wastedyolk

Hi All,

Need some help ordering Snow Tires for my 2014 GL63. I just tired calling tire rack but they have no info, only for 21" snow tires which I don't want to do. Want to go with a 20" or 18" winter tire/rim package. Can anyone tell me if 18's would work? I'm pretty sure 20's would work, but if anyone is sure please let me know. Thanks in advance guys!!!

Steve Maislin

I started this post a while back. I really like the 19" wheels and tires that I use in the winter.

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...now-shoes.html

There was also this recently. I don't know how these 18" could fit outside of being way out on the edge of the fender. Ya got me.

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...-way-x166.html

cookstar

+1 you cant go 18's.

1st amg

Especially with the brake caliper and rotor size of the AMG, no way. You better also make sure whatever size of wheel you order that the offset is correct.

Bob Burket

I've had a hard time getting wheel/tire for GL63. Ordered a 20" package from tire rack that they had listed. Received them. Hit caliper. The offset was supposed to be correct. Sent everything back.

Tire rack then said they did not have a solution and corrected their website. Looked elsewhere. Could not find anything.

Gave up and got 21" and mounted on my original rims. Thank heavens. We've had 5 snows so far this year!

I don't want to continue to use the same rims and change tires every season. But there still is no "package" offered by MB. So I'd have to order 21" rims that match the ones that came with the car. But I'm not willing to pay over $9,000 for winter rims.

I'm at a deadened.

smayshusband

I just saw that Pirelli offers two different tires in that size 295 40 ar 21
Pirelli Scorpion winter and Pirelli winter carving edge found them both on tirerack.com

cincy8

I have a GL550 and got my package from the dealer. (MB USA) I went with 20", MB wheels. They mounted, balanced, aligned for free. I got about 15% discount (actually a little more) with MB club card. We preferred MB wheels.

He also had a 19" package.
The tires are Pirelli Scorpian Snow and Ice.
He checked for combo's approved by MB engineering.

There was another thread with a link to a MB Canadian site that shows you the options.

ymmv

I've had Pirelli and Michelin snow tires. They're okay, but Nokian is a whole 'nother league above. The Michelin were better than the Pirelli's, but they both lack the tenacity and feel of the Nokian in plain tread or studded. I've give up on rubber tread -- you just won't get the braking and cornering of studs or the absolute defiance of ice, especially at higher speeds. The new "eco" studs are much more comfortable and quiet -- they're arranged in a pattern that doesn't create droning resonance.

So I suggest Nokian Hakkapelitta 7 SUV or the new R2 SUV if you just don't need studs. These tires with or without studs, can withstand 200 miles on dry asphalt at 75 mph on a warm, sunny day without adverse wear and they can sustain a full ABS panic stop without losing control on any surface from black ice to four feet of snow plowing over the hood or dry asphalt or dirt and gravel.

I've been driving a GL 350 since 2010 and I'm on my third GL now as a 2014 GL 550. I currently have 275/40R20 and 275/55R20 tires on factory GL wheels from the old 2010 GL (X164) to gauge the right selection for the 21's on the X166. Sadly, the 2014 car runs a smaller overall diameter (this is a stupid mistake on their part) so the 55's might be too tall for the front (because of the sweep of the steering under various suspension compression positions) but thankfully the 40 series (which is off my old Cayenne Turbo) is too short (yes, Porsche is even worse about putting small vehicle wheel and tire setups on full size SUVs ... make sure you buy the tire insurance!)

Somewhere in there, shorter than a 55, taller than a 40, should be a good compromise for overall diameter and circumference and section width and contact patch.

For wet weather, narrower is better, so I'll be looking at Nokian in the 7 SUV sized 265/50R20 or 265/45R21 depending upon how the X164 wheels fit and the R2 in those sizes for suburban winters is a great tire.

I've had the factory fitment tire in about a foot and a half of fresh snow and it's a very good snow M+S rated performer. Even at high speed in deep slush at zero temps, the tire was doing pretty well. It had some trouble with directional control, but it was surefooted and didn't call on the electronics even when I was playing around with no other cars for miles, the braking and steering was confident and reliable. If I was only worried about getting caught in a storm, rather than my usual drive to the mountains to ski as frequently as possible, the factory tires would suffice. You'll never need snow chains in this car with these tires unless you're off public roads and climbing a private road to a ski cabin or slogging it off road.

Bottom line, get the Nokians in 265's and be prepared to be having a lot of fun driving in deep snow and the worst of ice. : )

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=1...peliitta+7+SUV

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=1...tta%20R2%20SUV

cyclrder

Your 2 options are buy AMG 20s off the 166 series or step up to the unavailable Pirelli scorpion winter 21s ... Not the winter and ice as that is a decade old technology tire... Completely wrong for our vehicles.

If you get the 20s off of the 166 AMG.. I would recommend Dunlop winter sport 3ds... Not the 4Ds as it doesn't seem to handle as well. On my old GL550 I had this setup and I couldn't really tell the difference from the 21 OEM contis to the Dunlop 3Ds in the dry.... Remember the huge snowstorm last year where they closed the LIE? I drove out to my beach house with 16 inches of snow.... No problem. Btw... Nothing smaller than 20s will work on our cars as the calipers are off the SL65 AMG and they are huge!

I am waiting for my Scorpion Winters ordered from Tire District in Canada... Will give a full write up after the they are mounted and we have a big snow.

The Continental sport contacts are downright dangerous on the AMG cars... Remember... Our 4matic is not as sophisticated as a 450 or 550 as it only splits 40/60.... So we lose a lot of the benefit.

PM me if you like.... I'm in Williamsburg. Nice to hear about another Gl63 in the city.