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Old 12-08-2020, 04:53 AM   #1
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Wheel Fitment

I know, I know, not this again....

Is there a thread here, or perhaps on another forum, that has pictures of 986's with various OEM wheels, where the wheels are a direct bolt-on (no spacers)? I'd love to see all the options, on an actual 986, where a 100% bolt-on is possible. It's a challenge trying figure out offsets and such with the various OEM wheels, and I'm sure there's more options than I can imagine.

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Old 12-08-2020, 10:16 PM   #2
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Hey, I don't want to take your thread off rails, but why is oem with no spacers important?

As you know, the spacers really open up your OEM wheel options and allow you to introduce wheels from 911s.
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Old 12-09-2020, 12:55 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by beater986 View Post
Hey, I don't want to take your thread off rails, but why is oem with no spacers important?

As you know, the spacers really open up your OEM wheel options and allow you to introduce wheels from 911s.

Spacers are illegal in some places.
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Old 12-09-2020, 04:47 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Seadweller View Post
Is there a thread here, or perhaps on another forum, that has pictures of 986's with various OEM wheels, where the wheels are a direct bolt-on (no spacers)? I'd love to see all the options, on an actual 986, where a 100% bolt-on is possible. It's a challenge trying figure out offsets and such with the various OEM wheels, and I'm sure there's more options than I can imagine.
The simple answer is no. Whether it's OEM or aftermarket, it all comes down to learning how offset affects fitment. Might as well become an expert on the topic. It's not a black art or rocket science. Here's a handy-dandy website that helps calculate how new wheels with different offsets will compare to your originals. It's still up to you to figure out if the movement in or out (or both) will work.

https://www.1010tires.com/Tools/Wheel-Offset-Calculator

OEM wheels can come in multiple widths and offsets. A set of lobster claws were available in a Boxster / Cayman fitment, a 911 narrow body fitment, and a 911 wide body fitment (these are the 11" rears that everyone asks will fit on a Box). While the fronts are all pretty similar, all three rears had different specifications. All can work with various sized spacers and what compromises you're willing to make. I know you said no spacers, but that's not everyone's MO so a thread of just pics of OEM wheels that fit w/o spacers is a finite request.
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Old 12-09-2020, 05:31 AM   #5
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What Husker is saying is right on point. AND, I think he's REALLY saying you should just buy my 18"s and be done with it.
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Old 12-09-2020, 05:39 AM   #6
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Fair enough, let's expand this to OEM wheels, and the associated spacers necessary for fitment. I thought spacers caused other issues, so I was steering away from them.
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Old 12-09-2020, 05:59 AM   #7
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What Husker is saying is right on point. AND, I think he's REALLY saying you should just buy my 18"s and be done with it.
I really wish there were some decent aftermarket 17's available for these cars. Absolutely nothing out there other than Fikse wheels.
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Old 12-10-2020, 05:01 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Seadweller View Post
Fair enough, let's expand this to OEM wheels, and the associated spacers necessary for fitment. I thought spacers caused other issues, so I was steering away from them.
Spacers may or may not cause an issue depending on what you plan to use your Box for and how big the spacer is. If you don't plan on any track time and few spirited drives, really big (20mm+) spacers will work. And with even a small spacer, you should purchase longer wheel bolts. My CSS came from the factory with 5mm spacers and the lug bolts are slightly longer than std. Go 20mm or larger and you'll need railroad spikes for bolts. At that point it becomes how comfortable do you feel going high speeds with these way out of std settings?

So how big of a spacer will you need? I'm not an expert because I've always wanted to stay close to factory specs and not use spacers, but I believe it's a fairly easy equation (I might get it backwards but others can correct me). Basically you subtract the std spec from the new wheel's offset and the value determines the approx spacer required. For example, the 11" 911 WB rear wheel that folks want to adapt onto their Box has an offset of 65 (I'm pulling that # from memory but I think that's close). The std rear offset is approx 45, so 65-45=20 and that's the size spacer you need. Offset differences in the low single digits may work w/o a spacer depending on how much room is available. Suspension and suspension braces can come into play.

And don't depend on a seller to know if their wheels will work on your car. Of course they'll say they'll work and generally generically advertise their wheels as 'fitting Porsches' with no details. You need to get the offsets and do your own homework to determine fitment.

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I really wish there were some decent aftermarket 17's available for these cars. Absolutely nothing out there other than Fikse wheels.
Aftermarket companies want to build wheels that will fit multitudes of vehicles. That's why you see their wheels in std sizes like 8" and 10" rather than 7.5" and 9.5". They build offsets that will "work" for lots of applications. 17s were kind of a cup of coffee from OEM makers who quickly jumped from 16" to 18". If there aren't a lot of applications that came from the factory with 17s, there won't be a lot of aftermarket applications. Porsche made the 17" wheel the base wheel for the 987 and those should work on a 986. But not many people bought a base model with base wheels - most probably upgraded to a prettier 18". You can always go with a custom 3-piece wheel, but you'll be spending thousands. I've never had a need to look, but chances are 17" summer performance tires may be getting harder to buy because the mkt isn't there. I had a hard time finding the 16" rears for my 928 and ended up compromising on size to get a good price.

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AND, I think he's REALLY saying you should just buy my 18"s and be done with it.
...Sure... that's what I meant. GLWS.
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Old 12-10-2020, 05:27 AM   #9
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All depends on the brand. There are very few 17" aftermarket Porsche wheels, but tons for other makes like BMW, Subaru, Ford. A bit sad as I think 17's look better on the boxster and smaller lighter wheels are definitely a good thing. Lots of tires available in 17" that would fit this car.
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Old 12-10-2020, 05:37 AM   #10
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Here's a pic of the 986 Boxster with 17" Cayman wheels from 2009-2012 base Caymans, fronts are same as 986 Boxster, 17x7 ET 55 and rears are 17x8.5 ET40, so spaced out 10m per side vs the usual Boxster ET50.

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Old 12-10-2020, 05:43 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by subieworx View Post
I really wish there were some decent aftermarket 17's available for these cars. Absolutely nothing out there other than Fikse wheels.
There is the Momo heritage 6 that you can get in 17" for the Boxster:
https://momo.com/en-us/momo-heritage-series-wheels/momo-heritage-6.html

There is the Fuchs:
https://www.fuchsfelgeusa.com/17-inch/

I know someone that got a set of Signature forged 17" for his 944/968 or some variant, he got them made in 17" and I think it was reasonable, $2000'ish?

https://www.signaturewheel.com/fitments

You may have to contact them as I don't see 17 on their site.

Then the Starke Fuchs looking wheels but I think they might be discontinued? Or maybe they were only 18" But that reminds me, there is the Cup 4:
https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Porsche&autoModel=Boxster+S&autoYear=2000&autoModClar=

There are a few out there but not many...
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Old 12-10-2020, 05:47 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by subieworx View Post
All depends on the brand. There are very few 17" aftermarket Porsche wheels, but tons for other makes like BMW, Subaru, Ford. A bit sad as I think 17's look better on the boxster and smaller lighter wheels are definitely a good thing. Lots of tires available in 17" that would fit this car.
H&R makes adapters that are a spacer with conversions that let you run other bolt patterns:

https://www.hrsprings.com/application/search/results/31/560/2000/

I don't know if I would run them for track as I am not sure how much weight they add etc... but if there was a set of wheels in the alternate bolt pattern you wanted to run, thi might be a way. Although for $400 for the adapters, that is a big chunk of a budget wheel set budget... But could be a way to really be unique?
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Old 12-11-2020, 10:58 AM   #13
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I suspect that it's always best to leave the front wheels with no spacers as this can throw off the steering/handling geometry, is that true?

Also, putting 20mm spacers on the rear will do no harm to wheel bearings?
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Old 12-12-2020, 02:09 PM   #14
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I suspect that it's always best to leave the front wheels with no spacers as this can throw off the steering/handling geometry, is that true?

Also, putting 20mm spacers on the rear will do no harm to wheel bearings?

Correct. It will change the scrub radius which can have a negative effect one steering feel.
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Old 12-19-2020, 04:03 PM   #15
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To see all the factory wheels for 986 Boxster, look here

https://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/porsche_alloy_wheels/boxster_986_alloys/f/all/porsche/auto/all/all/all/price_asc
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Old 12-19-2020, 06:54 PM   #16
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There was a better version of this link floating around, that showed wheels from all years with specs (offset, measurements, etc.)

Anybody got it?
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Old 12-20-2020, 02:47 PM   #17
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Would these help

https://www.willtheyfit.com/

Custom wheels, rim tire packages
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Old 12-20-2020, 05:50 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by beater986 View Post
There was a better version of this link floating around, that showed wheels from all years with specs (offset, measurements, etc.)

Anybody got it?
Not from there but this one? Has a lot of info:

944racing
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Old 12-21-2020, 04:17 AM   #19
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Did you see this?
http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/66253-picture-wheels-you-have-3.html

Towards the end I posted a pic with Cayman S wheels, no spacers.

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