Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Hi,

I have staggered 7 inch (front) and 8 inch (rear) 15 inch wheels and I need to replace my rear tyres as they are well past their best. Plenty of tread but very old and cracking. Plus I think they are overtyred and are effecting performance. I think they are 225/60's

I want to take it on track in May at the annual Bedford Trackday so I need tyres that are ok for track use. I am aware that ideally I should replace all tyres to get a consistent grip but this is beyond my budget as its going in for body work this spring as well.

The options appear to be the original 215/60 fitment or 225/50.

I think my front tyres are 215/60 but they may be 205/60. They are only 2 years old.

Any views on 215 vs 225?

I have read that the 225/50's may look at bit skinny if the car has not been lowered at all.

Also any recommended makes.

Have a look at this link to "What Tyres ?", it may help, or do another search.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=15508&p=103555&hilit=toyo+proxes&sid=5498c2d56010b42c12d0488c0933e158#p103465

I am about to fit kumho 225/50 spt 31s to replace my worn avon rears, had 201/55 kumhos fitted last summer to the front of my car.

I think kumhos are a good compound for occasional track days.

I would get Kumho's but they only do the required size in Solus which is not a performance tyre.

They must have in the past as the tyres on the car are Kumho Ecstas.

I'd like to get Goodyear Eagle GT's for it but they only seem to sell these in the US. They look good on these wheels (fuchs).

Just to complete this topic I recalled I obtained the correct Porsche brochure for my year of car and that had information on the wheel and tyre options available. The information is as follows:

Standard was 7J x15 light alloy Teledials with 195/65 VR15 tyres all round.

Optional 1 was forged alloy Fuchs wheels 7J x 15 front and 8J x 15 rear with 215/60 VR 15 tyres all round (My wheel set up). This tyre set up was available on the standard wheels also.

Optional 2 was 7J x 16 front and 8J x 16 rear forged alloy Fuchs wheels with 205/55 VR16 tyres front and 225/50 VR16 tyres rear.

Looks like a set of 215/60 VR15 tyres for me. Still no idea what a good fast road tyre in this size would be other than the ultra expensive Porsche OE Pirrelli P6000's.

It is interesting to note that the picture in the brochure shows the 15 inch Fuchs wheels with Dunlop SP Sport tyres not Pirrelli's!! Maybe they couldn't afford them either!!

Well worth finding a set of 16" rims as the tyres availabe are much better

I was going to suggest the same thing for availability.

The other choice would be to go for the following in your sizes:

Continental Premium Contact in 215/60R15. I had these on another car and they were great. They are not a performance based tyre mind you but I reckon they would be better than P6000s which are now quite an old design.

You can get more performance orientated tyres in 15" but they also involve dropping down a few profiles (and a little in width).

I notice from this months Total 911 magazine that Marcus Walker has Hoosier 225/50 R15's on his 15x8 fuchs on the front of his 1970's 930 911 Turbo.

Shame they are not legal on UK roads. Also he's lowered that car so the tires don't look too small.

That size is another option though. It would reduce top speed but would help acceleration.

Who needs top speed with the new passive speed cameras being rolled out on UK Motorways. Any more than 77mph and you get a ticket.

IME larger and smaller wheels do seem to have a strange effect. Put it this way, my Stag drove better on the replacement 15" wheels with the larger rolling radius that it left the factory with over the stock wheels with smaller tyres (done since the originally specificed sized tyres now cost a small fortune (over £100 a corner).