"New Car" ? wheel Question
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Bowie, Md
07 CLK550
"New Car" ? wheel Question
I just purchased a 08 E550 4matic a couple weeks age. Pewter metalic/ black ash interior. Car is solid as a rock. The AWD is amazing. 40K miles and CPO until 7/13. I will post pictures tomorrow. I traded my 07 CLK 550 in on it, which I had 235/35/19 fronts and 265/30/19 rear with 35mm offset. I put the stock tire/wheels back on the CLK when I traded it in so now I have the 19's and I am wondering whether they will fit. Tires have about 80% tread left, only had them on one summer. I've heard that we are not to put staggered wheels on 4matics, but I also have a 08 C300 4matic with staggered wheels from the factory, 225/45 front and 245/40 on rear so go figure. Do you think they will fit? thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 356
Likes: 19
From: RI
2017 S550 4matic
as long as the diameters of the wheels are close, you should be ok. 1010tires.com has a great calculator for this (http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp). Based on the specs you gave me compared to the stock wheels:
Diameter Difference: -Diameter Difference: 0.94%Diameter Difference: 1.79%
They are .85% different, meaning you should be fine. In the case of the C class, assuming an 18" wheel, they are 1.01% different, which is about as far as you want to go with an AWD car.
It all comes down to rotational speed. If the diameter of the wheels is too different, it'll bind up the drivetrain because for every X turns of the driveshaft (final drive ratio) the wheels are supposed to turn one full rotation. Larger diameter means the wheels won't fully turn one rotation, or the smaller diameter wheels will turn more than one.
Short answer, you should be fine. I would however be extra paranoid about potholes and such because a 30 series on a 19" rim on a 4500lb car is asking for trouble lol
Diameter Difference: -Diameter Difference: 0.94%Diameter Difference: 1.79%
They are .85% different, meaning you should be fine. In the case of the C class, assuming an 18" wheel, they are 1.01% different, which is about as far as you want to go with an AWD car.
It all comes down to rotational speed. If the diameter of the wheels is too different, it'll bind up the drivetrain because for every X turns of the driveshaft (final drive ratio) the wheels are supposed to turn one full rotation. Larger diameter means the wheels won't fully turn one rotation, or the smaller diameter wheels will turn more than one.
Short answer, you should be fine. I would however be extra paranoid about potholes and such because a 30 series on a 19" rim on a 4500lb car is asking for trouble lol
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Bowie, Md
07 CLK550
Yea, I thought about the potholes, but I really like the wheels and thought they would look good on either car. I'll try and mount them this weekend and then I'll post some pics. Thanks for your response.
