[968TDG]

Looks Great Langley! I've had them for a year or two now and have been really happy with them. They are light, it is a really agile set up. I had 5mm spacers all around, but 5mm spacers are so thin that they don't allow for a hub centric flange, and recently I had a rear wheel go off center, twice. It is not something that I'm going to have happen again, so I took both of the rear spacers out. My plan is to go with 10mm spacers all around with the hub centric flange, but this means longer studs, so I haven't gotten around to it yet.



I'm also planning on powder coating the wheel set a little bit darker grey when I switch out the tires, and I'll do all the engine cladding at the same time.



Phil

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[tamathumper]

[quote name='Darryl' timestamp='1276017729' post='94439']

7 x 17 ET55 front with 205/50

8.5 x 17 ET48 rear with 255/40[/quote]

I'm looking at this exact setup, did it work out as a direct fit or did it require spacers?

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[Langley968]

[quote name='tamathumper' timestamp='1337872165' post='127329']

I'm looking at this exact setup, did it work out as a direct fit or did it require spacers?

[/quote]



If you are asking about the SII wheels, then the front require at least a 7mm spacer.

The rear are a direct fit.

My front wheels came with 215/45-17 on them, which with the spacers are almost flush with the front fenders.

The rear wheels have 255/40-17 on them, which could use a 7mm spacer to make them flush with the rear fenders.

As per Phil's comment above (968TDG), get the spacers with hub centric flange for a "safe" fit.

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[flash]

the wheels on phils car fit without spacers. ET is 48 all around.

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[tamathumper]

Just scored these exact wheels, 7 and 8.5 with offsets of 55 and 48 respectively, but I'm a bit confused by the posts in this thread, some of which indicate spacers are required, and some of which indicate spacers may not be required.



Can anyone comment with surety that spacers are required, and also if replacement bolts are required with 7mm spacers? Also, can anyone who has mounted these specific wheels (at these offsets) comment on what size tires you mounted? (I'd like to put some new Sumitomo HTR-Z III's on them at the same time.)



Many thanks!



7Jx17 ET55 225/45 R17

8.5Jx17 ET48 255/40 R17

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[rxter]

Any chance that the guy cleaning Phil's windows is available? My car is a mess <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.png" class="smilie" alt="" />



I just reshoed both the Mazda and the 968. In the wrong order unfortunately. I replaced the rear 16s on the 968. Then I went about as fat as I can go (265/40/18s) with very pricey rubber on the Mazda. The grip level is amazing. I've tried to break the back end loose (traction control off) and I have not yet found my cahones to be bigger than the grip on these new tires.



I am now convinced that I should move to 18s on the 968 - to hell with the weight. Going around a tight corner with that level of grip would be epically fun. Once things quiet down for me a bit I will be shopping for 18s and looking to sell off the 16s. Not much of a market for those I'm afraid, so I may just have to burn off the new rubber first.

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[Scott Collins]

Those SII rims look SWEET on the 968. (I'm buying a house, so no shopping for me, for the next 30 years or so) But they still look great and maybe if the home inspection can find about $700 worth of deficiencies, I could divert some funds toward these things. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[tamathumper]

With no responses, I ordered a set of the H&R Trak+ 7mm spacers from AutoAtlanta last night.

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[bombfactory]

RXTER - you can't beat the look of 18's on our cars - they just look 'right' imho. And while the ride is a bit on the rough side (I'm running 225/40-18s up front, 285/30-18s rear) - the grip is definitely great. A spot-on alignment is even more critical with 18's though. My car handled like crap until I had that done.

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[tamathumper]

... aaaaand now they're on BackOrder. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Darryl]

Tama....I was toiling over the same question and since I sold my set of Boxster S II rims, I never put them on. At these offsets, they should bolt right on with no spacers, BUT, in order to fill out the rear wheel well, I think the general consensus would be to run a spacer, either 4mm or 7mm. The tires sizes of 225 and 255 are the stock sizes for these rims and again, not speaking from direct experience, you should be able to go up one size without an issue. The previous owner of my parts car mounted 225 and 245 on stock 16's up from the standard 205 and 225. If you did the same on the 17" Boxster S II, that may be enough meat in the rear to not need the spacer to fill up the wheel well a little better.



Although I needed the cash, I'm kicking myself for selling my set. Glad you were able to get some.



- Darryl

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[tamathumper]

Thank you Darryl!



I cancelled the order and re-ordered from Amazon. They'll be here Friday.

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[tamathumper]

UPDATE: These wheels absolutely do require the 7mm spacers in front. The H&R Trak+ DRS 7mm spacers do fit, but longer studs are required. The DRS series comes with studs in the package, but as indicated on the Paragon website, they are 45mm - even *shorter* than the stock studs, and are therefore useless. Confusingly, Paragon's website makes the notation several times and indicates "..., so we include grade 10.9 52mm studs with ours". However, my stock studs *are* grade 10.9 52mm, and are therefore still too short for sufficient thread engagement when using the spacers. I only get 6.5 turns of the lug nut, which is 1 turn less than the minimum required for M14x1.5 threads.



I'm going to have to find something like 59mm studs?! Automotion has a set of 66mm studs, I wonder if these would be too LONG?!

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[flash]

you could stick a caliper into the nut and see how far the threads go. then compare the exposed threads you have now, and then see if the additional 13mm is too much. i tend to think it will be.



i think i'd call sunset and see what they have, and see if you can find something 59 or 60

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[Darryl]

[quote name='tamathumper' timestamp='1344104593' post='130510']

UPDATE: These wheels absolutely do require the 7mm spacers in front.

[/quote]



While I certainly believe you, a 7" wheel with with an offset of 55 (stock 16") is what is on the car to begin with. The stock 17" are 7.5" wide and have a smaller since they are 1/2" wider. Hmmmmm.....Just when I thought I was beginning to understand offset calculations.......

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[tamathumper]

I don't know if it has to do with the offset, really. It's just that when you put the wheel onto the hub, it clunks right up against the dust cap in the center, and there's no way it would fit without the spacer to give it the necessary clearance. It may just be the design of the wheel at the center.

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[tamathumper]

Flash, 52mm is standard, and the 66mm with the 7mm spacer in the way would only effectively be 59mm, correct? That's only 7mm more instead of 13mm?

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[flash]

sorry 14 not 13



7 + 7



66mm stud - 52mm stud - 7mm spacer = 7mm

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[tamathumper]

Thanks flash, I think you're agreeing with me?



UPDATE: More disinformation on the web? This has become one heck of a research project, and now both the Paragon and Ichiba websites include the same information, e.g. that 52mm studs are somehow "extended" over our stock studs, and are appropriate for up to 7mm spacers. Both of these are racing stores, and I assume they really know what they're talking about, but all the information I have from the web and even from the insert sheet that came with the H&R spacers indicates that you must have at least enough turns to engage 14mm of threads (at 1.5mm per turn, that's something like 9.5 turns?) for a safe/minimal amount of holding force. Even if the 52mm studs on my car are not original, I can still only get 6.5 turns onto the threads when the spacers are installed.



From the Ichiba website, but I don't believe it... even though this advice is on a page specifically for Porsche extended wheel studs, Porsche wheels must be "thicker" than other wheels?



"52MM thread length usually is good for 5MM or 7MM wheel spacers

60MM thread length usually is good for 10MM or 15MM wheel spacers"

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[tamathumper]

I ordered a full set of 60mm studs from the Ichiba website because they're on sale for $39.99 with free shipping, and they're exactly the length I need to get back to stock thread engagement.

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