E-Class (W212) 2010 - 2016: E 350, E 550
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Can I go with Michelin defender 235-50-17 on all 4 wheels ?

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Old Feb 4, 2021 | 04:21 AM
  #1  
Jason King`'s Avatar
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2012 E350, 2001 E320
Can I go with Michelin defender 235-50-17 on all 4 wheels ?

I owned a 2010 e550 and had multiple bent rims with low profile tires. Awful roads in Arkansas and Oklahoma. I recently purchased a 25,000 miles prestine 2012 e350 sport with staggered wheels and now considering replacing 18" rims with 17" and buying Michelin defender 235-50-17 tires for quiet ride and tread life.

So the diameter of the 235-50-17 is 2% difference but the width is off significantly from the 265-35-18. Does anyone know if I'm going to Jack up my ride with the 235-50-17 ? The luxury edition have wheels and tire specs of 245-45-17, so does one size width difference pose any risk to my car ? I prefer a more comfortable ride versus a sporty ride. I just don't want to mess up camber and other things.


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Old Feb 4, 2021 | 08:37 AM
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I’m not sure of the reference to a 265/35 in your post. The difference in sidewall height between the 235/50 and the 245/35 is .3” . The difference in compliance is minimal and I wouldn’t make that tire choice. Just stick with the recommended OEM. Going to a 17” wheel is a personal choice as long as you have proper caliper clearance and proper offsets.
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Old Feb 4, 2021 | 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Jason King`
I owned a 2010 e550 and had multiple bent rims with low profile tires. Awful roads in Arkansas and Oklahoma. I recently purchased a 25,000 miles prestine 2012 e350 sport with staggered wheels and now considering replacing 18" rims with 17" and buying Michelin defender 235-50-17 tires for quiet ride and tread life.

So the diameter of the 235-50-17 is 2% difference but the width is off significantly from the 265-35-18. Does anyone know if I'm going to Jack up my ride with the 235-50-17 ? The luxury edition have wheels and tire specs of 245-45-17, so does one size width difference pose any risk to my car ? I prefer a more comfortable ride versus a sporty ride. I just don't want to mess up camber and other things.
The luxury version also sits one inch higher in the back and almost 3/4" in front. Also the 17" wheel will be tight on your front "Sport" brake rotors. Best to stick with stock tire sizes if the 17" wheels fit.

Last edited by pierrejoliat; Feb 4, 2021 at 09:29 AM.
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Old Feb 5, 2021 | 02:57 AM
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Originally Posted by pierrejoliat
The luxury version also sits one inch higher in the back and almost 3/4" in front. Also the 17" wheel will be tight on your front "Sport" brake rotors. Best to stick with stock tire sizes if the 17" wheels fit.

the wheels are the stock oem luxury e350 wheels but I'm going 235-50-17 versus 245-45-17. Roads are bad with pot holes in eastern oklahoma so I'm trying to not to bend a rim with slightly higher sidewall. Also the defender has a little bit more harder compound to hit those potholes without being noisy.
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Old Feb 5, 2021 | 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Jason King`
the wheels are the stock oem luxury e350 wheels but I'm going 235-50-17 versus 245-45-17. Roads are bad with pot holes in eastern oklahoma so I'm trying to not to bend a rim with slightly higher sidewall. Also the defender has a little bit more harder compound to hit those potholes without being noisy.
Interesting choice, hopefully it helps, I have bent 2 17" wheels on my luxury and one 18" on my sport, I would be very interested to hear if the 17' fits over your front brake rotors.
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Old Feb 5, 2021 | 08:54 AM
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2012 E350, 2001 E320
Originally Posted by pierrejoliat
Interesting choice, hopefully it helps, I have bent 2 17" wheels on my luxury and one 18" on my sport, I would be very interested to hear if the 17' fits over your front brake rotors.
yes the same wheels were on my 2010 e550 that i just sold .

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Old Feb 6, 2021 | 07:40 AM
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I got the impression that the height difference between the luxury and the sport has more to do with the under bumper trim than anything else. I think the car ride height is about the same, but I could be wrong. Per the 2016 model year brochure, luxury cars could be ordered with 18s, and sport cars could be ordered with 17s, as options, so I don't think there's any brake difference.
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Old Feb 6, 2021 | 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
I got the impression that the height difference between the luxury and the sport has more to do with the under bumper trim than anything else. I think the car ride height is about the same, but I could be wrong. Per the 2016 model year brochure, luxury cars could be ordered with 18s, and sport cars could be ordered with 17s, as options, so I don't think there's any brake difference.
Well, that impression was incorrect, the luxury sits one inch higher in the back and at least 3/4" higher in the front, at least in the pre-facelifts. also my sport has different rotors and calipers in the front, they are larger and drilled.
The AMG sport package also adds the lowered front air dam, which makes the front end even lower. The 212 chassis was made for seven years, changes were made to the later models, I'm just saying the 2016 was not the only year they made these cars so what they did on the '16 is not necessarily relevant to all years.

Last edited by pierrejoliat; Feb 6, 2021 at 08:22 AM.
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Old Feb 6, 2021 | 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
I got the impression that the height difference between the luxury and the sport has more to do with the under bumper trim than anything else. I think the car ride height is about the same, but I could be wrong. Per the 2016 model year brochure, luxury cars could be ordered with 18s, and sport cars could be ordered with 17s, as options, so I don't think there's any brake difference.
IIRC both facelift E350 luxury and E350 sport have 322mm front rotors (12.7" or so) the difference is that the sport model ones are cross drilled. The calipers are the same - single piston sliding.

The ride height should be about 15mm less due to springs on the Sport models. Might be more because of the front bumper trim pieces, side sills, etc.
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Old Feb 6, 2021 | 08:48 AM
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Originally Posted by LILBENZ230
IIRC both facelift E350 luxury and E350 sport have 322mm front rotors (12.7" or so) the difference is that the sport model ones are cross drilled. The calipers are the same - single piston sliding.

The ride height should be about 15mm less due to springs on the Sport models. Might be more because of the front bumper trim pieces, side sills, etc.
My '12 luxury sits 27 mm higher in the back, top of tire to fender, my front rotors and calipers are different from my luxury to sport, '12 and '13. The back brakes look identical.
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Old Feb 6, 2021 | 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by pierrejoliat
My '12 luxury sits 27 mm higher in the back, top of tire to fender, my front rotors and calipers are different from my luxury to sport, '12 and '13. The back brakes look identical.
Must've been a facelift change.. I've referenced parts, they're the same 322mm for sport and luxury E350s.
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