W245 SE with 17" wheels & low profile tyres

MagicalHorn

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Hello,

My 2008 B200 SE CDI which I've just bought (a month ago) from an independent dealer is OK in every respect, but it has had 17" wheels with low profile tyres fitted (from new according to the works specification booklet that came with it).

The ride is quite harsh and I'm already considering replacing them with the standard 16" wheels and normal profile tyres.

Howeve, I'm not sure if the suspension itself is a "sports suspension" and indeed, i'm not even sure if there is different suspension setup for "sports".

Does anyone, if there are different suspensions and if so how would I be able to find out which mine is.

I don't want to go to the expense of buying new wheels, if the suspension could be the underlying cause of the harsh ride.

Regards
 

television

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16" will help a little, what pressures are you running on, many newer cars now have the stupidly high figures for the emission test, You could try the car on 2.2 all round or 32lb


17" wheels give a sidewall height of 96.75mm and 16" takes it to 112,75mm, not a lot for the cost involved .
 
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MagicalHorn

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Television,

Thanks for the suggestion - I tried 32psi on all four tyres and there was a noticeable improvement. I'll let it run like this for a couple of weeks and then I may try them at 34psi (I don't like deviating too much from the MB recommendations which are 36psi all round). When checking the tyres the back two were at 40 psi (as you surmised) and the front two were at 37 and 35). As I've olny had the car for a couple of weeks and the dealer said he'd serviced it, you'd think he'd have checked that the tyre pressures were all at the recommended setting.

I'll update this post if I get any interesting results re: different tyre pressures.

doberman,

Thanks for the advice re: brakes - I've checked and they're the standard size.

Thanks to both for the help.
 

Boxbrownie

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ML350Cdi BE but now a Q3
I think you'll find that if it is indeed a SE then it will have the "standard" comfort suspension, the Sport models are the ones that get blasted for hard ride, yours may just have been an SE with the option of bigger alloy wheels at new, in which case a switch should make a useful difference.
 

Boxbrownie

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As I've olny had the car for a couple of weeks and the dealer said he'd serviced it, you'd think he'd have checked that the tyre pressures were all at the recommended setting.

Now this part should really be in the joke section :lol:

If only..........
 
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MagicalHorn

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I know what yo mean by the joke section. Still it doen't hurt to be a bit of an optomist does it.

Well, I've been running with the pressures at 32psi for a week now, over a good mixture of roads, good and bad and the ride, although improved, is still a bid hard for my liking.

So I'll probaby wait until the tyres need to be changed (I reckon in about 6 months) and look out for some 16" wheels, although another thought did creep into my mind which was to see if "normal" profile tyres on my 17" wheels would be an option. I'd obviously need to get the speedo re-calibrated, but this should be cheaper than buying new wheels - I just need to know if the increased total diameter would be OK and wouldn't cause any steering problems or wheel arch fouling.

Anyone any ideas on this before I approach my local MB Dealer for advice?

Best Regards
 

BeeJay

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SL 350 (2008) and Lexus LS 430 (2003)
My wife drives a W245 B200 CDi. It also came with 17" wheels and low-profile tyres. The roads around us are not in the best condition, and the the ride is certainly harsh. We have tried different tyre pressures, without much impact.

I was thinking of going all the way to 15" wheels, and standard profile tyres to improve the ride. Is this going to be OK? A number of companies sell 15" alloys which they say are suitable for the W245.

Comments, please ?
 

television

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Yes and why not go to 15" the ET is important and about 44 for 15" wheels
 

BeeJay

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Yes and why not go to 15" the ET is important and about 44 for 15" wheels

Thanks for this. I must admit that I had to look up the meaning of ET. Please don't be offended, but you said 'about' 44. How can I get a definitive answer for the ET?

Thank you.
 

television

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