986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post - Bought very nice 996 wheels, what spacers do I need?

Doug427 · 02-20-2018, 06:02 PM

It's necessary to use spacers to provide clearance in the rear of the wheel/tire so it doesn't interfere with the strut, etc. However all things being equal, I would like to move the face of the wheels further outboard for appearance purposes, to sort of fill the wheelwell better. So I guess the question is, what spacers are needed to provide clearance on the back side of the wider wheels. Also, disregarding the bigger wheels, on a stock car, how much do guys typically move their wheel out for appearance reasons? Once I know what spacers give me clearance, I can then determine how much more I need to go to actually move the wheels outboard for appearance reasons as well. Of course there comes a point that the spacers are just too wide to be structurally sound or practical. In the end, it has to handle and run good. Appearance comes next. What spacers do guys put on a stock 986 to make the wheels look better in the wells?

Lets say the answer to the above stock vehicle appearance question is 10mm, for example. If I need 15mm for clearance and 10mm for appearance, that would mean a 25mm spacer. I don't see many of them, and I imagine there's a good reason for that. I'm trying to sort all this out, and I appreciate all the help.

Priority number one is to provide the necessary clearance. Is 15mm the thickness for that? How big a spacer is just too big?

02-20-2018, 06:02 PM	#4
Doug427 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 163	For clarification.... It's necessary to use spacers to provide clearance in the rear of the wheel/tire so it doesn't interfere with the strut, etc. However all things being equal, I would like to move the face of the wheels further outboard for appearance purposes, to sort of fill the wheelwell better. So I guess the question is, what spacers are needed to provide clearance on the back side of the wider wheels. Also, disregarding the bigger wheels, on a stock car, how much do guys typically move their wheel out for appearance reasons? Once I know what spacers give me clearance, I can then determine how much more I need to go to actually move the wheels outboard for appearance reasons as well. Of course there comes a point that the spacers are just too wide to be structurally sound or practical. In the end, it has to handle and run good. Appearance comes next. What spacers do guys put on a stock 986 to make the wheels look better in the wells? Lets say the answer to the above stock vehicle appearance question is 10mm, for example. If I need 15mm for clearance and 10mm for appearance, that would mean a 25mm spacer. I don't see many of them, and I imagine there's a good reason for that. I'm trying to sort all this out, and I appreciate all the help. Priority number one is to provide the necessary clearance. Is 15mm the thickness for that? How big a spacer is just too big?