MarkG

...smooth the ride of my 2011 E550 Cabriolet? I don't know enough about the various models to know whether the suspension is the main culprit or the low profile tires on the 18" OEM wheels. I had a loaner C-class for a couple of days with 17" wheels and the ride was noticeably smoother.

I realize I'm going the opposite direction of the performance crowd...but the convertible is my cruiser.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

M

Jeffy

In general yes, the smaller 17" wheel with corresponding taller sidewall tires should reduce some of the harshness in the ride.

MarkG

Thanks for the reply, Jeff. I probably should have worded my question more precisely. I agree that the tall sidewalls will reduce some of the harshness. My real question should have been along the lines of "Is the suspension in the E550 cab equal to or similar enough to the C class or other similar size models with 17" wheels, or is the E suspension tuned specifically for 18" wheels? My goal is a smoother ride."

Jeffy

Its my understanding that the E-coupe/cab suspension is indeed different (or tuned differently) from the C-class. And by different I mean stiffer and more damped (and probably more so in E550 than E350) which would tend to have a harsher ride than C-class. Our E550 cab is definitely more stiff and damped than any C-class I have been in (non-AMG).

MarkG

That's what I figured, although I couldn't find details. I rather doubt any of my ideas will make a difference significant enough to justify the cost.

The dealer I bought the car from (used; they specialize in nothing but MB and Jag and Lexus) recommended Toyos to get the smoothest possible ride out of my car. I may go that route when the time comes.

Appreciate the assistance.

MikeDC

Apparently the 550 Cab. is noted for being a bit stiff. I wouldn't mind a little softer ride myself. Would going from 235/40 to 235/45 and from 255/35 to 255/40 make much difference? Would there be rubbing issues or other problems?

Jeffy

Its too stiff for you in Comfort mode? I think it would make a minor improvement but I don't know if there would be rubbing issues. Also, the larger diameter tire may throw the speedo off a bit and possibly mess with ABS. Just conjecturing, I don't know for sure.

MikeDC

For me, it's probably more noticeable because I'm coming from a CLK500 with 17" wheels. Never felt a bump in that boat

fourcircle

MarkG, brand and make of tire can make a considerable difference in the ride quality you get. Don't think you need to drop to 17s. Try this first. I too was in search of a more comfortable ride but also didn't want to loose too much in handling. I tried a number of tires before settling on the holy grail. Here's what I found:

Michelin AS3 - hard and noisy, but handle great.
Bridgestone RE970 - handle good, quiet, but ride HARD.
Continental DWS - very quiet, very cushy, but hard to balance and handle terribly. Downright dangerous at speed if you ask me.
Michelin Pilot Super Sport - this is a summer tire, so it handles fantastically, but it is also very quiet, very comfortable and wears very well. They are warrantied for 30K miles. I didn't think it was possible to manufacture such a comfortable tire that handled so well, but somehow Michelin did it. Not cheap (about 1200-1300/set installed) but is the silver bullet you are looking for, especially on a 550. As long as you aren't in snow and in super low temps, you are good to go with these. You will thank me.

tutone88

Hey Mark, did you switch to 17" wheels/tires and did it help? I just got a 2011 E350 Cab with 18" AMG wheels and the sports suspension and it is stiff as hell! I had only test driven cars with the standard 17" wheels and loved the ride. Not really a fan of how stiff this one is so I'm considering buying OEM 17" wheels. Just curious if you pulled the trigger.

Das Rattlebox

"Smooth" means different things to different people, but I can tell you that I had to sell my E350 Coupe with 17" wheels because I just couldn't get used to the harsh ride.