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You might actually want to try a lower tire pressure. Too high and no give so the rim ends up taking it. I normally keep mine in the 33-35 range. I have better luck on my 17 inch rims, only 2 bent ones. It's not a sports package though so maybe that's why mine fit. They were 245/45/17s. The 245/40/18 on the W211 have had 3 cracked rims and 3 bent ones.
I have heard both - keep tire pressures at the recommdned specs 33-35, or keep them at 40. People say the same things about both settings "it protects the wheel".
Anyone have any concrete evidence on which one is the best for the wheel?
I've officially had it with bent rims on this car.
In 3 years of ownership I have replaced 13 rims. I am tired of driving like I am in a slalom around every single bump and dip in the road.
Bought several OEM rims. Bent them all.
Bought aftermarket "like OEM" replacements thinking they'd be cheaper and possibly stronger. They weren't bad, but instead of bending they just cracked. And some still bent.
A month ago I bought a set of "semi-forged" aftermarket rims. Didn't want to do it but I had to bite the bullet so to speak, and everything I'd read told me they'd be stronger. Within two weeks two more of them were bent.
Thoughts?
This is just crazy, I run 34-35 psi cold and had my cpo E350 for 3 years and other than having one slight curbed wheel fixed, I have never given a thought about bending a wheel. I am fully aware of all the potholes on roads I typically drive but you always seem to find one when you are not paying attention. I don't know if you have extremely poor luck or what but 13.
I have heard both - keep tire pressures at the recommdned specs 33-35, or keep them at 40. People say the same things about both settings "it protects the wheel".
Anyone have any concrete evidence on which one is the best for the wheel?
Well I believe the standard recommended specs apply. The OP here may be proof that going too high is also bad. Plus when tire pressure is that high, the car rides like it's on rocks.
Well I believe the standard recommended specs apply. The OP here may be proof that going too high is also bad. Plus when tire pressure is that high, the car rides like it's on rocks.
I'd have to agree with you on the tire pressure. The reason I have my Eclass is because of the superior ride quality over the C400 I previously owned. Having the tire pressure anywhere from 40psi and above adds to much to the harshness of the ride for me.
I will stick with the higher side of psi. I would rather bubble a tire than bend the rim. The potholes around here are not small and develop quickly into craters. Unrelenting
I will stick with the higher side of psi. I would rather bubble a tire than bend the rim. The potholes around here are not small and develop quickly into craters. Unrelenting
Apparently the roads in the PNW are not as bad as I thought. We don't get the severe temperatures either way. Just what seems to be constant rain from November through June.
Check with your local dealer...
Cannot see how they would care as it is INSURANCE not warranty....
I see they have glass insurance too for windshield I guess....
When you wheels bend does the outside bend or inside or both and bends all the way across?
How deep was pothole? how fast were you going?
FRom physics point of view way too many variables
But maybe someone makes stronger wheel one where the wheel band part is thicker and stronger also may have more spokes to spread load over greater surface area...
Check with your local dealer...
Cannot see how they would care as it is INSURANCE not warranty....
I see they have glass insurance too for windshield I guess....
When you wheels bend does the outside bend or inside or both and bends all the way across?
How deep was pothole? how fast were you going?
FRom physics point of view way too many variables
But maybe someone makes stronger wheel one where the wheel band part is thicker and stronger also may have more spokes to spread load over greater surface area...
Or time to buy a GLE with big sidewalls?
Always on the inside of the barrel. Every single time.
Makes engineering sense;The wheel inside edge is weak compared to outside due to SPOKES adding stiffness.
inside edge is free and has not real strength other then wheel thickness and tire bead lip.
They need to make it thicker or re-inforce internally or something...
Maybe stronger stiffer material;
STEEL? Stiffer then these alloy wheels and easier to repair - But COP CAR UGLY!
Or skinnier wheels that are not as wide maybe?
OR more sidewall will help as tire can absorb more load and prevent SOLID contact of road to tire to wheel to OUCH ...
post a picture of one of these potholes or whatever causes your bent wheels.
You want me to just post a picture of one pothole in PA? It looks like a pothole.
The thing is, we go SO FAR out of our way to NEVER hit a pothole because we are so sick of buying rims, it's not even funny. We drive like skiers on a Black Diamond. I honestly don't know where the damage is coming from. I mean, it HAS to be potholes but you have no idea the Terminator-like pothole-seeking vision we have developed to avoid hitting them, simply due to the fact that I'm basically shelling out another monthly car payment, just for wheels.
I like the idea of those 255s posted above. I mean, they are very nearly identical in size except just a smidge wider and a fraction of a smidge taller. I will try that size when I get tires in a couple months.
If I apply my automotive logic to the tire pressure issue, here's my line of thinking. Running a higher pressure will definitely reduce ride comfort and cause wear and noise. Got that. However when it comes to hitting potholes, there is no way I can rationalize a lower pressure cushioning an oblique hit from, let's say, a 1" tall 90-degree "ledge" like you'd find in a pothole. The amount of pinpoint pressure exerted by that corner will definitely collapse the tire to the point that the corner "contacts" the rim. Running a higher pressure MIGHT help prevent that from happening in a few circumstances, but there's no rational way a "harder" tire would actually CAUSE a bend. If that were the case, every BMW on run-flats out would be running around on square rims.
Remember I’m the guy running 40 psi on my winter 18” AMG wheels with no bent rims vs. your 17 bent rims. Certainly, I’m more subject to a bubbled tire, but that averages maybe 1 every 3 winters. These 18” AMG wheels are also not known for being strong and pothole friendly either.
Remember I’m the guy running 40 psi on my winter 18” AMG wheels with no bent rims vs. your 17 bent rims. Certainly, I’m more subject to a bubbled tire, but that averages maybe 1 every 3 winters. These 18” AMG wheels are also not known for being strong and pothole friendly either.
Yeah I'm totally agreeing with you. That's why I run 40psi too.
If I apply my automotive logic to the tire pressure issue, here's my line of thinking. Running a higher pressure will definitely reduce ride comfort and cause wear and noise. Got that. However when it comes to hitting potholes, there is no way I can rationalize a lower pressure cushioning an oblique hit from, let's say, a 1" tall 90-degree "ledge" like you'd find in a pothole. The amount of pinpoint pressure exerted by that corner will definitely collapse the tire to the point that the corner "contacts" the rim. Running a higher pressure MIGHT help prevent that from happening in a few circumstances, but there's no rational way a "harder" tire would actually CAUSE a bend. If that were the case, every BMW on run-flats out would be running around on square rims.
Here's the other logic. A lower tire pressure allows the tire to give more cushioning the blow to the rim. It's the reason you use packing material when shipping thing. It cushions the blow and prevents damage. Would you rather hit your head on a solid object or would you like a little cushioning? The lower pressure gives it more give. Same with collisions, the reason the car deforms is that it absorbs more energy from the collision. When it doesn't deform, energy is transferred directly and you suffer a much harsher hit.
But compressed air is ALWAYS a cushion since it can continue to be compressed.
When you hit pothole the tire compresses so less space for air and the internal tire pressure rises until it is high enough to support this pothole edge load or rubber hits wheel.
So if you start higher less likely for tire to hit wheel...
BUT
you are closer to the pressure when the tire will blow a bead and lose all the air pressure and the pothole hits the wheel
Kinda a Catch-22 for wheels....
Reason I wanted to see pics is to compare to our potholes... I mean are they small ones or large LAKE like ones?
Deep or 1" deep layer of asphalt gone?
For you to have so many means your roads are like a minefield and worse potholes or you just have bad luck.
from my experience if you are having cracks in the barrel, try to source narrower wheels, where tire is a bit more meaty on them, having tire flush or almost stretched doesn't cushion as much.
Narrower wheels are definitely less prone to damage. The wide and weak barrel is always the issue as we have all been saying. MB, BMW, Audi, VW, etc all like the wider stance look to their cars and suvs. It is this wider stance with lower profile tires that is the troublemaker.
These potholes will bend your rim. They are steep and with 90 degree lip.
We barely get them here in south... and in my little town the Road maintenance dept will fill them in before weeks is over.
So potholes are RARE....
Unless I go into New Orleans which,,, they have some that will swallow your whole car
or INVERSE potholes where the road buckles up and can do damage to wheel and anything hanging down..
INVERSE potholes where the road buckles up and can do damage to wheel and anything hanging down..
Yes, the roads all buckle here in the spring when the warm weather expands the surface. It's just so much fun dealing with cheaply built roads and freeze-thaw cycles.
Can’t agree with that logic. We are not packing boxes. More air, less chance of bottoming out. Period. Bigger bang, sure.
Technically it's just physics. It's basically how much energy the rim ends up taking. With more air, there's less give in the tire and the rim takes more energy from the collision. When the energy exceeds the strength of the wheel, you get bends and cracks. It's unclear now if it's the pothole that's impacting the rim causing it to bend or the lack of cushioning that causes it to bend. It also makes sense why the inner rim tends to bend, most of the time the inner part of the tire tends to wear out first. Maybe an alignment might help and also driving slower, the faster you go, the more energy in the system.
02-29-2020, 05:43 PM
