When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi All, could use some advice. Posted a few months ago what I thought to be a success story of mounting 19x8.5, ET 35 non staggered wheels on my E350. Tires are 255-35-19. The research I had done at the time lead to these fitting with no issues.
Well, my front driver side rubs (perhaps because I'm on that side) when going through dips or even decent undulations on the freeway. I have, out of frustration, trimmed a decent chunk of the "roof" of my fender liner (the tire is hitting the top of the fender liner) and it is still rubbing (now against the inside metal of the fender which is super awesome. The car doesn't rub when turning.
I thought, ok I'll just adjust the camber and bring the top of the tire in toward the car a bit. Apparently that isn't doable aside from "camber bolts", which is an option but don't offer much adjustment. Also saw on a Youtube video a guy loosened the bottom two strut bolts and that actually allowed adjustment of the camber.
Would a caster change possibly fix it ?
Anyone experienced this and have any suggestions ? Don't really want to have to switch tires as all 4 are brand new.
ET35 vs ET48 standard, 13mm your tire is going OUTWARD.
Well that is the mistake you did.
Even me at 6mm extra outward due to spacer and Et48 to ET47 , long story on the 5mm spacer....if I go really fast like 100-120 MPH and hit bridge to road joint, making my front suspension
full bottom out, I get scrubbing a bit. In normal use case, no scrubbing.
See photos below :
.
.
Keep this in mind : Fashion vs proper spec, proper spec must come first.
Last edited by S-Prihadi; Apr 2, 2025 at 11:54 PM.
Reason: typo
If you mess with camber, not only your tire will "eat" un-even, your straigh tline high speed stability and braking may be effected.
Also even 2-3 degrees camber wont help that too much 13mm projection OUTWARD.
At 2-3 degrees camber, you will spend money on tires like lunch money, aka often.
Thank you for the response @S-Prihadi . In my research, though it was internet/forum based, so there you go... the ET35's were supposed to fit. The wierd thing is that the passenger side does not rub, so that's why I'm confused.
So is it safe to say the only fix is to swap rims with closer to OEM offset ? I do still have the OEM wheels and tires, so maybe I'll just put those back on. Looking to pick up a W222 soon here, just didn't want to sell this car with a rubbing issue. It looks so much better with the 19's though.
Mine had that single rub event on the driver side only. My car is RHD, yours is LHD.
I think its because of our body weight.
Where you sit, the suspension at that side carry more weight.
I do not know how many kilograms per millimeter is our spring type, but I suspect it is like 5 to 6 Kg per mm.
Thus my right spring get compressed more by 37kg or 7.4mm ( using 5kg per mm ) , compared to left side.
This is the same as my car is lower by 7.4mm at the right front wheel vs left side. So more chance to scrub the plastic fender.
Based on my car, we can say that if you are only 6mm OUWARD, it is acceptabe for scrub potential....well sort of
Of course by design if all standard, even bottomed out front suspension will not get the wheel scrubbing the plastic fender.
So, yes, solution is to get to OEM ET as close as possible, with 4-5mm outward being maximum...I guess.
Yes 19" looks nice but for my roads and use case it is a NO NO, I have damaged my 18" big time 3 times already.
With all of today’s models through cost cutting and ever increasing speed of new car assembly lines and now having no front Camber or Caster and no rear Camber ex factory we took on the role of re establishing “full adjustability“ to not only resolve costly premature excess edge tire wear issues but also your clearance issues !
Also designing so no special tools or need for time consuming control arm removal. Then incorporating fast ease of adjustment !
You mentioned wanting to gain 13mm extra clearance “top of tire”.
The OEM Camber / Caster bolts only provide 3mm (and changing bottom not top of tire - same with the strut bolts).
K-MAC replacement top strut mounts (both Camber and Caster) for coil spring models in Stage 2 (Street / Race) or Stage 3 (Full Race) and also see web site re all the “unique features” other brands do not want you to know !
Provide more than enough travel (either in - Neg. or out - Pos.) to resolve the 13mm requirement!
Then the K-MAC “lower arm“ front kit “ (also same time replacing and uprating the 4 highest wearing bushes) allows to “re establish” even tire wear / traction.
See Full info Spoiler
Spoiler
K-MAC - ALSO “UPRATING SAME TIME” THE 4 FRONT AND REAR HIGHEST WEARING SUSPENSION BUSHINGS.
ALL MODELS W212 incl. E63, 65/S AMG & 4MATIC
FRONT LOWER ARM Camber (Only) Bushes #503116-1i $345 (Both Sides) 4MATIC #503716-1i $345 (Both Sides)
(Above kits less cost than 1 Quality tire).
ABOVE CASTER BUSHES - Are Mono Ball / Self aligning. Replacing the OEM large diameter soft rubber bushings. Significantly improving Brake & Steering Response.
REAR SUSPENSION - Lower Arm Inner bushings (All Models)
CAMBER (& EXTRA TOE) #502126K $480 (Both Sides).
UPRATED BUSHES FOR THE REAR ‘6’ MULTI LINK ARMS. Less twitch, flex, loss of traction. Especially when applying power to lane change / overtake. #502628K $480 (Both Sides)
AGAIN K-MAC UNIQUE PATENTED DESIGN - Providing the “biggest” (up to 3 degrees Neg. Camber change) plus “quickest to change settings” (from engine bay - no need for strut removal)
See website re all the unique K-MAC features.
ALONG WITH - Uprated TOE arms. Resolve flex Toe change when cornering (Fitted in conjunction with above Camber and Toe kits) #502326-3J (Both Sides).
TRACK DAYS - Dial in more then enough extra neg. Camber to dramatically reduce understeer. Allowing to hit those corner apexes every time and go “deeper into the corners” - with increased Traction and Braking response. IN THE PURSUIT OF FRONT ROW OF THE GRID LAP TIMES.
DHL Express Air Worldwide $40 one kit ($20 each extra)
First, your opening is confusing since title states "245" and your first sentence states "255". Which? Also, I dont see which MY you own. Pre/post-facelift?
Next, my E is wearing same size rims (aftermarket) as you with ET30 front / ET45 rear on coils w 4matic. 245-35 no problem for me. I switched to 245-40 to avoid cracking rims, I get rubbing on both front sides. I have to return to 245-35. Options I might consider include switching my rims to 18s or looking at the E63 rims ($$$). There are front fender differences among models, I dont know how that relates to your E. @S-Prihadi is correct, as always. Offset is issue. I agree with you, I like the 19 look. But, I am tired of cracking rims in the city (suburb/highway no issues), so I drive a different vehicle downtown.
Ooops, your tire is 255 / 35 - 19, ( I assumed 245 ).... its even taller than standard 245 / 40 -18 by 4mm. So more chance to scrub plastic fender too.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
Offset is issue. I agree with you, I like the 19 look. But, I am tired of cracking rims in the city (suburb/highway no issues), so I drive a different vehicle downtown. 
