Looking at this forum I notice that a lot of people change their standard carrera S wheels (lobster stye) that comes in their 997 for aftermarket wheels.

Why?

I understand that the standard wheels are actually one of the lightest and strongest wheels that you can use in your porsche. So, better looking wheels is the main advantage I see in the aftermarket wheels.

Is there any other reason? Something wrong with the standard wheels that I'm not aware?

 

They actually are not the lightest or even the best quality . They are adequate and certainly better than some of the inferior aftermarket wheels but they can not compete with the high quality forged wheels (light and strong). The lobster forks are a cast wheel =heavier .

Style is also a point of interest. Just as one chooses a car's color and options he can also choose a wheel which fits the criteria of performance but also offers a styling appeal which customizes his vehicle.

 

Generally because they are not very creative and limit tire sizing as well as wheel offsets.

And every Porsche comes with them so there is not much individualism.

Now in fairness some chosen wheels and sizes are ridiculous but if you want to see a beautiful set of wheels, see: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...oes-today.html

It should be evident from this why wheels are changed.

There are others posted here that are equally beautiful but these stand out to me.

Notice where the rubber is with respect to the body (offset) and then look at the same on an OEM set-up.

 

It is mostly due to the mod bug that a number of us get, it quickly becomes a incurable disease. I think that the lobster claws are ugly. My first 997 had them, I bought a set of HRE's. My second 997 came with Carrera Classics, I like them and I sold the HRE's and still have the stock wheels.

 

Usually folks are buying forged aftermarket wheels (e.g., Champion) - lighter and stronger...and then there's the appearance factor too. Most 19 inch Champions are going to be 20 pounds lighter (in total) than the lightest Porsche OEM wheel the Carrera S.

 

Yeah it's mostly a style / personalization thing. I happen to like the lobsters, but I think style-wise a nice set of 20" rims looks much better on the 997 chassis.

 

Maybe it is just me but the looks of 20" wheels on 911's look way too Pimp my ride-ish. There is a certain balance to the stock Porsche models.

I am always amazed at the after market buzz followed 20 years later by the push to make everything stock and original to make the car more valuable.
I have a couple of 356 Porsches and a 997S (stock) and people pay big bucks for stock unmolested and original cars. When they are modified they lose value and are less desirable. Porsche usually has it right from the get go but it takes people a long time to realize it.

The modified exhaust frenzy of the 356 cars was proven to be b.s. at a recent dyno test proving the stock exhaust provided the most performance. Even back in the 50's and 60's the Porsche engineers had it right and balanced the car for it's intended purpose.
My 2 cents

 

As far as I am concerned the 05-08 Lobsters look great, not a big fan of the 09 997S wheel. My issue with the OEM lobster's is the fact they are only 8" wide in front. I wish they would have gone with a 8.5" wide wheel instead. Then you can run a 245/305 setup without inducing more push. Even better would be a 9" wide wheel to run a 255 up front. This is the only reason why I even considered moving out of the OEM wheel.

Dave

 

Has anybody collected data about the weight of the most popular 19" and 20" wheels (champions, BBS, HRE, etc..) that fit the 997 and 997S?

It would be interesting to compare their weight against the most popular wheels that come with our cars from the factory: the lobster style, the carrera classic, the 997 gt3, 997 turbo wheels, and the sport design.

I think It will be an objective comparison.

Any wheel expert wants to share this info?

I agree with Gcalo, those wheels are really beautiful. They have class and style.

 

I am finding that accessory wheels are not necessarily lighter than OEM and that's primarily due to wanting increased sizes over OEM and the requirement that the larger wheels can handle the stress.

The 12 X 19 TE-14 iForged for my 360 weighs 27. +/- lbs. I know that's more then the SAC's I now have that are 10 X 19, and the offset is more positive then the SAC's.

So, consider that there is more stress on that rim at that size.

Then one has to consider the increased weight of the larger tires we want to use. With a 325/30-19 Pilot Sport Cup tire the overall weight does not become critical to me because I want the look and the ride.

So weight really is not a major issues in reality. Sure we'd all like to shed unsprung weight but I think it is difficult to accomplish for most street applications.

Racing is another issue. How many of us are racing?

I think you have to put your trust into the hands of the wheel maker that he is giving you the lightest wheel he can for the application.

With respect to BBS, the Challenge Stradale 19" street rims have limited strength. They bend easily but look fantastic.

So there's the trade off!

 

I took my aftermarket wheels off today and went for a drive with the stock ones!
Aftermarket wheels are DPE S-20 with Pirelli p-zero nero 305/25/20 rear and 235/30/20 front
20x11 rear and 20x8.5 front
First off,I definately noticed a bit more acceleration using the stock tires and wheels(Understandably) but what I wasn't really ready for was the ride.....I like the ride and feel of the 20's better .
I found the road feel (if that is a term) made the car a bit more of a handful to drive with the stock tires and wheels,it pulled and followed the ruts.The 20's seem to be a little more forgiving to the ruts and imperfections on the road surface,I feel the 20's were even a smoother ride.
Being that the DPE wheels and tires are heavier than the stocks(I think Dpe tires and wheels front 48.8lbs and 56.4 rear) could that make the road feel smoother?
I would also love to know the weights of the stock tires and wheels(forgot to weigh them before putting them on.
I also notice that my stock 295/30/19 Pirelli p-zero rosso appears to have a wider looking stance than the 305/25/20 Pirelli p-zero nero.
Am I imagining this stuff or could it be,like I said above I fully understand the acceleration part but the rest I don't !
Here are a couple of pics of the set-ups !


Stacy

PS if you are wondering why the bodykit and wheels came off?
I do this every year to detail,clean and check everything over before winter storage,which is going to happen shortly!
I will even dust and wipe the whole undercarriage,LOL !
BTW I really do not like the way my car looks right now without all of this stuff!

 

That really made me chuckle.. because given the chance to individualize on paint color, nearly 95% of the 911's I'm seeing on the road are one of 3 colors: black, some shade of grey, or some shade of silver. So much for individualism.

I guess its selective... They want their grey 911 to look a bit different than the next guy's grey 911.

 

Exactly why I'm looking for a set of 20's right now, my Arctic Silver 997S blends in with the crowd, silver is dime a dozen. Your car reflects who you are, your individualism. Now go out and get a new set. Use your lobsters claws for your winter set like i will.

 

man, I generally hate gold wheels, but that looks HOT HOT HOT

damn, VERY impressive !

hats off

 

Thank you very much !
I love your Beck 550 too !

Stacy