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So it took a little while to get familiar with the ins and outs of the e450 Wagon. After 1000 miles break-in and a lot of reading in this forum, I finally got there. My plan was to replace the RFTs with normal tires for a number of reasons, including lighter weight, better handling and performance, better comfort and better durability/mileage. Additionally, I wanted to add wheel spacers to better fill out the wheel well of the car, though without going down the route of new springs since I'm very pleased withe ride (comfort and performance) of the stock suspension.
Here's what I had:
-Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Run Flat Tires in size 245/45R18. Presently, Tire Rack has them for sale for 252 USD each, a UTQG of 500 A A, and a weight of 28 lbs per tire.
-no wheel spacers
Here's what I bought:
-Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus is the Ultra High Performance All-Season in the same size 245/45R18. Presently, I paid 170 USD each (for a savings of $328 all in compared to RFTs), a UTQG of 500 AA A, and a weight of 26 lbs per tires (for a savings of 8 lbs rotational weight all around).
Tire installation was incident free and all wheels were rebalanced on a Hunter Road Force machine. Job done!
-Otis Inc LA Mercedes-Benz 10mm (front) and 15mm (rear) Black Wheel Spacers (to match my AMG wheels) with ball seat lug bolts with 55mm (front) and 60mm (rear) shank lengths. I pulled the OEM lub bolts out to confirm the measurement (45mm) and then added 10mm and 15mm, respectively to account for the spacers. The wheel spacers are hub centric and wheel centric and didn't contribute so much as a buzz. They are gorgeous and beautifully machined.
I didn't want the wheels to stick out at all and measured probably 10 times all around. My data came to 10 front and 15 rear for a good fit, which is a little more conservative than the 15/20mm spacers that I've seen spec'd here on some threads. I'm glad I stuck with my gut because the installation looks perfect. The outermost part of the wheels/tires are still under the fenders, but just so. The lines look clean. Also, I used copper anti-seize brake lube to ensure that the spacers wouldn't stick.
As for performance comparison after the fact, I can't comment on the tires or spacers separately because they both got installed at the same time. But, the ride quality of the new tires is spooky smooth. I mean glass (when one can find smooth pavement in the tri-state area). Handling overall doesn't feel that different (good!) but turn-in feels more planted. I'm sure the wider rear introduced a hint more understeer.
All in all, I'm very pleased and think the car just looks stealthier without looking tricked out. In other words, it's still elegant. I attached some photos from inside my parking garage. I'll take better "after" ones when I'm up at the house this weekend to match the "before" ones from my intro post on the W213 picture thread.
Anyway, I wanted to write this all out because it took me a while to feel comfortable about doing the job myself. So, the details/parts are here for those considering the same fitment.
I hadn't thought to. Years ago I had a sports car with tinted windows and the cops weren't too pleased with them. Does the 30% limit make enough of a different? And what do you think about the 3M Crystalline? I've read decent reviews.
I hadn't thought to. Years ago I had a sports car with tinted windows and the cops weren't too pleased with them. Does the 30% limit make enough of a different? And what do you think about the 3M Crystalline? I've read decent reviews.
I just had mine done at 30%, I did it mostly to keep the southern California sun from frying everything inside the car. The company I used had a heat lamp and samples of all the tint materials, I went with the one that blocked the most heat, which was by coincidence the most expensive one. Imagine that. It's called Nano Ceramic. Was $379 to do the 4 side windows and rear window.
Against a white car, the tint looks great from the outside, and at night it doesn't hamper my visibility, which is a negative on darker tints. Here in CA, 30% is legal as long as there is no factory tint to add to the 30%. I think tinted windows make the car look better, more contrast or something.
With your color combo, the darker windows will look really good. It will tie the black in the wheels, the black window casing, and mirrors.
Last edited by West_Coaster; 11-30-2018 at 12:43 PM.
I hadn't thought to. Years ago I had a sports car with tinted windows and the cops weren't too pleased with them. Does the 30% limit make enough of a different? And what do you think about the 3M Crystalline? I've read decent reviews.
I had both our E's tinted, but you can't tell they were tinted. I have no interest in making the interior darker. I have great interest in keeping the car cooler and eliminate UV rays. To that end, I had a high quality nano-ceramic tint put in that is clear, but cuts out UV to 99 % and keeps the car as cool as any of the darkest tints you could use. It's just clear.
I'll look into it this weekend. Now, I just need to find a truly reputable installer who happens to suffer from perfectionism and OCD like all of us in this forum! Time to review Crystalline and Nano-ceramic....as if I didn't have enough research to do last weekend on wheel spacers and lug bolts!
Some better photos of the wheel spacers after a wash. I tried to get better shots of the tire and wheels under the wheel wells. I think it is pretty tidy.
-Otis Inc LA Mercedes-Benz 10mm (front) and 15mm (rear) Black Wheel Spacers (to match my AMG wheels) with ball seat lug bolts with 55mm (front) and 60mm (rear) shank lengths. I pulled the OEM lub bolts out to confirm the measurement (45mm) and then added 10mm and 15mm, respectively to account for the spacers. The wheel spacers are hub centric and wheel centric and didn't contribute so much as a buzz. They are gorgeous and beautifully machined.
nycebo, do you know the brand (or part number) of the 10mm spacers? Was it like image #1 below, which is "standard" hub and wheel centric spacers or like image #2 below, which has a tall cylinder for hub (also know as "front only" spacers for Mercedes with front dust cap)? Also, for wheel bolts Otis supplied, do you know specifically if the ball seat was R14 and do you by chance know these bolts brand and part number? TIA.
The price includes the lug bolts. They were perfect for my application (R14 for my mercedes). Phil at Otis is very knowledgeable about what you'd need and spoke at length with me about the project and was super helpful. The quality was also superb. One note: because the bolts don't come in black in longer sizes, he included black bolt covers (like Audi uses) to blend them in with my black wheels. However, if you have normal aluminum wheels, then it's no worries.
11-29-2018, 03:52 PM
