DavidNJ

MB ships W211s with 8" and 8.5" wide front wheels. Will 9" wide front wheels also fit?

Harris

Tight. If you are going to put 245 tires in the front anyway, why bother getting a 9" front wheel? 8" or 8.5" is good enough!!

scorchie

It depends on the model (airmatic or not, 4matic or not), and the diameter. But 9" wide definitely fits on my E55. I've run the back wheels from my C43 (18x9" ET35 with 265/35R18 tires) on the front of my E55 with absolutely no rubbing problems. Incidentally those wheels/tires are very similar to the stock E55 wheel/tire size (18x9" ET39 with 265/35R18 tires). If you look in the E55 forum you can see that recently Dr. Chill also tried a similar experiment with similar results. (Mine was sort of a forced experiment when I had a blow out on a front tire after I first got the car, and had to walk home to get my CLK to bring the E55 a spare tire from the C43. After getting home I replaced the other side with the same tire so they matched until I received the replacement from TireRack.)

-s-

DavidNJ

They would be 9x18 35mm offset with 245/40-18 tires, probably Falken ST-115s.

Car is E320 CDI, kein Airmatic.

scorchie

Are you going to bring them on the plane with you?

I don't know anyone who has tried this with a non-Airmatic car... if I see one in the next few days I can try it, but I think it should fit OK. Is there a reason you can't get 8.5" (which would be recommended for your tire size choice)?

Just as a note, at the price point you're looking, I would recommend a look at the Bridgestone Fuzion line... they are pretty quiet and stick pretty well, even in rain.

I would run 9" wide wheels in front if I could find a matching 11" rim for the rear, in a style I like.

-s-

DavidNJ

I know from the Supra, getting 10+" wide wheels with the right offsets is the land of $1000 each custom three piece wheels.

These wheels are just available at an attractive price. I am a little leery about going to 18" wheels because of their adverse affect on ride. However, especially on a white car, I think they make a significant enhancement in appearance.

Also the stock '05 wheels are painted and look painted. That, coupled with a tendency to get dirty, seem to make them less attractive.

DavidNJ

What is the offset of the stock wheels?

Thanks,

David

scorchie

Depends on which wheels.

I think the AMGs are 18x8 ET30 and 18x9 ET39. I suspect all of the stock wheels fit into the area between these two offsets, inclusive.

-s-

DavidNJ

Thanks Scorchie,

Those offsets make sense. However, didn't MB have an 8.5x17 available on the W211? Or were all the wheels 8x16 or 8x17 with a 30mm offset?

The wheels I am looking at or 9x18 offset 35mm all around. I just wonder if they will work upfront, or for that matter, since they have 3/8" or so extra wheel sticking out,. whether they will clear the fender.

David von NJ

lig

I'm running the 18x8.5 +30 AMGs w/245s all around on a non-airmatic E320 (2wd)

No clearance issues at all - I don't think an extra .25 sticking out would make that much of a difference.

Surprisingly - the ride hasn't deteriorated one bit.

Having said that - my other car is an S2000 with 10K/10K coilovers so I don't mind a firm ride.

The stock 16" wheels made the car look a bit like a Camry.

scorchie

I thought the original sport package wheels (later "appearance package" wheels) were 8.5" all around... but I can't really find anything to support that, so it's probably incorrect.

Since I've run a 18x9 ET35 up front (see earlier this thread) and Dr Chill has run 18x9 ET39 up front with Airmatic, it's PROBABLY going to work on your car... on the outside, where you're concerned (I would be concerned on the inside with an offset higher than 35).

Remember, it doesn't matter if the wheel sticks out or not. Only the tire. A wider wheel will make the overall width of the tire wider, but not the tread, which is usually the part that is more likely to come in contact with body parts (except in EXTREME lowering cases).

-s-

DavidNJ

With the 35mm offset in front, did you use a 245/40, 255/40, 265/35, or 275/35?

P.S.
What is the cause of your AMC fetish?

scorchie

265/35R18... my rear tire size for both C43 and E55, on front.

AMC was one of the main drivers behind domestic compact car popularity in the US; they also arguably created several car types that are popular today: The small car with a big engine (Gremlin with 304ci V8) and the all-wheel drive station wagon/sport utility wagon (the Eagle/Spirit SX4), the two-seat 2-door sedan (AMX). AMC also originated the idea of a "warranty" for cars!

And, all their IP is now part of DCAG... so I can "stay in the family" by shopping new Dodge cars or classic AMCs.

Finally I can break off a little part of the G on an AMG badge and stick it on my Gremlin.

-s-

DavidNJ

Aren't the 265/35's a little too short? Do 275/35s fit? By the way, what do you think of the Carlsson Diamond Edition finish?

And, as someone who was there then an actually thought about running IMCA (stayed in Showroom Stock Sedan because of $$$), I'm not sure I total agree with the Rambler decision. The AMX was a shortened Javelin. Both had engine and suspension limitations. The Gremlin was also a something or other that had its tail cut off.

The Pacer, 71+ Javelin, and Matador were interesting from a styling standpoint, however still had the chassis limitations. As collector car I don't think any have legs.

A NASCAR Matador is would be interesting, however that would be a Matador in name and sheetmetal only. As would a Trans-Am Javelin. These would be for vintage racing and I think a few are kicking around. There value is boosted by the Penske/Donohue/Allison connection.