nc211

Just drove from DC to NC, and wouldn’t you know it, these damn AMG 18” rims are bent yet again! Car was serviced, rotated and balanced recently. I hit a pothole recently that I’ve hit in my VW and in the GLS with its 20” wheels - neither affected. But the 212? Damn bent

No more!

Wanting to order some new rims from Tire Rack, want the OE size so the new Michelins will fit. What I don’t understand is “off set”? Can you guys educate me what that means, and what I should get to keep it as close to original as possible? I don’t want to mess with spacers or worry about rubbing. Just a smooth cruise at 80mph without that damn drowning noise that I’ve chased around now for years. I know it’s the rims, not a single doubt in my mind.

thanks all!

Fliplegend

To my understanding, offset is the distance from the hub(center) of the wheel to the edge/lip. The smaller the number the farther it is from the hub so the more the wheel will stick out.

KEY08

Stock offset is 48ET all around. Try to stay close to that. Your wheels will be stamped on the back with size and offset.

nc211

Thanks guys!

Key, I follow the 48, but what does the ET stand for?

I really like the look of the AMG wheels. But man, are they a constant pain to fix. I don’t know if they can ever be back to 100% at this point. Time to just start over I guess. This car has one job to do for me - smooth highway cruiser, and these rims are a constant headache for achieving that one need.

KEY08

ET German is Einpresstiefe, meaning insertion depth.
We are driving German cars after all. Just don’t buy any Chinese knock-off junk or you will be in worse shape

kajtek1

Are those Czech made wheels that you are dumping?
I replaced mine with monoblock of lower offset and actually like the looks.

nc211

Perfect graphic to explain it, thanks K!!

im not sure exactly what I’ve got. In a post a while ago, some said my 2014 actually has the 2013 wheels on it instead? I do know two were new and two were original when I bought it as a CPO in 2017, and it used to live in Bethesda MD which has some pretty rough roads. So I’m guessing a bad hit.

I have to drive the car next Thursday to Indiana from DC and back, won’t have time to replace the rims. Going to do another bend fix ($150 per wheel) and then start shopping for something else. Not looking for super expensive, probably in the $250-$300 per wheel range. I’ve not had to buy new rims since I was 17 years old on an old MK2 GTI. Learning curve here. Are BBS any good? I do like the look of these AMG wheels, but the fragile supermodel treatment they require is just too much of a PIA for me!

kajtek1

Looks like the Czech wheels I originally had.
They look good in new application

KEY08

^OMG, that hose reel gets me every time.

My wheels are OEM 19” E63 AMG Wheels made by BBS for Mercedes. These are extremely durable wheels, but they are very expensive. I’m not sure you will find a BBS wheel in your budget range.

andynmaas

I had 2013 E350 4matic using standard oem wheel 245R45-18 light alloy and in 170k miles i have been fixed bent wheel 5 times cost $150 each fix. It also defect the strut and shock i have replaced front and rear struts/shock at 100k miles with bilstein because it caused the tire wear faster and it look like chopped. I thought it also caused damaged to front drive shaft broken on connection to front diff which cost me $2400 to repair because it hit catalytic converter and also broke oxygen sensor. The 3rd impact it broke hidden ujoint that connect front drive shaft to transfer case which almost cost me more than $8k to replace transmission because transfer case is part of transmission. I could not find indy shop around dallas so i fixed it myself cost me $700 for front gear of transfer case and transfer case bearing kit around $150. I have to spent around $600 for tools.
The problem of low profile tire it looks good to see but it didn't provide proper protection to car including the rim. I also think maybe the rim built soft to protect the car to absorb impact just funtions like tire. It well known as band of rubber than a tire. So immediate impact is to rim and instead if we used forged rim (strong material) the impact will damaged strut or drive shaft or even engine.
I would rather to protect car than rim by increase size of tire and rubber than buy strong rim. For 4matic the size can only reduced from 18" to 17". Mercedes only offer 245R45-17 which only increase sidewall 10 mm more. I maximize increase of tire part by use custom size 235R50-17 which add extra in right height around 6.8 mm for total increase sidewall 16.8 mm. This will protect car better than standard 18" rim. It may not look good in eye but it give better protection which is the reason tire made with rubber not metal. More rubber plus air than metal is more protection.

This is original oem rim made by Ronal in Spain.


This after changed to 235R50-17 increased tire sidewall 16.8 mm. This is using Riel M10 made Univwheel Germany look like replica of your AMG and only cost $150 same cost as to fix wheel. So next time instead fix just replace the rim with brand new one. It ride perfect and i feel the car us more protected using proper tire than band of stupid rubber.

17X8 RIAL M10 BRIGHT SIL Size & Description Qty Availability Price Each Item Total
1 In Stock $148.92 $148.92 Note:

CUSTOMER FITMENT: CUSTOMER ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR USE ON VEHICLE.
This is look similar to your AMG wheel from Tirerack

RWD can use up to 16" rim and i wish i had RWD instead of 4matic because this w212 4matic is the achilles heel.

kajtek1

IMHO those wheels have to be made with soft alloy.
The monoblock I put on my W212 are at least 25 years old. I bought 7 of them from 2 different sellers about 10 years ago and only 1 wheel has a damage on it. They are made by Lorinser, what is MB tuner.
I don't babe my cars and tend to take bumps and potholes at speed.
Czech-made wheels had 2 "spontaneous" cracks on them, where rim had a crack with no bend.

strife

Serious question to people who are living in US areas strewn with potholes: Would buying "steelies" help here? I wonder if MBUSA sells them here along with their matching plastic hubcaps. The good news is, no one would steal them!

I now have a spare rim after bend/curb repairing and the spare is in "rotation" (rims like those shown above in andynmaas's first photo above). Wondering if further money spent on them would be throwing good money after bad. i personally haven't bent a rim (yet, and I did knock on wood) but the PO of my car sure did. My E350 spent its earlier life in NYC. My previous car had 18" rims (a Hyundai) and didn't bend anything in 125K of driving (of course, it also weighed about 1000 pounds less).

andynmaas

I did used spare tire same size as the main 4 tire because rim only 25% of oem rim. It also fit in trunk using regular size tire.