how to reduce tyre roar/cls 320/run flats

[nitroman]

firstly i must apologise for not getting back to some people on previous posts of mine....is there a way to set a email reminder when a fellow member responds to a question? i dont want to look ignorant...or not thankfull!

enjoying my 320 cls with the exception of three things that are quite dissapointing!

1.is there any way of reducing the tyre roar! 25k so far and the rear tyres are shot so i am wanting to change brand from the standard contis run flats to something quieter? will consider changing all 4 tyres to non-run flats if thats the only way.....has anyone had any sucess with a different tyre manufacturer?

2.when it rains or on a damp day i can seem to clear the windscreen of condensation unless i use the air con(works well but want to save fuel) or i can use the quick clear button(works well but far too hot to keep on and too noisey) and if i take the heating off auto and set the vents to the screen i have to have the heat quite high and the fan almost on full to almost clear the screen! is this normal for a cls?

3.i get a rattle/vibration from the ash tray unless its open! cant seem to make it quiet when closed!

thank you in anticipation of your help...

 

[Xtractorfan]

The tyre thing if your car came fitted with run flats, it will invalidate your insurance if you fit normal tyres..and no responsible tyre fitter will do it for you..contis I always thot were noisy ... and stick a piece of foam into the ash tray and then shut it ..

 

[dragon]

Cls run flat as standard? Surely you can use normal tyres. This is new, it will invalidate insurance.

All new Beemer are fitted run flat and there are so many problems, many changed to normal and didn't hear any rants it will invalidate ins.

 

[television]

Interesting points on invalidating the insurance,,If premium tyres of another make was used, I do not see how this could be the case, more so as not all CLS cars come with run flats

In all my years I have never heard of a case where tyre company has been sued in the event of a non payout.

 

[dragon]

Where did you hear that Xfactorfan?

Can you provide fact to prove the point?

 

[dragon]

I heard that maybe you may have to change the wheels too because normal tyres do not fit in runflat wheels.

 

[colechelle]

As far as i know mercs have never fitted a run flat!!!

 

[television]

As far as i know mercs have never fitted a run flat!!!

Thank you Cole I was to nervous to say that

 

[dragon]

So am I, for telling me off not to answer, when I don't know.

 

[Xtractorfan]

Repaired a 5 series BMw with runflats two weeks ago..noticed a bulge on one of the tyres and pointed it out to the very pretty young lady owner,,also front l'h lower ball joint hanging off the car.. but with the tyre she said she was aware of the bulge and was going to change the run flats because of noise and harshness , then she told me that she had enquired at two tyre centres and both told her that they would be invalidating her insurance and their own insurance if the fitted ordinary tyres..apparently the rim size is the same.. so it can be done.. later speaking to her dad who dropped her off for the car he confirmed the insurance thing and then told me she was a cop...so ..but as said I dont think any mercs have ever fitted the run flats.. tho the newer models who knows

 

[television]

Just read this on a search.

Car makers that fit run" flat tyres" have to fit a tyre monitoring system, so without this it could cause problems with the insurance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-flat_tire

 

[dragon]

As I said if you got run flat tyres, you need to change the wheels too.

 

[television]

As I said if you got run flat tyres, you need to change the wheels too.

Not so,, the tyre monitors are nothing to do with the wheels and run flats fit normal wheels

 

[jberks]

When it rains or on a damp day i can seem to clear the windscreen of condensation unless i use the air con(works well but want to save fuel) or i can use the quick clear button(works well but far too hot to keep on and too noisey) and if i take the heating off auto and set the vents to the screen i have to have the heat quite high and the fan almost on full to almost clear the screen! is this normal for a cls?

Its normal for every car I have ever driven. Aircon includes a dehumidifier which is why it clears the screen more quickly. Otherwise, on a damp day you're drawing damp air into the car, warming it slightly and allowing it to hit the cold glass screen - atr which point it will naturally condensate - getting condensation. In the days before aircon, we all used to have the heaters on full hot - directed to the screen, which kept the screens clear by not allowing the air to condense. With climate, once the cabin is up to temp, the air temperature automatically reduces and hence is no longer effective at stopping the condensation.
2 Things. Firstly and most importantly, keep the aircon on. Turing it off is a false economy, especially on something as powerful as a 320cdi. The 6hp hit for the compressor makes a difference on a 90hp fiesta but not a 224bhp merc, especially given that it is probably not running anyway as it's automatically controlled. Also, running without aircon long term can damage it.
Secondly. Moisture needs something to attach to, so you can reduce condensation by ensuring that all glass is clean. It may look it but you'd be surprised. I cleaned my already clean screen a couple of weeks ago and looking at the cloth afterwards, found it had still turned black.


On the tyre debate - I too was surprised to hear that MB fitted run flats. But, assuming they did, I understood that run- flat wheels had a different lip, designed to stop the tyre pulling out when running flat. Some sort of hook shape design that the tyre sidewall locks into. This may not fit well with standard tyre sidewalls.
To quote wikipedia
"Advantages: The use of run flat tires on passenger cars does provide several distinct advantages. The first is dynamic safety, since the run flat tire has a very strong carcass and is also designed to remain intact on the specially designed wheel rim (deflated tire will not separate from the rim)."

 

[dragon]

Told you so, Malcolm, read that on the other side in spring.

Runflat is very unpopular, many are switching back to normal tyres. You need to change to normal wheels if normal tyres used.

Didn't understand that bit about tyre companies not willing to fit normal tyres in runflat wheels will invalidate insurance.

 

[PeterCLK]

On the tyre debate - I too was surprised to hear that MB fitted run flats. But, assuming they did, I understood that run- flat wheels had a different lip, designed to stop the tyre pulling out when running flat. Some sort of hook shape design that the tyre sidewall locks into. This may not fit well with standard tyre sidewalls.
To quote wikipedia
"Advantages: The use of run flat tires on passenger cars does provide several distinct advantages. The first is dynamic safety, since the run flat tire has a very strong carcass and is also designed to remain intact on the specially designed wheel rim (deflated tire will not separate from the rim)."

Here are some disadvantages of run flats. It should be noted that Toyota use the Bridgestone support ring system and as far as I know is the only manufacturer that does.

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=88856&hl=run+flats

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=88632&hl=run+flats

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83330&hl=run+flats

 

[nitroman]

hi and thanks for your replys.......it turns out that i have normal tyre after all! i assumed they were run flat as the indicator message said.....check tyre pressures and reset run flat indicator! couple this with the trye roar and i thought they must be run flats!!!
ah well, fitting 2 michelins on friday so will let you guys know how quiet they are!

mr banks, i hear what you are saying about the screen and from now on i will keep the air con activated....

thanks for your kind help!

 

[television]

Thank you nitroman, so this thread can run flat now:wink:

 

[gizze]

Let's clear up some myths about run flats, I have now had 5 cars using run flats, and I swap them over as soon as I collect the car. The stiff sidewalls seem to be worse on smaller wheels as there is more sidewall. 17" are really bad, 18 just bad and 19's are not that much worse than the non run flat......until you get to winter.

As soon as the temp. drops below 5ºc the compound changes and the tyres get very hard, very noisy and almost dangerous. The way the back end skips about on anything other than snooker table smooth surfaces is scary.

Now, a run flat tyre can only be fitted to an EH2 or EH2+ rim, this has a deeper bead round it which keeps a tyres on the rim when there is a blowout (also the reason fitters find it hard to remove the tyres). The car must also be fitted with a monitor system as you don't know you have a flat.
However, must rims made in the last 5 years or so are EH2 and anything for a sports car will be EH2+, so not only can you fit a regular tyre to any rim on the market, you can also fit a run flat to most rims out there on newish prestige car as well.

Run flats can also be repaired in the same way and with the same rules as regular tyres, however, some garages will not repair them as they can't tell how long they have been run on while flat. On regular tyres you see the stress marks on the sidewalls but with run flats you don't. That is why some refuse to repair them, nothing more than that.
You will get ignorant staff telling you run flats can't be repaired, but if you speak to the head office they will tell you the real reason.


Insurance??
If you change your tyres you should notify your insurer, but they will be fine, I have not heard of one insurer refusing the use of run flats and I know hundreds of people of the BMW forums who have done it.



I would look at fitting 4 x Falken FK452's, they are a superb tyre which feels and handles like the Goodyear F1 GDS3 tyre, 4 x 17's will be about £350 fitted and 4 x 18's will be around £400 fitted.
2 rear run flat will cost that!

 

[PeterCLK]

Not sure if I'm reading this correctly, but appears MOE (extended) are run flat "type" fitted for some countries.

http://www4.mercedes-benz.com/e/cars/cls/b...50E.html#N27B9C