J. Alan

I know this subject has been brought up a lot lately, but I just want to be informed of any possible problems other members of this forum have encountered with wheel and tire upgrades. After looking on eBay for many months, I have concluded that the best way to go is Mercerdes OEM tires and wheels. Therefore, I purchased the following wheel and tire combo:

CLS 550 18" wheels with Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires
Wheel Specs.: (Front) 18" x 8.5", 5 x 112 bolt pattern, 28 offset
(Rear) 18" x 9.5" ditto 33 offset
Tires (Front) 245/40/18
(Rear) 275/35/18

According to the seller, they are a straight swap with no modifications. The wheels look exactly the same as forum member KosherBenz ( you will probably be my best source of info - please post!!). My questions are:

Will this be a bolt on swap as informed?
As this is a staggered system, what is the best way to rotate the tires or is it even possible??
What kind of ride can I expect - harsher? - more stick ? - better cornering?
Are the Michelins a good tire for this set-up - one kind of wear (moderate driver -mostly wife) can be expected?
Is there a big weight difference that will affect acceleration, mileage, etc.?
Because of the different size, how much will the odometer and speedometer be out ( + or - %)?
What is the recommended air pressure for the fronts and backs?

Any other information you can pass on will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for any posts!!

J. Alan

Alan Smithee

I did an 18" swap on my CDI, but I went with the E-class sport package wheels/tires. To answer your questions:

- It is a bolt-on swap. However, the CLS wheel offsets are not the same as the E-class; the rears will stick out further. This may or may not bother you.

- You cannot rotate the tires front to rear as they are different sizes.

- The ride will be firmer, and the handling will be much better.

- Can't comment on how long they'll last, but the Michelins don't have a very high wear rating. Maybe 15-20k miles.

- There will be a weight difference, but any degradation of mileage and/or performance will not be noticed.

- The overall circumference is the same with your new set-up, so there would be no change in odo/speedo readings.

- I use the factory-recommended pressures for the rear all the way around; wear seems to be even so far.

oilbelcher

Alan, just to confirm, the new E class sport rims will bolt right onto the cdi/bluetec? you don't have to buy the mercedes spacers (or other size adj.equipment)? Also, did you notice a big improvement in handling - and what might you compare it to?

Alan Smithee

The E-class sport wheels bolt right on, no spacers needed; unlike the CLS wheels, the offset is correct so they fit just like they do on a real sport model (although without the sport suspension the car sits a bit higher).

The standard 225/55-16s are awful tires for the 4,000lb CDI, IMO. The car is floaty in a straight line and rolls onto its sidewalls in corners taken with any sort of verve, howling all the way. The 18s effectively starch up the suspension a bit (now only a bit of front-end float from time to time, with less roll in corners), and there is no longer a shortage of tire. The car could definitely use the sport suspension to further enhance handling, and there are times the suspension and wheel/tire combo don't work in harmony, but overall it's a huge improvement.

J. Alan

Alan

Thanks for your feedback on my questions about the wheel and tire swap on my '06 CDI. It appears I was told the truth by the seller. I agree that the supplied 16" wheels and tires are not exactly state-of-the-art. The car is obviously tuned for a floaty-gentle ride as Mercedes probably considers the diesel a mom and pop car. Mercedes better have a look at the engine that won LeMans last year!!

I am aware the tires will stick out beyond the back wheel wells especially at the bottom of the fender. I had a Passat with oversize tires that did the same thing and it looked fine. I did have my 3M Stoneguard guy put spats along the bottom of the rear fender to guard against stone chips.

I believe KosherBenz has the same set-up I bought and I am hoping he will add his advice. There is a picture of his car with his posts and the swap looks pretty nice.

KosherBenz - where are you??

Another question - can the same wheel bolts be used that came with the 16" stock wheels?

Thanks again,

J. Alan

KosherBenz

Sorry, guys.. I was out showing homes all day. Get lots of compliments on my car from my clients. Everything has been address and I concur with smityhee. The car handles like it is on rails now. The ride does not bother me unless i do alot of city (baltimore or DC) driving. Highway and regular roads are just fine. They will bolt up with the same lugs that hold on your 16's. Rest assured, the CLS rims are great. If i cad a chance to do it again, damn I sure would. here is a pic of my stock 225's vs the 275's in the rear. it will give you an idea....





Side angle pic...

J. Alan

Hey, KosherBenz thanks for the postives and taking the time for the great photos!! I believe I can see that you have Michelin tires mounted.

The next thing I am going to look into is the Kleeman engine module which you have in your car. There is a nice article in the February '07 Mercedes Enthusiast mag (a Brit publication) about the upgrade which they give a rave review. Don't know where you got yours and whether you need a specialized shop to do it. I think I will search this forum and Google the internet for some anwers.

Know all about the time needed for real estate - my wife, the principal driver, is an agent herself.

J. Alan

newton22

Kosher, does the offset look a tiny bit off to you?

KosherBenz

I happen to get it off someone on here that sold their CDI. But i have not seen another for sale. YOu might have to pay retail to get your hands one one.


As for the offset, i dunno.. Looks good to me and the many compliments I get on them.

~Evan

J. Alan

Am going to install my CLS 500 wheels on my 06 E320 CDI today. Would anyone know if the Michelin tires are directional?? I cannot find anything on the sidewall of the tires to indicate this.

J. Alan