Educate me on Snow tires/stagger/wheel size etc.
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Senior Member
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From: PA
2012 E350 4-matic SPORT
Educate me on Snow tires/stagger/wheel size etc.
Ok Gents, i been reading the forum for quite a minute on all the wheels/tires related post.
so i have the stock 17 inch rims on my 2010 4matic and i know the front tires are smaller than the front ones, thats as much as i know.
I would like to purchase a new set of wheels n tires. I don't plan on doing the whole summer tires and winter tires. I'm more like ok get new tires whenever they are needed again type of guy. I live in PA so the winter can be crazy with the snow.
so from what i read its not a good idea to get wheels that are 18'' or 19'' correct? Yes I'm going for looks, i would like some cool new wheels but i am not willing to loose traction in the winter. This is where you guys come in, Educate me on this matter barney style.
Thanks.
so i have the stock 17 inch rims on my 2010 4matic and i know the front tires are smaller than the front ones, thats as much as i know.
I would like to purchase a new set of wheels n tires. I don't plan on doing the whole summer tires and winter tires. I'm more like ok get new tires whenever they are needed again type of guy. I live in PA so the winter can be crazy with the snow.
so from what i read its not a good idea to get wheels that are 18'' or 19'' correct? Yes I'm going for looks, i would like some cool new wheels but i am not willing to loose traction in the winter. This is where you guys come in, Educate me on this matter barney style.
Thanks.
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From: Los Angeles
C63
Its perfectly safe to run 18"-19" wheels.
I would just go with a set of good all season tires with some nice 18" or 19" wheels (I recommend looking into the Forgestar F14's) and call it a day.
I would just go with a set of good all season tires with some nice 18" or 19" wheels (I recommend looking into the Forgestar F14's) and call it a day.
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From: North Carolina - Research Triangle
2025 C300W4 AMG, 2023 GLC300 / previous 17 GLC300, 15 BMW 228i, 13 C300, 12 C350 Coupe
I would look at purchasing 17" wheels so you can run summer and winter. The wheels and tires for 17" are less expensive. This way you get better handling summer tires on nice wheels and you can run your stock all seasons in winter.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Here is the simple version:
- Staggered means wider in the back than front. On the road (instead of high speed track racing), it's mostly for appearance. You can keep you car staggered or make all four the same size as the front. The Luxury model does that and it fits.
- The narrower the tire, the greater the traction in snow as the weight of the car causes the narrower tire to cut through the snow rather than ride on top of it. Several sources substantiate this issue, despite one recent debater to the bizarre contrary.
- However, this creates a compromise for the other three seasons, but may be necessary if you require one set of tires all year, but also want snow traction.
- The best compromise tire is the Continental DWS for all year use, but it was not meant for severe snow conditions. The rubber will freeze and the tread is also a compromise, but it's the best all season tire out there now which can handle light to moderate snow.
- Bottom line....four 225/45-17 Conti DWS on your choice of wheel design is the best overall compromise within the requirements you set. But, you are getting neither the 3 season look you really want, nor the best snow traction for your severe winter concerns...you're somewhere in the middle.
Thank you for your service.
Thread Starter
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From: PA
2012 E350 4-matic SPORT
ok so i have staggered?. i found out that they were diff size when i took my car for service b and found out the retards at the dealer had my rear wheels in the front.
so in stagger; are all 4 rims the same size? or is just just the tires that are different size
so when it comes down to do a rotation i cannot do a rotation correct?
Sportstick you said the luxury model has the same size wheels/tires?
so in stagger; are all 4 rims the same size? or is just just the tires that are different size
so when it comes down to do a rotation i cannot do a rotation correct?
Sportstick you said the luxury model has the same size wheels/tires?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
ok so i have staggered?. i found out that they were diff size when i took my car for service b and found out the retards at the dealer had my rear wheels in the front.
so in stagger; are all 4 rims the same size? or is just just the tires that are different size
so when it comes down to do a rotation i cannot do a rotation correct?
Sportstick you said the luxury model has the same size wheels/tires?
so in stagger; are all 4 rims the same size? or is just just the tires that are different size
so when it comes down to do a rotation i cannot do a rotation correct?
Sportstick you said the luxury model has the same size wheels/tires?
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
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From: PA
2012 E350 4-matic SPORT
Sportstick is your c300 4matic? what is it that you have in your car and what do you recommend.
also what are the pro/cons of staggered vs 4 wheels/tires of the same size.
at the end of the day i am going to end up having the original rims laying around too so i guess it could be a summer or winter tire as soon as i figure out what is better for what season etc.
thanks for all the barnie style help
also what are the pro/cons of staggered vs 4 wheels/tires of the same size.
at the end of the day i am going to end up having the original rims laying around too so i guess it could be a summer or winter tire as soon as i figure out what is better for what season etc.
thanks for all the barnie style help
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,113
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Sportstick is your c300 4matic? what is it that you have in your car and what do you recommend.
also what are the pro/cons of staggered vs 4 wheels/tires of the same size.
at the end of the day i am going to end up having the original rims laying around too so i guess it could be a summer or winter tire as soon as i figure out what is better for what season etc.
thanks for all the barnie style help
also what are the pro/cons of staggered vs 4 wheels/tires of the same size.
at the end of the day i am going to end up having the original rims laying around too so i guess it could be a summer or winter tire as soon as i figure out what is better for what season etc.
thanks for all the barnie style help
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...g-17-reps.html
Primary pro for staggered in the reality of our daily use is if you think it looks better....that's it. Con is more expensive tire/wheel cost for the larger size and the inability to rotate.
I really think you would be happiest if you could convince yourself to have a dedicated set of winter wheels/tires. That way, you could easily move up to 18s (or more, if the increase in ride bumpiness doesn't bother you) for three seasons, and then get Blizzak WS70 tires for the crazy Pennsylvania winters. And, you could get four 225/45-17 winter tires and put them on your original staggered wheels. They will fit the front 7.5" wide wheels AND the 8.5" wide wheels from the rear! BTW, with Blizzaks, my rear wheel drive car does very well in our almost-as-crazy Michigan winters.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: PA
2012 E350 4-matic SPORT
to summarize what i think i learned 
so buy some Blizzak WS70 for my OEM wheels for the winter for best performance in the snow. and for the 3 other season i can get 18 or 19 inch wheels. but the 3 season tires don't have to be staggered correct? or do they?
so buy some Blizzak WS70 for my OEM wheels for the winter for best performance in the snow. and for the 3 other season i can get 18 or 19 inch wheels. but the 3 season tires don't have to be staggered correct? or do they?
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
You got it! The three season wheels AND tires can be the same size front and rear. There are other people on this forum and past threads you can search on what upsized wheels and tires work well...not my area of experience, as I stayed with 17s. tirerack.com is great for tires and they have wheels.....powerwheelspro.com has a great choice of MB repilca wheels. Good luck!
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From: Charlotte, NC
2015 BMW M235i 6MT
I'm still searching for a nice set of 18x8.5 wheels all around. This offset stuff is tricky, and I'm feeling like ET45 would look best all around.
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C300 sport 4matic
"And, you could get four 225/45-17 winter tires and put them on your original staggered wheels. They will fit the front 7.5" wide wheels AND the 8.5" wide wheels from the rear! BTW, with Blizzaks, my rear wheel drive car does very well in our almost-as-crazy Michigan winters."
Are there any downsides to putting the 225/45-17 size tires on the stock staggered rear rims? (other than they cannot be rotated as they might be if the 7.5in rims were used in the rear) Can any tire place do this or are there special techniques to getting them to fit? None of the online tire sites I've looked at indicate that the 225/45-17 can go on the 8.5 inch rear rims
Are there any downsides to putting the 225/45-17 size tires on the stock staggered rear rims? (other than they cannot be rotated as they might be if the 7.5in rims were used in the rear) Can any tire place do this or are there special techniques to getting them to fit? None of the online tire sites I've looked at indicate that the 225/45-17 can go on the 8.5 inch rear rims
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From: Gulf Coast but not Florida
GLK350, SL63 AMG
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Senior Member
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From: North Carolina - Research Triangle
2025 C300W4 AMG, 2023 GLC300 / previous 17 GLC300, 15 BMW 228i, 13 C300, 12 C350 Coupe
I ran 225/45/17 Pirelli Snow Carvers on my 2009 C300 Sport last year. Had good traction, but not as good as the 4Matic. The tires fit on the staggered wheels, but the 225 on the rear were streched abit.
Every one on that AutoX or does Track Days puts a square set up on their car. The staggered is only for show with the underpowered cars, like ours. The real issue is that the wider rear creates a lot of understeer when you push the car hard. If you want a balanced/neutral feel to the car get all the same width wheels and tires. The 18 or 19" are fine.
If you are keeping your stock wheels and tires then use them for winter and see how you do. If you are happy with the traction and stopping distances of the stock tires then buy 18 or 19" with summer tires. You will be much happier.
Every one on that AutoX or does Track Days puts a square set up on their car. The staggered is only for show with the underpowered cars, like ours. The real issue is that the wider rear creates a lot of understeer when you push the car hard. If you want a balanced/neutral feel to the car get all the same width wheels and tires. The 18 or 19" are fine.
If you are keeping your stock wheels and tires then use them for winter and see how you do. If you are happy with the traction and stopping distances of the stock tires then buy 18 or 19" with summer tires. You will be much happier.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
"And, you could get four 225/45-17 winter tires and put them on your original staggered wheels. They will fit the front 7.5" wide wheels AND the 8.5" wide wheels from the rear! BTW, with Blizzaks, my rear wheel drive car does very well in our almost-as-crazy Michigan winters."
Are there any downsides to putting the 225/45-17 size tires on the stock staggered rear rims? (other than they cannot be rotated as they might be if the 7.5in rims were used in the rear) Can any tire place do this or are there special techniques to getting them to fit? None of the online tire sites I've looked at indicate that the 225/45-17 can go on the 8.5 inch rear rims
Are there any downsides to putting the 225/45-17 size tires on the stock staggered rear rims? (other than they cannot be rotated as they might be if the 7.5in rims were used in the rear) Can any tire place do this or are there special techniques to getting them to fit? None of the online tire sites I've looked at indicate that the 225/45-17 can go on the 8.5 inch rear rims
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Do you feel like you have sacrificed any sort of performance or traction on dry surfaces by sacrificing that 0.5" in the back? Actually, you did say you run staggered tires, and I'm assuming you're running 245 in the back which is the same as stock. Hypothetically, you shouldn't have lost any traction because the tire width is the same, but I may be wrong.
I'm still searching for a nice set of 18x8.5 wheels all around. This offset stuff is tricky, and I'm feeling like ET45 would look best all around.
I'm still searching for a nice set of 18x8.5 wheels all around. This offset stuff is tricky, and I'm feeling like ET45 would look best all around.
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From: Calgary, AB, Canada
'09 C350 4M, '11 Sienna SE, '84 VW Jetta GLi
18" hak 7 studded! i'm like spiderman in the winter. 85 degree snow covered hills....pfft
I've ran 18" winters for 5 years in Canadian winters...... never bent a rim. Don't let 18's scare you if you like the look, but if you have the 17" stock wheels, go with the 17" winters and buy bigger summers.
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AV6
For the staggered setup on the Sport models, the front wheels are 7.5" wide and the rear wheels are 8.5" wide. They use different size tires. The Luxury model has 7.5" wide wheels front and rear. You cannot rotate tires on a staggered setup. You can buy new 7.5" rims with 225/45-17 tires for the front and rear, and be able to rotate those in the future.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Well, it was tongue-in-cheek, as the smiley showed, but you folks have the luxury of rarely having to deal with severe snow or realizing what an early morning commute in a foot or two of that stuff, possibly not yet plowed, feels like. His post emphasized dealing with "crazy" snow and not sacrificing any traction for the sake of upsizing his tires, which turn out to be mutually inconsistent conditions. If a tire selection was needed to cope with endless months of sunshine, you folks would be among the first I'd ask! 
No disrespect intended...mostly just envious of your "seasons"!
No disrespect intended...mostly just envious of your "seasons"!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
