Wheel question

[outsmartsmart]

Hi all - just got myself a 2002 CLK 320 (C208?) and very pleased except wheels look really weedy.

Looked on fleabay and a reasonable set of genuine 17" Merc' rims with useable tyres look likely to cost £5-600 or so. I'm a bit wary of provenance of these (be that theft or accident loss) and looking at aftermarket ones I could get a set of 18" rims with tyres 'ready to fit' for around £7-800 which seems much better IMO.

Questions are; looking through previous postings it mentions 'hub centric' as being a check required - what's this? Also many advertise the rims as being one-size front and rear whereas standard fit are bigger on the rear with wider/lower profile tyres to compensate. Some companies go on to say they are 'staggered wheels' which I took to mean as per Merc' standard fit or do they just use different sized tyres on same sized rims? Why do Merc' do this 'staggered' fit and is it necessary to replicate.

This wheel/tyre malarkey yis a lot more complicated than I expected!!!!

 

[television]

Fatter tyres on the rear are more expensive to run and replace

The hub centric means that the hub of the car has a rim, and the wheel has a grove that fit on to this rim,and that keeps the wheel spot on the center and the bolts just hold the wheel on, on non hub centric wheels the bolts do the centering. Fitting non hub centric wheels to the car you will never be able to balance the wheels

 

[Bolide]

IMHO you'd be better off with MB rims than aftermarket

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[outsmartsmart]

If I found a decent set that I was comfortable with regarding provenence I would do but failing that a set of brand new 18" rims with new quality tyres, balanced and ready to fit for a fraction more sounds the way to go.

I know I will have to inform insurance (not an issue) and it may not be 'right' on a Merc' but its an older car that I won't be sticking through mainstream MB dealers so I don't have any great hang-up on them not being OE parts overall, plus black wheels with polished rims will look pretty good as well on silver car with black hood, got to be better than pokey 16" rims with half worn tyres ;-)

 

[television]

If I found a decent set that I was comfortable with regarding provenence I would do but failing that a set of brand new 18" rims with new quality tyres, balanced and ready to fit for a fraction more sounds the way to go.

I know I will have to inform insurance (not an issue) and it may not be 'right' on a Merc' but its an older car that I won't be sticking through mainstream MB dealers so I don't have any great hang-up on them not being OE parts overall, plus black wheels with polished rims will look pretty good as well on silver car with black hood, got to be better than pokey 16" rims with half worn tyres ;-)

If ever I have my AMG winter wheels refurbished, I would do them in Black with a silver rim, this is big in the USA and looks nice on a silver car, never caught on tha much over here

 

[lestearle]

I recently put a nice set of aftermarket rims on my c220 cdi no problem at all look great and were about the 650 mark with spigot rings that take up any difference in the centres wider at the rear than the fronts

 

[roofless]

looks very smart with the deep dish wheels

 

[outsmartsmart]

Well, I think I've decided on 18" rims so just need to sort the tyres out. Standard tyres on current 16" rims are 225/55 x 16. For the new rims I've been offered a deal with 225/45 x 18 tyres which seems a bit narrow when going for an upgrade (and the rolling radius will be incresed?). However bigger/lower tyres cost more so any benefit to pay extra for 245 width and even more to go staggered with wider rim and 265's on the rear.

I add that change is for aesthetics only, I'm not a boy racer and this is my occasional use only 'third' car so I'm thinking of saving the cash unless advised otherwise?

 

[television]

Well, I think I've decided on 18" rims so just need to sort the tyres out. Standard tyres on current 16" rims are 225/55 x 16. For the new rims I've been offered a deal with 225/45 x 18 tyres which seems a bit narrow when going for an upgrade (and the rolling radius will be incresed?). However bigger/lower tyres cost more so any benefit to pay extra for 245 width and even more to go staggered with wider rim and 265's on the rear.

I add that change is for aesthetics only, I'm not a boy racer and this is my occasional use only 'third' car so I'm thinking of saving the cash unless advised otherwise?

The figures above do not look correct, going by the chart

http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/information/fitting_chart/mercedes-benz

 

[lestearle]

Well, I think I've decided on 18" rims so just need to sort the tyres out. Standard tyres on current 16" rims are 225/55 x 16. For the new rims I've been offered a deal with 225/45 x 18 tyres which seems a bit narrow when going for an upgrade (and the rolling radius will be incresed?). However bigger/lower tyres cost more so any benefit to pay extra for 245 width and even more to go staggered with wider rim and 265's on the rear.

I add that change is for aesthetics only, I'm not a boy racer and this is my occasional use only 'third' car so I'm thinking of saving the cash unless advised otherwise?

Well have a look at mine they are 91/2x18 on the rear with 255x35x18 tyres on the rear and 81/2x18 with 225x40x18 tyres on the front and they seem fine