C-Class (W203) 2001-2007, C160, C180, C200, C220, C230, C240, C270, C280, C300, C320, C230K, C350, Coupe

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Old 11-07-2002, 11:54 AM
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2002 C240 Classic
spacers

does anyone have any bad experiences with spacers? a few good mechanics i know told me to stay away. its just for looks.
Old 11-07-2002, 12:07 PM
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I've heard that front spacers can cause steering/handling issues. I love my rear spacers, no problems.
Old 11-07-2002, 01:05 PM
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They throw off the designed geometry of the suspension. The wheel will travel in a slightly different arc causing small camber changes relative to travel from center(normal) position. This can put stress on parts and cause the tire to be at the wrong angle when going over bumps or turning. The other downside is the stress on the longer bolts can cause them to break. Yeah, just for looks!
Old 11-07-2002, 01:16 PM
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2002 C230 Coupe Black/Charcoal C5 C7 Auto
Originally posted by Buellwinkle
I've heard that front spacers can cause steering/handling issues. I love my rear spacers, no problems.
Buellwinkle i am concern as well about spacers as most have negative feedback. Now that you made the suggestion i really want my rears to stick out abit (dammit ). I'm thinking of getting the 15mm as u suggested....are they pretty easy to install? Do they work along with the hubcentric rings that I have on the aftermarket rims? thanks.
Old 11-07-2002, 01:30 PM
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2002 C240 Classic
thats a good question. my solution so far: no spacers in front. perhaps in rear. i too have centering rings.
Old 11-07-2002, 03:28 PM
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I have 10mm but 15mm would look even better. They are H&R and have a lip for the hubcentric wheels. You just remove the wheel, put the hub on making sure the holes line up (use a bolt to line it up) and then put the wheel on. Takes just a few minutes each. You also have to get the H&R bolts to go with it. It makes the rear on the coupe look so much better and more muscular.
Old 11-07-2002, 03:45 PM
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99' SLK 230 & 01' CLK 430
Buellwinkle !!!

Who give you those spacer and idea...lol??
Old 11-07-2002, 03:46 PM
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2002 C230 Coupe Black/Charcoal C5 C7 Auto
Originally posted by Buellwinkle
Takes just a few minutes each. You also have to get the H&R bolts to go with it. It makes the rear on the coupe look so much better and more muscular.
Buell, do you really NEED the H&R bolts? I mean my wheels didnt work with MB bolts so I had to go to local Discount Tire and got correct bolts for them so I figure I'd do the same for H&R spacers unless they have some weird proprietery pattern or something that require special bolts. If it is just a matter of the right length I have no problem.
Old 11-07-2002, 04:57 PM
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Originally posted by linh
Buellwinkle !!!

Who give you those spacer and idea...lol??
You gave me the spacers, SDClint gave me the idea. Whatever happened to SDClint?

TBerry, you'll need bolts that are 10mm/15mm longer as the factory bolts will not stretch, I tried. Also most wheel shops around me didn't have different lenght bolts for MBs. Get them too long and they'll touch the brakes, not good. Get them too short and you'll loose a wheel or two, not good.
Old 11-07-2002, 05:24 PM
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BUell, the problem is that my aftermarket wheels required different bolts that were shorter then MB bolts (about 15mm to be exact) so actually the MB bolts may work. BUT discount tire has explanined that there are 2 bolt patterns (acorn and ??) acorn is what most aftermarket rims uses and ?? is what OEM/MB uses. Discount Tires ppl. are very knowledgable and i trust them to get me the right ones. Do you have Discount Tires over where u live?
Old 11-07-2002, 05:34 PM
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Yes, make sure you get the correct style bolts as the H&R are intended for MB factory wheels (ball type), some aftermarket wheels use acorn bolts. Do not mix them.
Old 11-08-2002, 06:50 AM
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2002 Mercedes c230k 6 speed
I am running with a H&R 15mm space at the rear, and 3 sets of 5mm spacer at the front(which adds up to 15mm as well).
I am using stud which purchase from H&R too
Old 11-08-2002, 10:30 AM
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Originally posted by tberry
BUell, the problem is that my aftermarket wheels required different bolts that were shorter then MB bolts (about 15mm to be exact) so actually the MB bolts may work. BUT discount tire has explanined that there are 2 bolt patterns (acorn and ??) acorn is what most aftermarket rims uses and ?? is what OEM/MB uses. Discount Tires ppl. are very knowledgable and i trust them to get me the right ones. Do you have Discount Tires over where u live?
I have had the exact opposite experience with Discount Tire here in Los Angeles, they are stupid thieves! They don't know diddly about tires and I caught them putting 3 out of 4 new valve stems on all the cars in the shop! At $2.50 per stem and 40 cars a day they are stealling $3000 a month from people and risking lives!
Old 11-08-2002, 11:22 AM
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2002 C230 Coupe Black/Charcoal C5 C7 Auto
Originally posted by mdp c230k
I have had the exact opposite experience with Discount Tire here in Los Angeles, they are stupid thieves! They don't know diddly about tires and I caught them putting 3 out of 4 new valve stems on all the cars in the shop! At $2.50 per stem and 40 cars a day they are stealling $3000 a month from people and risking lives!
Hmmm interesting. I did notice I lost a valve stem from my wheels but I dont think they were trying to steal (a pack of 4 is $3 here). Anyhow the found the right bolts for me at $1.50 a piece and didnt charge for putting the wheels on at all. The guy also gave me a key for the new tuner bolts that I got which require a special key (kinda better security too...like a wheel lock). I'm gonna get the 15mm spacers for the rear and see what they'll do...I'll keep you guys posted.
Old 11-08-2002, 01:55 PM
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Originally posted by mdp c230k
They throw off the designed geometry of the suspension. The wheel will travel in a slightly different arc causing small camber changes relative to travel from center(normal) position. This can put stress on parts and cause the tire to be at the wrong angle when going over bumps or turning. The other downside is the stress on the longer bolts can cause them to break. Yeah, just for looks!
How do you know which wheels is the suspension geometry based on? Stock 16"? Evolution 17"? Staggered 17" AMG? They all are based on different rim widths. a 10 or 15 mm spacer would have an effect comparable to a staggered (wider) rim.
Old 11-08-2002, 03:39 PM
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Originally posted by vadim
How do you know which wheels is the suspension geometry based on? Stock 16"? Evolution 17"? Staggered 17" AMG? They all are based on different rim widths. a 10 or 15 mm spacer would have an effect comparable to a staggered (wider) rim.
They are all based on the same center line whereas the spacers throw that line further out.. This is also why spacers are not recommended on the front.
Old 11-08-2002, 04:04 PM
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where can i get wheel spacers for cheap?>
Old 11-08-2002, 04:47 PM
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Originally posted by mdp c230k
They are all based on the same center line whereas the spacers throw that line further out..
That would be physically correct, if the contact between the road and the tire occured at the center line, which is not the case. Do you have any evidence that contact patches are centered around the same "center line" for different wheel widths, or is this going to be another argument based on "hypothetic" reality?

On some MB pictures Evolution wheels in the rear are clearly spaced, I'll post a picture when I find it.

As for the chassis geometry - there are many variables involved here, and almost any alteration/adjustment changes it. You put on different wheels - its' changed; different springs - it's changed; you inflate/deflate the tires - it's changed again. A half-inch spacer likely causes less impact than changing between the stock 7" (16") and the AMG 8.5" (17") wheels. Let's not exaggerate things - nobody in the right mind will put, say, 4" spacers, which would indeed thow things out of whack.

P.S. I'm talking about the rear wheels.

Last edited by vadim; 11-08-2002 at 04:56 PM.
Old 11-08-2002, 05:55 PM
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Originally posted by vadim
That would be physically correct, if the contact between the road and the tire occured at the center line, which is not the case. Do you have any evidence that contact patches are centered around the same "center line" for different wheel widths, or is this going to be another argument based on "hypothetic" reality?

On some MB pictures Evolution wheels in the rear are clearly spaced, I'll post a picture when I find it.

As for the chassis geometry - there are many variables involved here, and almost any alteration/adjustment changes it. You put on different wheels - its' changed; different springs - it's changed; you inflate/deflate the tires - it's changed again. A half-inch spacer likely causes less impact than changing between the stock 7" (16") and the AMG 8.5" (17") wheels. Let's not exaggerate things - nobody in the right mind will put, say, 4" spacers, which would indeed thow things out of whack.

P.S. I'm talking about the rear wheels.
Rear wheels will have a negligible effect. Try reading the TireRack info on offset to see what I am talking about. Your example of the 7" vs the 8.5" rim is incorrect as properly sized rims will have an offset that places them equally around the center line (axis) thus 3.5" on one side and 3.5" on the other. If you add a spacer you are changing the offset and would have 4.0" on one and 3.0" on the other. For 8.5" rims they still are centered around the same axis meaning 4.25" on one side and 4.25" on the other and if properly tired the diameter is the same. Therefore it is not the same thing, is it?

Last edited by mdp c230k; 11-09-2002 at 06:49 AM.

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