thetikicentral

i got a 05 c230 kom ss...does anyone know what size the stock bolts are? im trying to get the right bolt measurement so I can figure out what size I need for my 15mm spacers. Please help....thanks.

amdeutsch

Take one out and measure it. Or in lieu of that STFF for stock sizes.

Wardsweb

my '03 C240 uses 12 X 1.5 X 40 mm. These fit the thicker W203 wheels. The same lugs fit the W204 wheels with the 15mm spacers on my car, as the W204 wheel hub is thinner than the W203 hub.

check out this link: http://www.thefind.com/cars/info-whe...lt-stud#page=1

thetikicentral

i would go out and measure it myself but im in afghanistan right now. i ordered a set of linea corsa 19's fronts offset 45 and rears offset 30. he offered 15mm spacers for the front but he needs measurements for the bolts to fit.

SunnyRayToronto

Did someone just say STOCK BOLT SIZE? Did someone just ask for me?


thetikicentral,... this thread might be helpful:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ew-wheels.html

Our Mercedes C-class (W203/CL203) have two bolt sizes:
-long- M12x1.5 thread, R12 ball seat, 39.9 mm shank, 17 mm Hex (for OEM alloy wheels)
-short- M12x1.5 thread, R12 ball seat, 20.6 mm shank (for winter "steelies")

BTW, 19" rims on W203,... I hope you have very smooth roads.


Wardsweb,... Newer Mercedes C-class (W204) have one bolt sizes:
M14x1.5 thread, R13 ball seat, 26.7mm shank, 17mm hex (for OEM alloy wheels & winter "steelies")

Wardsweb,... let me make this perfectly clear to you. GET THOSE W204 WHEELS OFF YOUR W203 MERCEDES A.S.A.P.!!! Your setup is extremely DANGEROUS! It's an accident waiting to happen!

Two issues:
- with 15mm spacers and regular W203 lugs, your lug bolts are too short! Its only going in on 5 rotation of the lug bolts,... only 5 threads are holding those wheels onto your car when it should be 6. 13mm spacer might be better.
- Ball seat on W204 rims are R13 whereas your W203 lug bolts are R12. The ball seat on W204 rims are TOO BIG for ball seat on W203 lug bolts. When your W203 lug bolts (R12 - 12mm ball seat) are in your W204 rims (R13 - 13mm ball seat), only the base of the ball seats are making contact to each other, and that puts too much pressure on that area. Pressure needs to be distributed throughout the ball seat. The sides of your ball seats have no contact. Your lug bolts can break off at the base of the ball seats. Also, I doubt your W204 wheels are centered perfectly on your wheel hub. If you travel at high speed, you probably feel vibration from off-centered wheels. Do not be surprised if your wheels fall off!

Wardsweb, if you put W204 Wheels on W203 with 15mm spacer, you will need:
M12x1.5 thread, R13 ball seat, 41.7 mm shank, 17 mm Hex

thetikicentral

so id be better off with a 13 mm spacer? im going to email the guy back and tell him to send me the 13s then along with the bolts. i talked to one guy with the 19inch linea corsas and he hasnt had any problems with rubbing.

SunnyRayToronto

thetikicentral, I did NOT say you should get 13mm spacer!

I suggested Wardsweb would be better off with 13mm spacer if he's using lug bolts with 39.9 shank. If he's going to stay with 15mm spacer, he should have lug bolts with 41.7mm shank. But he'll still have ball seat not matching problem.

OEM Mercedes rim for W203 tends to be about ET31 - ET37 front and about ET30 - ET35 rear. Search for other ET and do the math. Ask the guy with the 19" Linea Corsas on W203 what spacer and lug bolts he's using.

This site with various wheels and their offset for W203 and other mercedes model might help:
http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/inf.../mercedes-benz

Personally, I would never recommend 19" on W203,... unless you like getting suspension component damage to your car.

Wardsweb

Sunnyraytoronto you have a PM. trying to determine what is different. My bolts go in 6 1/4 turns before contacting the wheel. Then a little more when torqued down.

SunnyRayToronto

Private Message from Wardsweb:
***************
Thanks for the information on the W203 vs W204 wheel lug bolts. Do you know where I can pickup the bolts you suggest?
I did check and the bolts I have go about 6 1/4 rotations before contacting the wheel. Discount Tire torqued them to 100 foot pounds that took them about another 1/4 turn. I can't explain the difference in what the math says and what I'm experiencing. Maybe my lugs are not stock length or the spacers are something other than what they are stamped.
The spacers are H&R and hub centric. The is no vibration at highway speeds.
***************


I'll reply to your PM here since some a number of members have considered putting W204 rims on W203 cars. Which I strongly do not recommend.

No, I do not know where you can find these hybrid lug bolts. Mercedes don't make them. Ball seats are generally on German cars so some other German maker might have something. There are custom bolt makers out there but their quality usually comes into question.

Imagine putting a baseball softball on the opening of a small coffee cup. Now imagine putting a baseball hardball on the opening of a small coffee cup. Both won't fit in,... they'll only rest on top. Which ball will sit lower (deeper into the opening)? The smaller hardball will,... that's what's happening here.

The smaller R12 (12mm) ball seat of the lug bolts will sit lower in the larger R13 (13mm) ball seat of W204 wheels.

Now, instead of using a small coffee cup,.... use a larger medium coffee cup with a slightly larger opening. Rest the softball and hardball on top. Which one sits lower now? The smaller hardball will sit even lower,... more deeper into the opening of the larger opening of the cup.

In addition the lug bolts thread hole on the W204 wheels are larger since they're designed for M14x1.5 (14mmx1.5) thread instead of the M12x1.5 (12mmx1.5) thread used on our W203 wheels. Thus, there are two factors why your lug bolts are sitting lower and going in deeper:
- smaller ball seat on lug bolt VS ball seat on W204 rims
- larger lub bolt hole opening on W204 rims

What is the Mercedes recommend torque when torquing lug bolts to wheels?

The Mercedes recommended torque is 80 lb ft,.... NOT 100 lb ft that you'e using. Thus, you're over-torquing your lug bolts to your wheels! Over-torquing can and will weaken the thread on your lub bolts and wheel hub. Now you have another reason to replace them!

Wardsweb

So it is 80 lb ft for W203 M12x1.5 thread, R12 and 96 lb ft for the W204 M14x1.5 thread, R13? The tech must have been going by the wheel and not the car. By the way, someone might want to let NORTH 44 C63 know, as he is cranking his C63 to 130 lb ft.

I did find that RADGmbH makes the M12x1.5 with R13 ball seat. Another option would be to use step wheel studs and M14 R13 lug nuts. There are always options. It just depends on how much money you want to spend. From replacing the factory hubs to custom machined, it all works in the end. Funny I found the Mini Cooper guys are doing just the opposite; using M14 to M12 conversion studs.

qaz393

hey, just wondering where u get the info for the ball seat?? also the torque spec is 96pounds for the w204

SunnyRayToronto

Last I checked,... this is the W203 board. Mercedes recommended torque for W203/Cl203 is 80 lb ft.

Even when putting W204 rims onto W203,... the torque specs for W204 is irrelevant. Any rims placed on W203 should be torque to W203 specs,... 80 lb ft.

Mercedes have 3 ball seat size,... R12, R13 and R14 where Rx means ball seat with x mm radius. If you want to confirm ball seat size,... just measure it!