GregW / Oregon

Yeah, you're in the heart of the Polar Vortex! I'm on dry or wet roads 95% of the time in the Winter and studs are noisy and I think hurt traction in those conditions, not to mention they tear up the roads.

Henry Stark

I commend you on using a performance winter over an all season or all weather in your climate. Did you ever look at the Continental WinterContact™ TS 860 S supposedly a good alternative?

GregW / Oregon

I have not - looks like a good tire, but it doesn't come in the correct sizes for me.

Ron.s

Do you have the AMG body? I think most Vossens and Mandrus I looked at came about et32 for 9”. I am et44 & 57 with my AMG 20’s so questioned the fit even with spacers. I have a nice set of et 32 wheels but was thinking they wouldn’t fit. Curious what you found that will work....maybe I messed up buying another set of wheels. Originally I planned to buy a nicer set of wheels and use my factory ones for Winter.

GregW / Oregon

They do have a 20x8.5 (better for a 255 tire) in et40 that would be slightly better.

Henry Stark

Here is the fitment guide for tsw/mandrus

https://fitment.tsw.com/alloy-wheels...z&model=GLE450

Like GregW mentioned I’m going to a 255 so I’ve gone with a 20x8.5 et40 and our hoping to clear the 53’s larger brakes. I still can’t confirm fitment because wheels are a week away and car arrives a few months after. My car will arrive with performance tires so I have to think ahead otherwise I will be going no where in the snow.

Here is the German guide you can check out the various wheel sizes they offer most with super positive offsets. (Be careful with the 19” because they switch the overal diameter of the tires and must have to do some software changes?)

https://www.mercedes-benz.de/passeng...E-SUV-V167.pdf

GregW / Oregon

The 53's brakes are same as the 350/450 w/ AMG Line. Wish we could get the fixed calipers like on the Euro Technology Package.

I'm not sure why the OEM 255/50-19 tires are so much smaller than the rest. At ~29.1" OD they are a full 2" smaller than the 275/50-20s. They could have gone with a 55 ore even 60 series, or wider or both. Way undersized visually.

Henry Stark

I have a shopping list of many European options we miss out on!

GregW / Oregon

They list conical lug seats - Mercedes uses a radius (ball) seat. You will need special lug bolts that I'm not sure are available yet. Also, the M15x1.25 lug bolt is larger than most others; need to make sure lug holes will accept them. I had to drill out my W166 wheels: https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...ml#post7784909.

Henry Stark

Any color as long as it’s black

https://otisincla.com/product-catego...-25-cone-seat/

Hopefully someone comes out with some locks soon

GregW / Oregon

Hopefully, someone will have extended length ball seat versions available soon. Having to pay $hundreds for custom titanium.

Ron.s

Thanks, Very helpful! Those might work for front wheel spacers for my new wheels.

GregW / Oregon

Those only have a 33mm shank max. Stock is 45mm. Wheel thickness at seat can make a difference, of course.

GregW / Oregon

Not long enough.

Ron.s

Right....I could go .25” spacers so need 40mm’s. My Tire Rack bolts are silver and 28mm, just measured them.

GregW / Oregon

Is that measuring from behind the rear wheel face, or the whole shank? Stock is 45mm shank and 20.6mm behind the wheel.

Ron.s

Measuring the bolts that came from Tire Rack with my new wheels. I will pull a wheel when I get back in early November and check. I’m going to see if Tire Rack has longer bolts. They use a square shoulder bolt with a tapered washer similar to the stock MB bolt but without the bulge.

DaveD9

This is the bolt that came from Tire Rack for my Blizzaks on a 19". They also sent optional spacers.

GregW / Oregon

Here's what I measured with my OEM 21" AMG wheels and lug bolts.

Ron.s

Thanks...More precise than I can get but good comparison info. Actually the Tire Rack Bolts look a little short....will see how they fit.

GregW / Oregon

Conventional rule of thumb is the thread embedment should be equal to the diameter, in this case 15mm. That's into the hub; rotor doesn't count. I'm not saying that is MB's criteria.
Edit: If my math is right, 15mm embedment/1.25mm thread pitch = 12 turns once the threads bite into the hub.

Ron.s

That looks like the same bolt that they sent me. Do you have the AMG pkg? Have you installed them to see if they fit? The Cone seat is recessed more than the ball seat but these new bolts just look very short to me compared to the factory one. Wheel thickness might make up the difference, I wish I had taken the time to check but my wheels arrived the day before I left town.
Optional spacers for the bolt or hub?

DaveD9

I do not have the AMG pkg and mine are for 19" rims. They are exactly the same length of my 2016 winter bolts. Installation scheduled for 11/1 as dealer holds my off season tires.

GregW / Oregon

Good point.

tommyr

I have a 450 with AMG package, does that impact rim setup? Reason I ask is that I have 21" rims and am planning on getting 20" rims from tirerack (and they don't ask if you have AMG exterior).

Also, Ron and Greg do I understand that you aren't sure if the lug bolts that tirerack supplied with winter tire package are correct? I've been holding off ordering a package until someone has reported that all is well with what they are selling...