shaytun

Hi guys,
Just got a 2010 E550 4MATIC. It's awesome except the wheels are definitely too small. First of all, with 4MATIC what are my wheel options in terms of size. I assume they can't be staggered. Can I get 20's. I saw the Brabus site didn't offer non-staggered 20's? I don't want to modify the car more than wheels and lowering. What size tires are recommended for 19's or 20's. What should the width and offset for the wheels be?
Also, what is the best lowering option? I'm new to the whole Airmatic suspension. I've seen lowering computer modules from Carlsonn and Brabus. How do these work? Do they just lower the car or actually stiffen the suspension as well? Which ones are best and what's their long-term effect on the Airmatic suspension?
Thanks for all the advice in advance.

hyperion667

hello.

you're not getting any replies because when someone asks a question (usually a newbie) that has been asked before members become upset and ask you to search the forum to answer your question, tires and wheels have been discussed here often, and there is a tire and wheel board too I think...........

just my theory: have fun with the new car!

FEGELEIN

Hey Shaytun,

Throw some pics up! I agree, the wheels are too small and beware, they are like butter. They bend very easily, I already had to fix 2 and never hit any substancial potholes, etc. However, I do commute to NYC often.
Personally, I wouldn't play w/ the lowering system, onlt asking for trouble. As far as wheels, I believe you cannot stagger a 4matic, it throws off the system dynamics.

shaytun

Sorry if this post has been repeated elsewhere. Looked around and didn't get an exact answer. Will look more carefully.
I'll get a pic of my car up soon.

RNBRAD

You will continually look around and not get an exact answer. Too much misinformation on this topic around here. It will work fine, but don't take my answer for it just as you shouldn't take the answer from someone who tells you it won't. Find an expert on this subject and talk to them personally. A good place to start might be MB or a high end rim manufacturer that specializes in mercedes cars.

hyperion667

I didn't mean to insinuate anything, was just trying to help......
I'm sure you'll find the answers.........peace

shaytun

Definitely no offense taken. I appreciate any advice I can get.

K-A

Do you have the AMG or Sport wheels?

We just had a huge rainstorm in SoCal. After that, and the fact that our roads were already so f***ed out here, I couldn't think about going bigger than 18's. There are some MASSIVE pot-holes out here now, unfortunately. Good thing for me, I think the 18's are the perfect size for this car (actually 19's are perfect, but 18's look just right IMO too).

shaytun

I have the AMG split 6-spoke wheels. Although very nice, the pattern makes the wheels look smaller than the 5-spoke in your pic. If factory 19"s were available that would be perfect and I wouldn't even think about lowering. I know in the UK, they have these 19"s as optional. Not sure why the US wouldn't offer it. I wonder if you can order them from Mercedes.

K-A

Ah, yeah I know what you mean. I think the 6-spokes do appear smaller than the 5-spokes as well.

MBUSA sucks with options for our W212's. So many variations in the EU, yet MBUSA lazies out on us in terms of making it difficult for us to separate our W212's from each other.

I didn't even know there was that wheel option out there.

park423

I was planning on getting some 19" forged monoblock wheels on my new E also but then 2 weeks ago I hit a major pothole and popped my front and rear left side tires. Thank god the wheels weren't damaged but with just about every post warning on 19" or 20" wheels bending from potholes, I keeping my 6 spoke amg wheels and getting powder coated black

K-A

I couldn't imagine going bigger than even 18's with our f***ed roads, and no change in sight.

My friend had 19's on his W211, said he (literally) had to pay $700 or whatever, to fix his wheels every other month or so. He finally put the stock 17's that came with that car back on.

MCF

Roads are horrible in Houston!! We got the luxury and it came with 17's. I want 18's but my wife loves the smooth ride and I like knowing she can hit some pretty big road damage and still be ok.

K-A

I hit a pot hole in my Chevy, right near my house the other day (new hole, after the rainstorms), and DAMN, it was intense. I have a big feeling it would have damaged my 18's.

Our infrastructure needs an enema.

mikephotos

AFAIK, you can stagger a 4Matic you just have to be sure the total outside dimensions of all 4 wheels/tire combo are the same. I do agree our stock 18's make sure do look tiny.

Potholes in NY (City/5-boros) are the worst but I still want to go with 19 or 20's once the spring rolls around.

threeMBs

I second this. Tried this on both W210 and W211. No issues as long as tire diameter is the same front to rear (within .1" or so).

shaytun

three MBs,
What sizes did you go with when you staggered before?

anjy834u

the 2011 mercedes benz e class convertible stands on alloy wheels of 17 by 8.5 inches and has 255/40R17 94Y all season tires. The suspensions available with the model are MacPherson strut front suspension, Multi-link rear suspension, Four-wheel independent suspension and Front and rear stabilizer bar.

http://mercedesbenze.net/mercedes-be...-wagon-review/

threeMBs

On W211 I use Sumitomos HTR Z3 245/35-20 front and 275/30-20 rear. These tires have identical 26.7 diameter tires front and rear. Most 275/30-20 tires are 26.5.

If you're going with 20s, use 245/35-20 front (make sure it fits first - offset is the key here) and 275/30-20 or 285/30-20. Depending on tire brands rear size will need to be either 275 or 285. This set up is a full 1" higher than sock hight, but E550 is more than capable to handle this extra "drag" (not for E350 - too much rotational mass, imho). IMHO if you need to put 30 aspect ration upfront (245/30 or 255/30), then instead of 20s go with 19s.

If you go with 19" then, for most brands, identical front to rear tire diameter would be 245/35-19 and 285/30-19; or 255/35-19 and 295/30-19(if this size fits rear on E).

Again remember, regardless of what people elsewhere tell you, you can safely staggard 4matic provided you make sure front/rear diameter is ideally identical or within .1", and you must use same tire brand and model at all four corners (on RWD you can get away with pairs only). Tirerack and most tire manufacturers list tire diameters on their web sites.

FEGELEIN

18" AMG! Car came w/ the full AMG package, other than real spoiler, that I installed myself.

shaytun

I spoke to a few MB dealerships about getting those UK optional 19"s. No luck, they can't even find it in their system, so they definitely can't get it, which is a bummer.

shaytun

Anyone have experience with lowering modules on their own cars? If so any issues with rubbing the wheels?

EmE247

WHEEL SIZE.

The W212 comes standard w/ the 18's. Technically, the larger the wheel size you get, the less tire rubber you will have in between the wheel and the road. If you went w/ 19's you would have less rubber than you would with the 18's. If you went w/ 20's you would have even less rubber than you would have w/ the 19's.

Less rubber, means a bumpier ride and a greater possibility of wheel damage.

Besides what I mentioned above... Wheel size is all a matter of opinion on how you think your car looks with your wheels. If you check one of the stickied posts on the top of this forum, you will see various W212s with their various wheels.

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...re-thread.html

TIRE SIZE.

Tire size all depends on the wheel size you get and whether or not you lower your car as well. I don't think there is much variation as to what tire size you would get depending on your wheel size. There is an optimal tire size depending on wheel size. IE. if you get 19x8.5 19x9.5 wheels like me, you would normally get 245/35/19 and 275/30/19.

If you are cartarded like I am, you should find a shop that specializes in car mods with the wheels you like and have that shop select the tire size that is right for you.

Good luck on the wheels.

shaytun

I looked up TireRack's suggestion for 20's for my car. They suggest 245/30 upfront and 285/25 in the back (requiring a 10.5" wheel). When you look at the overall diameter, it's a 0.2" difference. Most people are saying stay within 0.1". Will this be a problem. Also, how come you wouldn't do 245/30-20's. Is it because the front load of the car is too much. If you really do anything else the OD would be more than the original.

shaytun

That being said the stock OD is 25.7". The tire rack suggestions are 25.6/25.8" for 20in wheels.