youtu.be/iyZIx9Z2r-I
How do you feel the handling compares with the narrower wheels?
thanks
I'm not a fan of big wide tyres on a road car so feel free to stop reading now if that sounds bizarre to you.
I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
james.a.c.911 said:
I beleive the Gen2 has the rolled arches and not the Gen1. This is something i am checking with my mechanic who had a set of GT3 wheels on a Gen2 996 - thanks for flagging!
Mk1 rear arches are definitely NOT rolled.Mk2 are either rolled for the GT3, all cars, or have a different return profile across the board.
ATM said:
I'm not a fan of big wide tyres on a road car so feel free to stop reading now if that sounds bizarre to you.
I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
That's interesting. I do worry that going to slim will reduce grip on track do not want to go slimmer than current. I can see how the car already has a lot of grip for road driving so I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
On the subject of with/ without spacers - i do love how the cars look with more poke to the wheels - I think this is probably one where more track width is going to be better on track and higher speed corners, less width better for everyday driving on the road.
I've also felt that difference going from standard suspension with no spacers to lowered + more camber and (i think i have 5mm) spacers - feels heavier and less of a light and pointy feel - depending on your driving style (and speed i guess) it's not necessarily a bad thing
james.a.c.911 said:
ATM said:
I'm not a fan of big wide tyres on a road car so feel free to stop reading now if that sounds bizarre to you.
I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
That's interesting. I do worry that going to slim will reduce grip on track do not want to go slimmer than current. I can see how the car already has a lot of grip for road driving so I had standard 225 40 and 265 35 on my 996.1 which has KW clubsport suspension. So it's stiffer than KW v3. I bought it like this and it is a bit hard. I changed to factory 17 inch wheels with PS2 in 205 50 and 255 40. This transformed the car. Most noticeable was the more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just felt altogether better.
Later I fitted some 15mm spacers to the front, so 15mm each side. This was noticeable in the steering. It lost some of its sparkle and became a bit heavier or meatier. I'll probably switch back to no spacers.
Recently I've bought a little red Boxster. Again this came with 225 40 and 265 35. This weekend I removed these wheels and fitted 4 fronts from my 996.1 so all four corners have the same wheel and the same PS2 205 50 17 tyre. Again this transformed the car. The same as above the car has a more compliant ride, more compliant suspension, more communicative steering and just feels altogether better. I've been for a moderately spirited drive and the rear end feels lovely. I was expecting the back end to be stepping out on me but it hasn't. Probably because I'm not really a quick driver. The car now feels better balanced if you ask me and it just feels great. OK it looks daft I'll admit but I don't care too much about that. I didn't buy a 20 year old Boxster to look cool. I'd look cool in any car.
On the subject of with/ without spacers - i do love how the cars look with more poke to the wheels - I think this is probably one where more track width is going to be better on track and higher speed corners, less width better for everyday driving on the road.
I've also felt that difference going from standard suspension with no spacers to lowered + more camber and (i think i have 5mm) spacers - feels heavier and less of a light and pointy feel - depending on your driving style (and speed i guess) it's not necessarily a bad thing
So for road driving I know I need no more grip. I've never tracked my car or any car but I keep toying with the idea. A track setup is a different conversation obviously. But I'd suggest you try the car on track before you start madding it. Yes bigger tyres can give you more grip on track but do you need it. Are you chasing extra tenths or just trying to enjoy yourself?
james.a.c.911 said:
They look good! are they Braid?
What size are you running?
They are OZ Alleggerita, standard GT3 225 40 18 on the front, 285 35 18 on the rear. IMO, certainly in the 90's and early 2000's manufacturers fitted the best sized wheels and tyres to their cars based on the very extensive and expensive R&D they did. I have a 2016 Golf R Estate that rode really badly on the XL rated 18" Bridgestones and VW wheels that are soooooo heavy, I've fitted !7" OZ Superleggera and Eagle F1 A5's and it's like a different car, so much better. I can't understand why you would want to roll around in a family car with 35 profile sidewalls! What size are you running?
james.a.c.911 said:
Will check out the video. Do you use the car on track or road only?
How do you feel the handling compares with the narrower wheels?
thanks
I was looking to enhance the fun for road use, but no doubt a lot of the changes I‘ve made would come alive on track. How do you feel the handling compares with the narrower wheels?
thanks
Back to back I was comparing my 996 C2 to my 997 GT3. Reducing the wheels (and weight) on the C2 made the car come alive.
For me the C2 on large tyres dialled out the fun - too much tyre vs power and very understeer inducing. However setup is a personal choice and my logic is better explained on that video. Good luck!
TheThrottleCable said:
I was looking to enhance the fun for road use, but no doubt a lot of the changes I‘ve made would come alive on track.
Back to back I was comparing my 996 C2 to my 997 GT3. Reducing the wheels (and weight) on the C2 made the car come alive.
For me the C2 on large tyres dialled out the fun - too much tyre vs power and very understeer inducing. However setup is a personal choice and my logic is better explained on that video. Good luck!
Got you. Also looking forward to seeing how lighter wheels feel (quite a big weight saving from GT Sport Design to Alleggerita).Back to back I was comparing my 996 C2 to my 997 GT3. Reducing the wheels (and weight) on the C2 made the car come alive.
For me the C2 on large tyres dialled out the fun - too much tyre vs power and very understeer inducing. However setup is a personal choice and my logic is better explained on that video. Good luck!
I've found that i can get the right level of over-/understeer balance with the adjustable ARB i have front and rear.
Take your point on too much tyre vs power (though i do have more power than stock with a rebuild faster engine so probably quite a substantial difference with a stock MK1) - i'm thinking this might be OZ for the track, and keep existing wheels for the road but with slightly skinnier tyres, could be best of both
Armut Schweinefleisch-911 said:
As someone who's pretty much always modified their cars but is new to 996 ownership I was shocked at the cost of aftermarket wheels are the lack of style and size compared to say 5x120.
Also the OE wheels on my 996.2 were nice enough and in good order the tyres were a little older than was ideal and there was some sidewall cracking evident. That was all the excuse I needed to swap them out for something different although my budget was pretty small. Had I been able to afford it I would have gone BBS LM with Michelin PS Cup 2's. Instead though, I found a set of 18'' Bola which came with Goodyear Eagle F1 fitted in 225/40 and 275/35. I know black wheels aren't for everyone and I had planned on doing them in a satin gold finish like newer Cayman. Now they're on the car though I love them and they go really well with the red interior. I also fitted black door mirror caps to tie the whole look together. The finishing touch for me will be yellow brake callipers. Had I been able to buy new though, I would have bought Bola B17 (£735 a set) or possibly the CSR's in bronze?
I think the tyres choice at 275 rear is perfect but I added a 5mm spacer to the front.
Any pics of your car?
I know - not a ton of choice unless you are willing to spend big £..Also the OE wheels on my 996.2 were nice enough and in good order the tyres were a little older than was ideal and there was some sidewall cracking evident. That was all the excuse I needed to swap them out for something different although my budget was pretty small. Had I been able to afford it I would have gone BBS LM with Michelin PS Cup 2's. Instead though, I found a set of 18'' Bola which came with Goodyear Eagle F1 fitted in 225/40 and 275/35. I know black wheels aren't for everyone and I had planned on doing them in a satin gold finish like newer Cayman. Now they're on the car though I love them and they go really well with the red interior. I also fitted black door mirror caps to tie the whole look together. The finishing touch for me will be yellow brake callipers. Had I been able to buy new though, I would have bought Bola B17 (£735 a set) or possibly the CSR's in bronze?
I think the tyres choice at 275 rear is perfect but I added a 5mm spacer to the front.
Any pics of your car?
I like the black wheels - definitely nice to have a contrasting colour on silver.
Are you feeling the rear a little looser?
Here's a pic from the other week at donington:
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