mercyfan

I am about to switch wheel on 2013 E350 4 matic from OEM 245/40-18 to 245/45-17 because I am tired of MB OEM bending rim every time I hit pot hole. I have two selection between MB Wheels Crux 17" x 7.5" at $ 122 or Mandrus Stirling 17" x 8" (rotary forging) $311. Price differentiate is a lot but Stirling is stronger than OEM wheel. Anyone ever used either one of that could share the experience?

Senecat

If you're bending rims, you're abusing the car. Take a different route.

mercyfan

I have been driving so many car and hit so many pot holes but none of that bending like in Mercedes. I had Honda Pilot 2003 driving it for 280k miles for 14 years and even one time I hit concrete pavement I think about 3 inches the wheel not bend but it 16" wheel 235/70R16. But few months after that I need to replace engine mount. The Honda EX wheel look like alloy but forged so it very strong. This mercedes OEM wheel is light alloy look like very soft it may be designed that way to absorb the impact so it protect the engine from impact so Mercedes design to be like tire so you need to fix it regularly every time it bend. But now it crack in inner side so I am feed up fixing it because it cost around $150 per wheel. Many in this site also experienced bent rim because of look cool big rim and small tire instead it look more like band of rubber than tire. In Houston and Dallas there is so many pot hole which is not easy to see specially in rain. Sometime construction worker didn't put in cone so it not easy to avoid. That the reason I want to switch to smaller rim and big tire and more air which why car using tire in beginning. But because consumer demand want big wheel many new car came with bigger rim without option to go to smaller rim and bigger tire which can protect the rim and car. I did have Acura but I think 2005 so that time still not using low profile tire so still ok.

Dingo L

Stiff suspensions could be part of the reasons causing bending rims.....
Choose thicker tire walls, I'm sure it helps.
I run 225/55/16 on my w212 e250 cgi with 31psi tire pressure, I think I've pushed the envelope to give the softest ride and best rim (and my spine) protection.

Left Coast Geek

16" wheels won't fit on a USA model E350, the front brakes/suspension bits are too big.

mercyfan

Most of Mercedes dealer claimed my car 2013 E350 4matic with sport package option 951 and based on vin # would only work with 18" rim or bigger. They suggest to use bigger ratio such as 50 to compensate using same 18".
Now I have two choice not extreme using 245/45-17 which increase side wall 10 mm more or go for extreme using 235/50-17 which increase tire wall by 16.5mm that a lot more rubber and air to protect rim and car. The size 245/45-17 is at least Discount Tire available as option but 235/50-17 even if it work not one option you can choose on Discount Tire. Only one post claimed that size 235/50-17 being used by one of member here.
16 inch wheel on w212 ,will it fit? - MBWorld.org Forums

Left Coast Geek

changing the outer diameter of your steering tires will grossly affect how the carhandles and steers

mercyfan

I ordered the tire from Tire Rack Turanza QuietTrack 96H 235/50-17 and Rial M10 17"x8" Bright Silver back order 9/21. The grey is in stock but I prefer bright silver because my car paint is black. The one I confuse is between load index and extra load. My old tire is Michelin A/S3+ 97Y it had extra load label. But there is tire with load index 99 but it had no extra load label. What is the minimum size tire got extra load is it 97 and up or there is no relation between load index and extra load?

Left Coast Geek

different sizes have different defauit load indexes. XL adds to that but will mean different things in a different size.

a regular 245/45R17 (non-XL) has a load rating of about 95, but the XL version is 99

mercyfan

Is that mean it mandatory for 4matic to have extra load even load rating it in the range

Left Coast Geek

sorry I didn't phrase that right. the XL tire will have a higher load rating number than the non XL tire, but what that IS varies by size. My 245/45R17XL have a load rating of 99 which is 1709 lbs. a 235/50R17 is load rating of 96 which is 1565 lbs.