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, 05:28 PM

I was just at Woody's place today over at Bastrop, TX. I picked up a bunch of random parts, and he had these beautiful (to me) wheels off of a 996 he's got in his yard. He gave me what I felt was a very good price and I bought them. Both Woody and I have seen threads saying that 10" wheels will fit on the back of a Boxster. My car is a 2002 Boxster S 986. These new to me wheels are 10" wide, 18" diameter. The tires on them are 265/35/18. The problem here is that I'm coming from a mostly American car background, and am used to a simple measurement of "backspace". The way these wheels are measured confuses the heck out of me. So, I am hoping that since I'm told this is a fairly common wheel swap, someone can lead me to what spacer thickness(es) I need.

Starting with the back wheels, they are 10" wide, and are stamped on the back with "10Jx18-ET65". Tires, as I said above, are 265/35/18. Given my car is a stock 2002 Boxster S, what size spacers do I need to use to clear on the back side of the wheel, and where does that place the front side? Does that move the front side of the wheel out further in the wheelwell? I certainly don't want any rubbing issues at all.

The front wheels are stamped "7 1/2Jx18-ET50". The front tire size is 225/40/18. I am told that these don't need spacers. Is that true? No rubbing issues on bumps or turns at all? If I use no spacers on the front and spacers on the back, are the faces of the wheels set outboard in the wells the same amount? If not, how thick are the spacers needed on the front to equal the back? Do those spacers, if needed, present any rubbing problems?

Thanks for any and all information.

02-20-2018, 05:28 PM	#1
Doug427 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 163	Bought very nice 996 wheels, what spacers do I need? I was just at Woody's place today over at Bastrop, TX. I picked up a bunch of random parts, and he had these beautiful (to me) wheels off of a 996 he's got in his yard. He gave me what I felt was a very good price and I bought them. Both Woody and I have seen threads saying that 10" wheels will fit on the back of a Boxster. My car is a 2002 Boxster S 986. These new to me wheels are 10" wide, 18" diameter. The tires on them are 265/35/18. The problem here is that I'm coming from a mostly American car background, and am used to a simple measurement of "backspace". The way these wheels are measured confuses the heck out of me. So, I am hoping that since I'm told this is a fairly common wheel swap, someone can lead me to what spacer thickness(es) I need. Starting with the back wheels, they are 10" wide, and are stamped on the back with "10Jx18-ET65". Tires, as I said above, are 265/35/18. Given my car is a stock 2002 Boxster S, what size spacers do I need to use to clear on the back side of the wheel, and where does that place the front side? Does that move the front side of the wheel out further in the wheelwell? I certainly don't want any rubbing issues at all. The front wheels are stamped "7 1/2Jx18-ET50". The front tire size is 225/40/18. I am told that these don't need spacers. Is that true? No rubbing issues on bumps or turns at all? If I use no spacers on the front and spacers on the back, are the faces of the wheels set outboard in the wells the same amount? If not, how thick are the spacers needed on the front to equal the back? Do those spacers, if needed, present any rubbing problems? Thanks for any and all information.