Hi all


I bought a CLK55 W208 which came fitted with 19" rims. I was also given the original 17s with no tires.


The tires currently fitted are 235/35/19 and 265/30/19 Kumho's. The ride is fairly hard (my roads are not fabulous). The current pressures are;


Front 39
Rear 43


I'm thinking of dropping these to 35 and 37. I've read lots of threads but I'm still a bit mystified. I'm only wanting to drop them to improve the ride quality and to make it a little less fidgety. The Kumho's feel like a 'hard' tire.


Or, I've considered going to the original 17s, which I've never tried. Has anyone gone back like that? Or, should I just toughen up!


thanks

 

There is a way to determine the correct pressure for your car -
www.fitzhughmedia.com/MBF/tirepressure.html

Other than that, someone could tell you that they're running the same brand of tires in the same size, but do they have the same wheel offsets? The same width wheels? Same springs? Sway bars? Same alignment specs?

 

If you go to the 17"s with the stock tire size the ride difference is amazing. I felt a huge difference and I only went from 18" to 17"s

 

thanks guys. I did try the lower pressures and I struggled to feel much difference.


insame1 - are you still running 17's? I'd be seriously tempted if they made a huge difference.


thanks again

 

My brother has a w208 a CLK430 in Seattle and the 17's give the car a very smooth ride even on the awful roads there.

 

I would go with what my CLK55 specifies for 18' wheels: 33 all around.

 

thanks floridawriter


I think I'll get through the wallet-buster that is Xmas and then buy a set of 17" tires and give them a whirl. Have to buy lug bolts too as my 19s use shorter ones..

 

if you like the look of 19s, toughen up...if you dont care much sell them and keep the stocks. you wont notice 2 psi lower in every day driving

 

I sold the car 01 clk430 but it was night and day. The person I sold the car to went back to the 18"s I gave him and he said he didn't like the ride of the 18"s

 

I'd go with 17's in a heartbeat but they won't fit over my front brakes.

 

I must be going soft, after all, I was once a Porsche driver lol..

 

Sorry wrong thread

 

Just to close out my first post, I did end up going back to the 17s


I love them. Yes, they look a bit small compared to the 19s but I don't mind the subtle look. And for the less-than-great roads I have where I live the 17s are much nicer. Less tramlining and less thumps. I can drive harder with them. Admittedly, my 19s had Kumho tyres so a softer premium tyre might be quite a different experience.


Cheers
Jim

 

Will 20x8.5 with a +35 offset fit my 2005 sl 500