Steering question

[911hillclimber]

Just back from my first drive in my ex hillclimb 911 today, first 20 mile drive (B roads) in 2025.

Tyres are 8 years old, ride perfectly, Dunlop Blu Response sports, 195 x 65 x 15" all round on 7" Cookies.

I have 2 6" Cookies and I'm considering changing the front 7" to the 6" rims on skinnier tyres, 185 or even 175.

Would this further improve the steering feel?
Heavy at speed up to 30 mph, fabulous at 40+.

Just a question of curiosity, but would I benfit in feel if I simply fitted skinnier tyres all round but fresh??

[Nine One One]

Try raising the tyre pressure by say 2 or 3 psi? on the front

[911hillclimber]

I'm at 28Fr and 32Rr, factory spec, but worth a try! (30/34).
Thanks for the reply.

[RobFrost]

Personally I think fatter rear tyres make a huge improvement in roadholding and safety on a 911, so I wouldn't slim down the rear tyres.

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[Gary71]

Happy for you to come up and have a go in mine Graham? Steering is as good as I believe it could be having now rebuilt the rack and all the bits that matter are new!

Could also just borrow my front wheels for a lap on the local test route?

[911hillclimber]

Thank you Gary, have lined-up the loan of 2 6" rims from a fellow DDK'r with standard size tyres to try.
Also, it was suggested to add 2 psi to the normal 28/32 pressures and that did make a nice difference.

Have FAR bigger engine issues on my mind right now!

[hot66]

Interestingly I run 26 / 29 in my 73 car and find the steering lovely

[911hillclimber]

I think I set too much caster when I aligned my car a few years ago, might have been 7 degrees on both sides.
Think maybe 5 is better.

[911hillclimber]

John off these DDK pages dropped off a smart set of 6 x15 Cookies with very good Blockley tyres fitted for me to try the car out and see if a good change could be had the other day.

Off with my 7 x15 Cookies (195 x 65 Dunlop tyres, now 8 years old) and went for a local B road run/lanes in the car with the narrow 6" rims.

Not a great difference, but certainly lighter steering at low parking speeds.

The steering 'wriggle' is still not there, so I now think this is down to alignment of the front end, prob excessive Caster.

To my mind the car looks good with the 6" on the front, 7" to the rear, the inch coming out of the outside rim width.

So, not conclusive and not a quantum change, though the steering wheel is now markedly off centre driving dead ahead! No load on the wheel just as the car drives straight down the road the steering wheel is clockwise about 10 degrees off centre...