Okay track-heads... Why do you prefer 18" wheels for the track over larger wheels? Lower tire costs? Lower rotational mass? What am I missing?

 

Bigger tire selection and lower unsprung weight. Tire costs are close, but slightly cheaper.

 

+1 what North Van said but also the 18's grip much better than 19's due to a little higher side wall that allows a little more flex for the tire to roll over. Usually a 18" wheel and tire combo is a little lighter than a 19" but that gap has closed up from what it use to be. For DE use it really does not matter.

However for a DE...if all you can afford for example is some 19" stock size Toyo R888's to go on some OEM Porsche wheels instead of a seperate set of 18" wheels and Toyo 18" R888 it is nothing to really worry about.

 

issue is not only about 18" vs 19" selection but about what widest rims with what offsets one can fit on the car.

buying track rims you really want to get widest possible ones - for NB 997 car it is 9" front and 12" wide rears. I am not sure if 19" 12" wide rims will fit in rear.

effective difference from going on stock 8" fronts and 10" rears or going on 9" and 12" is huge. it feels totally different and is definitely worth the money spent on it.

then you start looking at rubber selections and, say, for 8.5" f 11"r 19" rims you will not find that many options.

like mdrums said - all that start making sense when you go away from street tires into r-comps. for street driving it does not make much of a difference, only practical difference there is that with 18" you got higher sidewalls so you have less chances to damage your rims when you hit a pothole.

 

Nice responses guys... I was mostly just curious, and I knew I'd get some interesting feedback!

I've done a little bit of track, but haven't done any mods. I don't anticipate getting into to real racing anytime soon (can't afford it!) but if I keep doing enough track days, I can see investing in track wheels and tires. Would be nice to have a dedicated set. The track is definitely addictive!!!

 

Yes it is

 

Don't forget about the extra wear and tear that the finish will get at the track. Get a flat black so you can't see the brake dust and something that is more durable to scratches . . . You will flip flop wheels for 2 day events to even wear so the wheels are more prone to wear.

 

actually best finish for track wheels is an anodized clear matte aluminum. you do not really need/want any paint on those rims.

 

12x19 fits. Remember the overall diameter of the 18" and 19" tires will be the same or should be close to the same.

 

Wow - so are all these low profile tires these days on big rims really just for show? I thought the whole point of low profile tires is that you don't want a big sloppy sidewall that flexes?

 

Yes absolutly! However with 18's with 40 series in front and 35 rear series ratio's you do not get the side wall slop.

 

Just curious what you guys think: I just ordered a new set of wheels for cosmetic reasons. (Victor Equipment)

I'm trying to decide whether to put track tires on the old stock wheels or trade/sell them and get the a new set of 18" wheels with track tires.

2006 Carrera 997S. Stock wheels are 19" Lobster fork 235mm front; 295mm rear.

I don't want to spend a lot extra but if I can get wider 18" wheels and tires it might be worth the extra effort.

Thanks in advance.

 

Have you seen an F1 tire? The tire wall is a major component of the suspension system, its not slop. Allows for higher slip angles (relatively speaking)

dr

 

How often do you attend track days? Is it usually 4 or 5 20 minute sessions at a time? This would dictate if you need a separate set of tires for the track (tracking your car gets very expensive..trust me!). One or two days a year and no big deal but any more than that (along with some drag strip time) and you should seriously consider a second set. Just for the wear and tire on the wheels. I actually prefer the 19 wheels on my p-car with stock size rubber..although different brand of tire.

 

I think that the Victor Wheels tend to be heavy compared to many other aftermarket wheels, as well as the OEM.

As for the track wheels, your OEM wheels are 11" R, how much wider do you want? Get the right tire, and if you know how to drive your car well, the OEM size will be fine. If you are trying to keep costs down, keep your OEM wheels and use them for the track, they are the lightest OEM 19" wheels that came with the 997, and will work for the few track days a year.