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Another Carrera S wheels bent/tire damage. Possible solution

4753 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  B6RACER03
I have manage to bent my two front Carrera S 20” wheels and damage the Pirellis P-zeros in less that 800 miles. This is not acceptable specially since none were damaged by significant potholes. The second tire when hit the pothole sounded like it collapsed hitting the rim even before the shock absorber did anything. To me it sounded like the sidewalls on the Pirrelis are not strong enough to deal with the weight of the tire assembly. The rear tires and rims are perfect, no damage at all. After studing the situation I realized that the Pirellis P-zeros are not extra load(xl) rated like the other alternative, the Michelin Sport 4S. The load index for the Pirellis is 88 versus the Michelin’s 92. I had a couple of turbo S before with a front tire size 245/35/20 and a load index of 95(the same load index as the undamaged rear 265/35/20 and no damage from the same roads.

I have two possible scenarios and need input from someone knowledgeable in this specific situations. Not guessing please.

#1. Switch to Michelin 4S N0 extra load in the oem size with a load index of 92 vs 88 for the front and 98 vs 95 for the rear and hope this increase is enough in the front.

#2. Switch to Michelins 4S extra load but in 245/35/20 front with a 95 index load and 275/35/20 in the rear with a 99 index load. I feel this is my safer option, specially in the front with the same tires size as the turbo S’s. But there are two unknowns with this option that hopefully someone can help me out:

First the front tires sizes comes on the N0 Porsche designation but not the rear ones(On the Tire Rack site the 265/35/20 Michelin’s 4S are only offered with no designation, made in the US or the BMW star designation made in Fr) I will have to buy the set as a non N0 set made completely in the US or mix the front NO (made in Fr) with the rear ones either with no designation (US) or the Michelin 4S BMW star designation made in Fr.

The second unknown I have is if the increased width with the resulting increase in overall diameter of the tires will affect any of the systems in the car even though I maintaining the same relation between the front and rear of 3% as oem.

So in summary I need answers to my unknowns In scenario #2 to see if it is even a feasible alternative to compare to scenario #1. Any educated info is appreciated since these are both very expensive scenarios to do on faith alone.
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The sidewalls may not support any weight, but they do make the tire stiff, and thus when you hit a pothole an XL rated tire will help avoid a bent rim.
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