kipdave

I have a 2013 E350 4Matic Sport that now has 3 bent AMG wheels. They are bent but not bad enough to cause a vibration or lose pressure but this may be a temporary situation because they are so soft. I know this is a common problem and I'm reluctant to get them repaired because they will probably bend again. Are the standard 18" split 5 spoke wheels more durable? Are forged aftermarket wheels such as the Mandrus Arrow (rotary forged) a solution? What is the best way to solve this problem long term? Thanks!

Peachy

If you don't care about looks, get smaller rims with bigger tires. More sidewall will absorb more of the impact and have a harder time reaching the rim. Also being proactive about dodging potholes and slowing down on rough roads will help, even if its at the expense of impatient drivers behind you. Who cares about them, protect your rims :B

cetialpha5

They all bend, just watch out for potholes and make sure your tire pressures are up there. Had 2 bent ones and one cracked one on my 18 and two bent ones on my 17. All you can do is bend them back. I believe the AMG wheels cost more so it's worth it to get them bent back. They cost me around $100 to bend them back, they should be in the $100-$125 range. Most tire shops probably know who bends them back. Although you may not be getting a vibration, run your hand over the tire, a very minor vibration could still cause the tires to eventually feather.

There's no real solution, having 40 or 45 series tires just leads to blown out tires and bent/cracked rims. The manufacturers do this to cater to a segment that thinks bigger is cool and provides better handling. You just end up getting stuck with the bill as an owner.

kajtek1

In 20 years of driving different MB I had only 1 - 16" rim bent and that was when in panic situation I went into shoulder pothole while heavy braking.
We do have factory 17" on our W212 and no bends on them. I keep 35/40 psi in them.
Still I like the other MB W211 riding on 16" better.

cetialpha5

Well I'm not surprised that we get a lot more potholes on the east coast where there's lots of frost and thaw cycles than you do out in the drier/warmer west coast.

kajtek1

Caltrans blames the freeway curbs on earthquakes
On I-5 I see even semi-trucks moving to left lane driving into underpasses as freeway joint is so dislocated that trailers are getting airborne. .