tire help...

[Josh Y]

im looking at buying 245/45/16 wheel and tire combo for a 1985.5 944,
i tried the tire on and it doesnt seem to be rubbing on anything...

however i am worried about cornering and braking as there is only 1.5 inches of clearance between the top of the tire and the outer lip of the fender, the tire does stick out about a 1/4 inch past the fender...

with koni shocks and 250 lbs springs in the front, will the tire rub on the fender during braking, cornering, etc...?

my avatar would show how much my car leans...

ANY help and tips will be GREATLY appreciated

[Dan Chambers]

im looking at buying 245/45/16 wheel and tire combo for a 1985.5 944,
i tried the tire on and it doesnt seem to be rubbing on anything...

It depends on the wheel offset and tire dimensions (all tires are not made equal), as well as negative camber setup.

however i am worried about cornering and braking as there is only 1.5 inches of clearance between the top of the tire and the outer lip of the fender, the tire does stick out about a 1/4 inch past the fender...

If the tire protrudes outside the upper/top lip of the fender, you're out of spec anyway (see the rules, tires must fit under the top of the fender). Proper wheel offset might get you the 245 inside the top of the front fender, and negative camber will help, too. Many 944 cars have run 245's with minimal or no rubbing. It will depend on wheel offset and alignment.

with koni shocks and 250 lbs springs in the front, will the tire rub on the fender during braking, cornering, etc...?

Hard braking and cornering will compress your suspension, depending on speed entering the braking/cornering zone. Best to anticipate suspenion compression and plan accordingly, IMHO. Again, your tires shouldn't protrude outside the top of the fenders.

my avatar would show how much my car leans...

ANY help and tips will be GREATLY appreciated

Talk to other 944 guys. I used to run 225 fronts and 235 rears on my 944 with very happy results. With a lower-powered car, sometimes excess rubber (unsprung weight) can weigh you down. Drive smoother, and the need for extra rubber may fade, too. Just MHO.

[Josh Y]

ok so, i failed to give alot/accurate details...
the car has 1.5 negative degrees of camber in front and back...
the top of the tire sits about equal with the fender but the bottom sits about 1/4 - 1/2 inch out...

im not going spec because i dont want to be limited to certain things and im gonna need a car better than spec to get to miss Jackie....

the tires on the rims are 245 hoosier R6s... so i dont think there will be a lack of stickiness...however is it going to be TOO MUCH rubber for my car? with 150hp at the wheels?

[Dan Chambers]

ok so, i failed to give alot/accurate details...
the car has 1.5 negative degrees of camber in front and back...
the top of the tire sits about equal with the fender but the bottom sits about 1/4 - 1/2 inch out...

im not going spec because i dont want to be limited to certain things and im gonna need a car better than spec to get to miss Jackie....

the tires on the rims are 245 hoosier R6s... so i dont think there will be a lack of stickiness...however is it going to be TOO MUCH rubber for my car? with 150hp at the wheels?

Here are some opinions:

EEK! Those tires have more stick than sushi rice in a heatwave!! You won't need much tire with that much stick, and the tires are light to begin with. IF, I were running that car, I'd go with 235F/245R size, and get a really good 944 driver to sit with you ... or sit with them (see Chuck Sharp - 2008 CDI and 944 driver extrordinaire, Tim Comeau-pro-level racer, etc.) and, more than buying your faster laps ... DRIVE your faster laps. Best way to catch an opponent in the same class ... speed in the corners.

One other thing ... don't worry too much about catching Jackie, or anyone else in your class. Work on bettering your own times. The other drivers will magically appear in your windshield with practice and patience.

Just MHO. Others will disagree.

[Josh Y]

hahhaah thanks Dan...

and trust me im not buying my lap times, i can barely buy my entry fee... i was running the RA1s and there gettin pretty slick so i am in the market for new meats... and thought, hey im only 2 points into gp i might as well make myself a little more competitive...
i heard from someone, "no matter how good/bad the driver, slicks always make a difference."

so Chuck, Tim, Jackie, Dan, Jad, .....anyone of the really good 944 drivers out there want to ride with me at the next AX?

[Josh Y]

as a matter of fact, ...

is any of the "pro" 944 drivers going to the orange county region "day away from work" AX at streets of willow on monday may 5th?

anyone want to be my passenger seat driver?

[Dan Chambers]

hahhaah thanks Dan...

and trust me im not buying my lap times, i can barely buy my entry fee... i was running the RA1s and there gettin pretty slick so i am in the market for new meats... and thought, hey im only 2 points into gp i might as well make myself a little more competitive...
i heard from someone, "no matter how good/bad the driver, slicks always make a difference."

so Chuck, Tim, Jackie, Dan, Jad, .....anyone of the really good 944 drivers out there want to ride with me at the next AX?

Don't forget Morgan Trotter. He's a pretty hot shoe, too. And, Bill Ibbitson and Tami Ibbitson, Martha McGowan (Madame President can DRIVE) ... they've all taken podium in the past.

Talk to me at the next AX (May 10) about taking a couple laps. I might be able to fit a few in with you. In the mean time, work on the basics while driving around town: Look ahead, hand/wheel and pedal inputs, finding the line, good driver position ... the works. (As I always say: Practice like you compete, and you'll compete like you practice. ... Just watch your speeds around town. )

[Josh Y]

thanks Dan,
so how do you like the 911?

[Dan Chambers]

thanks Dan,
so how do you like the 911?

Twitchy, noisy, abrupt, unpredictable, terrible over-steer tendancies and completely unbalanced weight distribution, no air conditioner, old, cramped, uncomfortable, lousy ergonomics, confusing dash switches and climate control, no defroster, cr@ppy wipers, blows leaves everywhere .... in other words,

I love it!!

(And, finally, nobody asks me which year my white Toyota Supra is. )

Who knows ... some day I'll even learn to drive the dang thing.

[Josh Y]

you did learn to throw your 944 around the track though right.....?

[Steve Grosekemper]

thanks Dan,
so how do you like the 911?

Twitchy, noisy, abrupt, unpredictable, terrible over-steer tendencies and completely unbalanced weight distribution, no air conditioner, old, cramped, uncomfortable, lousy ergonomics, confusing dash switches and climate control, no defroster, cr@ppy wipers, blows leaves everywhere .... in other words,

I love it!!

(And, finally, nobody asks me which year my white Toyota Supra is. )

Who knows ... some day I'll even learn to drive the dang thing.

Dan,
You can take the boy out of the water pumper, but you can't take the water pumper out of the boy...

Maybe I can help you out as a longtime 911 driver. (First 911 drive-1982)
Your ridiculous comments in bold. Sensible explainations following...

Twitchy-Responsive
Noisy-Mechanical symphony.
Abrupt-Highly responsive
Unpredictable-Sounds like a OE to me.
Terrible over-steer tendencies- This is a feature, not a defect... (The pedal in the right will fine tune that feature)
And completely unbalanced weight distribution-So you like wheel spin coming out of tight corners, understeer, and only using the front glass to look down track...
No air conditioner-It had one before you yanked it out...
Old- People in glass houses...
Cramped-Mine is quite roomy...Have you seen what I bring to an AX?
Uncomfortable-Your 6 1/2 feet tall...Are you ever comfortable?
Lousy ergonomics-Everything is laid out where the good doctor intended for it to be. Try reading the owners manual (Oh, the cup of Starbucks goes in the left map pocket forward of the door lever) "Improvise, adapt, overcome, conquer"
Confusing dash switches- What about the light emblem on the headlights has you confused? Or maybe you can't figure out that the red levers mean hot? Ohhh ground breaking...
And climate control- OK- that's really funny. If Al Gore can't do it how do you expect Porsche to? Would you settle for climate suggestion? Roll the window down and drive faster!
No defroster-(Once again see the owners manual)
Cr@ppy wipers-If you drive faster the water races right up and over the windshield.
Blows leaves everywhere-Saves the city money on street sweepers so they can fill a few more pot holes, Jerry Sanders says thanks for doing your part!

[Dan Chambers]

Dan,
You can take the boy out of the water pumper, but you can't take the water pumper out of the boy...

Maybe I can help you out as a longtime 911 driver. (First 911 drive-1982)
Your ridiculous comments in bold. Sensible explainations following...

Twitchy-Responsive
Noisy-Mechanical symphony.
Abrupt-Highly responsive
Unpredictable-Sounds like a OE to me.
Terrible over-steer tendencies- This is a feature, not a defect... (The pedal in the right will fine tune that feature)
And completely unbalanced weight distribution-So you like wheel spin coming out of tight corners, understeer, and only using the front glass to look down track...
No air conditioner-It had one before you yanked it out...
Old- People in glass houses...
Cramped-Mine is quite roomy...Have you seen what I bring to an AX?
Uncomfortable-Your 6 1/2 feet tall...Are you ever comfortable?
Lousy ergonomics-Everything is laid out where the good doctor intended for it to be. Try reading the owners manual (Oh, the cup of Starbucks goes in the left map pocket forward of the door lever) "Improvise, adapt, overcome, conquer"
Confusing dash switches- What about the light emblem on the headlights has you confused? Or maybe you can't figure out that the red levers mean hot? Ohhh ground breaking...
And climate control- OK- that's really funny. If Al Gore can't do it how do you expect Porsche to? Would you settle for climate suggestion? Roll the window down and drive faster!
No defroster-(Once again see the owners manual)
Cr@ppy wipers-If you drive faster the water races right up and over the windshield.
Blows leaves everywhere-Saves the city money on street sweepers so they can fill a few more pot holes, Jerry Sanders says thanks for doing your part!

Now THAT is funny! Very, VERY well done. I think you missed your calling, Steve. There's a place on Prospect in La Jolla called the Comedy Store. Maybe you should book a night. Ya know ... that's what I like about the PCASDR people, every one of them is a multi-tasker.

As for "taking the boy outta the water-pumper... ": didn't you own a few 944's in your day, Steve? Hmmmm? Yeah, I thought so. Another convert. Just ask the dye'd-in-the-wool 911 types like Dan Andrews, Jad Duncan, Carl Scragg, John Straub (Team Alan Johnson Pit Crew Chief for a 944), Etc., Etc. These guys all owned (or were responsible for) 944's at some time in their past. Yes? (You guys are sooooo busted.)

I think the only stigma attached to owning a 944 ... comes from the 911 crew.

[Steve Grosekemper]

Dan,
I owned 911's for a decade before my first 944 so your theory really doesn't hold water . There were also 914's and 951's in there so I guess that would make me more non-denominational than a convert.

You say,
"I think the only stigma attached to owning a 944 ... comes from the 911 crew."

Really? How many times have you been complimented on your 911 as opposed to your 944 by non P-car individuals?
I would say about 20:1 for me.

You know I think 944's and especially 951's are great cars, but they are not 911's. Besides, what fun would it be if we all drove the same red 944.

Glad you enjoyed my attempt at comedy, Don't forget to tip your waitress...

[LUCKY DAVE]

944's and especially 951's are great cars, but they are not 911's.

And a good thing too. Someone has to drive modern designs

[Steve Grosekemper]

944's and especially 951's are great cars, but they are not 911's.

And a good thing too. Someone has to drive modern designs

You think that is a modern design?
You know Porsche stopped building 4-cylinder front engined water cooled cars in 1995.
The last 911 Porsche built was... Oh ya Yesterday.

The last front engined F-1 car...1960

And GM was building a 968 in 1961
3.2L 4-cyl water pumper, a torque tube and transaxle in the rear and 4-wheel independent suspension.
It was called the Tempest!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Tempest

Ya Ya I know... Those 911 guys...