Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/622021
January / February 2016 14 TECHNICAL EDITOR By Karl Wilen P orsche released the center locking wheels with the 997 models to the general public. They were quite popular to order when they first came out as owners saw the racing heritage and just had to have them. Unfortunately, they quickly came to the realization that center lock wheels were kind of a pain to deal with! Instead of 5 lugs nuts per wheel torqued to a mere 96ft/lbs, all of a sudden there was only one locking lug, a special tool required (though contrary to many dealer's statements, the tool does come with the car), a really big torque wrench (not included and $$$), a torque spec of roughly 370ft/lbs for the street, and what in the racing circle we refer to as "The Brake Helper." Okay, maybe we don't use the term "helper", but this is a PG publication, or at least it is after Stan is done editing my articles. (Yes, yes it is eventually. ~ Editor) The "Brake Helper" is a second person to hold the brake pedal on when loosening or tightening the center locks, because due to the high torque, you can actually spin the wheels on the ground unless you are applying the brake at the same time. It's up to you to convince your wife or kids to help you change your wheels, and well… good luck! Ultimately, many owners have decided to convert their center lock wheels back to a regular 5 lug wheel pattern for ease of wheel removal, etc. This is especially handy for those tracking the vehicles that are swapping wheels/tires/brakes on a regular basis. There has also been some reports of center lock failures on the racetrack, but it is my firm belief these instances were due to improper installation, improper torque, or not setting the locking portion of the center lock properly after torqueing the wheel. I know right now there are some center lock owners going "….." (Careful there Karl. ~ Editor) Not setting the locking portion….what the heck is that!" It is a fairly straight forward conversion; you will need 4 new wheel bearings, (4) 5 lug wheel hubs, 20 lug bolts, and a set of 5 lug wheels. All other components remain the same. Photos by Karl Wilen GT3 5 Lug Conversion GOODBYE BRAKE HELPER