seeking your thoughts on 15" upgrade

[joelrkaplan]

Wanted to hear your thoughts on upgrading my oe 14"Fuchs to a set of 15 x 6. The T that I bought has Yokes w/ only 5k miles but they are close to 6 yrs. old! After speaking to Tire Rack the industry std is to discard tires at about 6 yrs. They are visually fine but do feel a bit skittish on spirited driving. It is hard for me to judge as I have never owned an early 911. Besides aesthetic differences, would the larger 15 x 6 be something I would feel over the 14 x 4.5(?)...if not I rather just get new tires and save the $$$ and not get the 15's.....TIA

[pwd72s]

I think you'd be happier with 15 X 6...if Fuchs are beyond your budget, maybe consider cookie cutters?

[joelrkaplan]

Thanx...cookies just don't do it for me aesthetically.....could you be more specific on why you think the 15's would be more satisfying...I remember your old posts stating you wish you had kept your 15x 6's.....

[pwd72s]

Because of the extra width over your 14's...and because of a slightly better tire selection, tho it is getting hard to find performance tires in 15" sizes these days. One thing I would NOT suggest are replica fuchs because of the looks. Cookies are safer...If they are factory, isn't the width stamped inside the 14" fuchs?

[joelrkaplan]

they are factory.....will pull one off this weekend to confirm width.....thanks again.

[ttweed]

Originally posted by joelrkaplan
they are factory.....will pull one off this weekend to confirm width.....thanks again.

The 14" Fuchs were all 5.5" wide, no? Part of the "Comfort" option the factory offered for awhile?

The idea was that the increased sidewall height of the 14" tire would help dampen shocks from the road surface. If you can get the tires you want in a 14" size, I don't see any reason to change them out. Going to 15" x 6" isn't going to give you a lot, other than a wider selection of tire choices. Unless you're racing, or driving the car hard at the limit, a half inch in rim width is not going to matter much.

As far as the 6-year-old tires go, it's true that they are beyond normal "shelf-life" from the manufacturer's viewpoint. But unless they are heavily weathered (sun exposure w/sidewall cracking, etc.), they could be freshened up with a little Formula V and perform just fine, in all likelihood. The compound hardens with age and loses grip, but it's pretty amazing what a few added aromatics can do for old rubber. Of course NO manufacturer will ever endorse using such an additive, but there are a lot of cheapskate autocrossers who do it all the time.

TT

[Porsche Rescue]

Tom, please tell me more about "aromatics". I am a cheap autocrosser. I have some BFG R1 Comp TA's that are old but have lots of rubber left. They are hard and slippery. Love to find a way to revive them a bit.

[Zeke]

Just do a google on "tire traction compunds" and similar terms. There have been many dressings for tire tread for years, most of it snake oil. You can't beat a new tire. Guys keep their tires in black plastic bags to preserve the original airomatics (sp?). Some say you can put it back, some are skeptical. And it depends a lot on the product. As Tom says, the tire industry isn't going to tell you anything.

[joelrkaplan]

hmmm, thanks for the insight..always thought they were 4.5......when I take it off I'll see.....if 5.5 then I'll put the cash elswhere...thanks

[RandyWebb]

Aromatics are the chemicals that volitalize off from something and usually have an odor (they're "aromatic")

Keeping tires in a bag might help -- BUT I suspect a lot of the hardening is from continued vulcanization. A bag won't stop that.

Keeping th tire away from ozone is important (ironic, isn't it, that the pollution from the car is what damages the car...)

Yes, a new tire is always best - they may have some squirm and that is why they are shaved.