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Forget installing the spare tire except as a last resort. Have you tried this? I have and it is a real challenge, even in the comfort of my warm garage. In the rain or snow, on gravel, on a slope or with nearby traffic, this would be very difficult. If you ever expect to need to install your spare, you better try this. In my new GLE53, I was pleased to have a spare tire (although it is a space saver) but perhaps I should have opted for run-flats.
I know there is Mercedes Roadside Assistance, but I don't live in Connecticut. There is a place in Utah on Interstate 70 with a sign saying, "No Services Next 113 Miles" and Roadside Assistance of this section of Nevada's ET highway? Good luck -- there is not even cell phone service...
For me, use of the jack and spare is the third option after Dynaplug and ResQ as I'll explain. So please forgive my lengthy dialogue and rant of my perspective...
First of all -- the Jack. The scissors jack in the trunk does work but it takes about 300 turns of the wrist and cranks of a ratchet wrench to raise the vehicle enough to lift the tire off the ground! It took me 90 turns of my wrist to just get the jack high enough (11 inches) to make contact with the vehicle's jack receptacle. Then one has to look under the vehicle and precisely locate and place the pin at the top of the jack pad into the hole in the receptacle. I then turned another 40 turns of my wrist to raise the vehicle slightly until I was no longer able to turn the jack wheel. Then it took another 160 turns of about 120 degrees of a ratchet wrench to raise the vehicle enough to get the tire off the ground so it could be removed.
I decided that when taking an extended trip away from home here in the western USA, I would carry a battery-powered drill with a 17mm socket to spin the jack's wheel.
(My floor jack would not raise the vehicle enough. Check yours. The jack pad has to be 11 inches off the ground just to make initial contact with the vehicle receptacle. Then the pad has to raise to 15 1/2 inches off the floor to get the tire off the ground. I made a 3" high platform from 2X4s for my floor jack to rest on so that it would lift the GLE enough.)
Next there's the Lug Bolts -- I don't know about previous years, but for the 21" wheels on a 2022, these bolts are torqued to 111 lb-ft and are of a new design. They have a separate white ring that contacts the wheel, providing a separation between the wheel socket and the bolt spherical head's surface. Plus the thread pitch is finer than previous bolts that I've had. The lug wrench in the trunk is relatively short and is not really long enough to break loose the bolts using one's arms, at least for me. With the tire still on the ground (but best with the vehicle raised somewhat) it is possible to use a pressure from a foot and leg to remove the bolts.
But if you have Mercedes wheel locks installed, using the supplied lug wrench is useless because of it's angled design. Here's a photo of the relatively delicate key for a wheel lock.
One has to apply inward pressure on any socket on the key to keep it in good contact with the locking bolt's head. This is just not possible with the supplied lug wrench. Here's a photo of several tools:
At the top is the supplied wrench. A typical lug bolt and key are shown in the middle. On the right is the supplied ratchet wrench and the "X" wrench is the minimum tool that you'll need to remove a locking bolt. With it, at least you can press inward but you may not be able to supply enough torque to overcome a the 111 lb-ft which may have been used to install it.
I decided that I would carry a battery powered torque wrench as shown in the photo below. (I already had the 12 volt Foxpeed battery pack for the purpose of charging, jump starting or perhaps overcoming any 48volt system problems that have been reported. I added a 6 foot 12 volt extension so I could use the 12 volt socket in the rear compartment since the front socket is in use for my Valentine1 radar detector. I can operate the torque wrench from either the battery or the extension cord.)
And then there are Options 1 and 2 -- Given all the difficulties of jacking and removing a wheel/tire, I decided to look at better options. I decided that if I had a flat and could not conveniently get to a tire shop for repair, particularly in bad weather or aside close-by traffic, I would first try to plug any hole. Dynaplug seemed to be the best choice. If that did not work, my 2nd option would be to plug the hole from inside with Slime or the equivalent. ResQ seemed best and it claims a 120 mile range at 50mph. These are pictured below:
All items were purchased via Amazon except for the locking bolts and key from MB. I suggest even if you have run-flats that if you have not done so, for practice in your garage, remove the jack, jack up your GLE and remove a wheel just to see what is involved. You may decide, as I have, that this is a last resort. Better to try it now under good conditions rather than out on the road for the first time when it may be necessary. Hope this helps.
ALL above is not unique to V167. C292/W166 (and most other MB SUVs) all have the same "issues". All MB vehicles supplied with 45mm lug bolts are torqued to 150nm/111ftlbs. The key is the correct tools for the job, specifically 24" ranch, 18" torque ranch and coupe of 17mm hex sockets with extensions (do NOT use "ranch" supplies by MB). Yes, car supplied jack is pain to use as you've described, but it works. Consider 3 tone aluminum "professional" jack (is what I use). The only issue (same for all big MB SUVs - X166/C292) is the weight of massive 31" diameter wheel/tire combination (especially the rears for staggered setups).
ALL above is not unique to V167. C292/W166 (and most other MB SUVs) all have the same "issues". All MB vehicles supplied with 45mm lug bolts are torqued to 150nm/111ftlbs. The key is the correct tools for the job, specifically 24" ranch, 18" torque ranch and coupe of 17mm hex sockets with extensions (do NOT use "ranch" supplies by MB). Yes, car supplied jack is pain to use as you've described, but it works. Consider 3 tone aluminum "professional" jack (is what I use). The only issue (same for all big MB SUVs - X166/C292) is the weight of massive 31" diameter wheel/tire combination (especially the rears for staggered setups).
Agree on the wheel weight issue. I have a pin that threads into the bolt hole in the hub onto which to hang the wheel. I don't try to lift the wheel onto this pin. Instead, with the vehicle slightly lower than required to install the wheel, I rest the wheel against the pin with the pin through the top hole in the wheel. I then raise the vehicle with the jack and push the wheel onto the hub as the vehicle raises. Essentially, the jack and the pin lift the vehicle AND the wheel rather than me having to lift the wheel onto the hub.
Forget installing the spare tire except as a last resort. Have you tried this? I have and it is a real challenge, even in the comfort of my warm garage. In the rain or snow, on gravel, on a slope or with nearby traffic, this would be very difficult. If you ever expect to need to install your spare, you better try this. In my new GLE53, I was pleased to have a spare tire (although it is a space saver) but perhaps I should have opted for run-flats.
Best not to rely solely on the factory kit for this, as you found out. For trips I have a small duffel bag I carry containing a breaker bar wrench, "flower" socket, wheel hanger pins, Dynaplugs, compressor, tow strap, etc.
Here are a couple items you should have:
1) Wheel hangers (pins), pair. The owner, Fred, has sold the business but still has 3 in stock here: https://reverselogic.ecwid.com/Stain...uide-p21769977. By the end of January the M15x1.25 tools should be on the web under the brand name of Steelman.
One additional wheel change complication for those of us with the GLE63S SUV (2017) is that the spare (inflatable) only fits the rear - the front Brembo brake caliper is too large for the spare wheel to clear.. So should one be unlucky enough to have a front flat tire, one must first put the spare on the rear and then put the just removed rear wheel on the front. I don't think I'll be trying that too soon on the side of the road!
One additional wheel change complication for those of us with the GLE63S SUV (2017) is that the spare (inflatable) only fits the rear - the front Brembo brake caliper is too large for the spare wheel to clear.. So should one be unlucky enough to have a front flat tire, one must first put the spare on the rear and then put the just removed rear wheel on the front. I don't think I'll be trying that too soon on the side of the road!
Bummer. Another case for carrying Dynaplug and/or ResQ or similar items.
My take on Dynaplug: if one is strong enough to actually being able to use it while wheel/tire is still on the car, then one is certainly capable of changing wheel/tire. (BTW, on out of town trips, I carry a full size spare wheel/tire combo and do not rely on donut spare. Yes it takes room in the trunk, which I can live with.)
My take on Dynaplug: if one is strong enough to actually being able to use it while wheel/tire is still on the car, then one is certainly capable of changing wheel/tire. (BTW, on out of town trips, I carry a full size spare wheel/tire combo and do not rely on donut spare. Yes it takes room in the trunk, which I can live with.)
Yes, if you have a set of winter wheels that is a good solution.
My take on Dynaplug: if one is strong enough to actually being able to use it while wheel/tire is still on the car, then one is certainly capable of changing wheel/tire. (BTW, on out of town trips, I carry a full size spare wheel/tire combo and do not rely on donut spare. Yes it takes room in the trunk, which I can live with.)
I've not actually used one so I appreciate your perspective. Is it really that difficult to push it into the tire? I suppose part of the problem is the angle of the push -- it needs to be from directly perpendicular to the tread rather than on an angle. It probably helps to ream out the hole with the supplied reamer "ice pick" to make it easier to insert the Dynaplug rubber insert.
There are other consideration -- exposure to the elements and passing traffic, surface stability for the jack, time involved etc., so still, it seems that the Dynaplug is a good option to try.
I've not actually used one so I appreciate your perspective. Is it really that difficult to push it into the tire? I suppose part of the problem is the angle of the push -- it needs to be from directly perpendicular to the tread rather than on an angle. It probably helps to ream out the hole with the supplied reamer "ice pick" to make it easier to insert the Dynaplug rubber insert.
There are other consideration -- exposure to the elements and passing traffic, surface stability for the jack, time involved etc., so still, it seems that the Dynaplug is a good option to try.
Yes your concerns are valid regarding conditions to change a tire. But just like one advised to actually try changing a tire on GLE, one should definitely try Dynaplug in comfort of your garage/home before you HAVE to use it in real life. It may work for your, but it is not a go to "solution" for everyone.
Best not to rely solely on the factory kit for this, as you found out. For trips I have a small duffel bag I carry containing a breaker bar wrench, "flower" socket, wheel hanger pins, Dynaplugs, compressor, tow strap, etc.
Here are a couple items you should have:
1) Wheel hangers (pins), pair. The owner, Fred, has sold the business but still has 3 in stock here: https://reverselogic.ecwid.com/Stain...uide-p21769977. By the end of January the M15x1.25 tools should be on the web under the brand name of Steelman.
A couple of notes here - I bought the Wheel Hanger pins from your source, and they are worth getting just to see the Pride of Workmanship they exhibit!
Also, while one helps somewhat, TWO is the magic number. With only one, your fight with the heavy wheel continues while you insert at least one other bolt. With two, that fight ends when the tire is clear of the ground. With only one, it's helpful to have an assistant press the brakes, to hold the brake disc stationary so you can aim that first bolt into a non-moving target.
Second - the Flower Head is only present with chrome capped bolts. The black ones have the standard hex head, so normal 17mm metric sockets work.
Yes your concerns are valid regarding conditions to change a tire. But just like one advised to actually try changing a tire on GLE, one should definitely try Dynaplug in comfort of your garage/home before you HAVE to use it in real life. It may work for your, but it is not a go to "solution" for everyone.
Thanks for the video which demonstrates, as you suggest, the strength needed to make the repair. It looks relatively quick in the shop but this may or may not be possible on the road with the wheel/tire still on the vehicle.
One additional wheel change complication for those of us with the GLE63S SUV (2017) is that the spare (inflatable) only fits the rear - the front Brembo brake caliper is too large for the spare wheel to clear.. So should one be unlucky enough to have a front flat tire, one must first put the spare on the rear and then put the just removed rear wheel on the front. I don't think I'll be trying that too soon on the side of the road!
I wonder if this is still true of the V167 Red Calipers.
The inflatable spare is heavy enough that I haven't taken the time even to lift it out of its home, much less try to fit it.
But my spare is MUCH wider than the previous temporary (inflated) P155 tire.
Now that I think of it, I need to verify that I have the correct bolts for the spare. The old spare (164 - 166) needed different bolts.
Does anybody know if the new GLE 53 spare uses the same bolts as the road wheel?
[QUOTE=mikapen;8479414The inflatable spare is heavy enough that I haven't taken the time even to lift it out of its home, much less try to fit it. .[/QUOTE]
You need to take it out to adjust the air pressure, which you should do every 6 months at least.
The old spare (164 - 166) needed different bolts.
Does anybody know if the new GLE 53 spare uses the same bolts as the road wheel?
My 2022 GLE53 which was built in November has a space saver spare: 195/70R20, inflate to 51psi. Bolts are the same as for the stock 21" wheels. Do not set the vehicle down onto the spare unless the spare is inflated.
But if you have Mercedes wheel locks installed, using the supplied lug wrench is useless because of it's angled design. Here's a photo of the relatively delicate key for a wheel lock.
One has to apply inward pressure on any socket on the key to keep it in good contact with the locking bolt's head. This is just not possible with the supplied lug wrench.
Dynaplug seemed to be the best choice. If that did not work, my 2nd option would be to plug the hole from inside with Slime or the equivalent. ResQ seemed best and it claims a 120 mile range at 50mph. These are pictured below:
I definitely agree about the wheel locks - they seem like an Off-Brand - the mating surfaces are not deep enough, and the metal is very soft. Yes, you DO have to exert a lot if inward force to keep the lock engaged. I don't expect too many tire changes at the hands of a Tire Shop.
BTW the silver ones have the Flower Head, and the black ones are 17mm standard hex. Plan ahead if your wheel wrench doesn't match your locks.
I like Dynaplugs, and I have them, a ViAir compressor, and a jug of "safe to TPMS" sealant juice - mine's a BMW kit. The juice will age out, so note the expiration date, or at least the purchase date.
I would add Four Things to your kit, having used Dynaplugs in the wild. They are not that hard to insert. According to DynaPlug, water or spit is OK, and it makes insertion pretty easy.
1. A tire crayon - first, circle your nail or screw before you remove it, so you can find the hole after you remove the nail. Also, look at the angle of the nail from two views to get the angle. I hold the Dynaplug tool up to the nail to help visualize the angle. Angle is important.
2. Pair of pliers with cutter, to pull the nail and later trim the Dynaplug tail.
3. Sturdy gloves. This gives you a better grip and "push in" force, to insert the plug. They are a little hard to install, but not as hard as the guy in the video made it look. He forgot the Saliva prep!
4. A second Wheel Locator Pin. Makes inserting that first wheel bolt a piece of cake.
I'll try the plug and inflate method before attempting a change.
My thinking is that, If I'm unsuccessful, Roadside Assistance can help me with hefting tires or plugging tires. I'll give them a few options. The likelihood of a 315 tire being available, same day at a tire store, is low.
I would add Four Things to your kit, having used Dynaplugs in the wild. They are not that hard to insert. According to DynaPlug, water or spit is OK, and it makes insertion pretty easy.
1. A tire crayon - first, circle your nail or screw before you remove it, so you can find the hole after you remove the nail. Also, look at the angle of the nail from two views to get the angle. I hold the Dynaplug tool up to the nail to help visualize the angle. Angle is important.
2. Pair of pliers with cutter, to pull the nail and later trim the Dynaplug tail.
3. Sturdy gloves. This gives you a better grip and "push in" force, to insert the plug. They are a little hard to install, but not as hard as the guy in the video made it look. He forgot the Saliva prep!
4. A second Wheel Locator Pin. Makes inserting that first wheel bolt a piece of cake.
Excellent suggestions. Thanks for your input. Liquid correction fluid (White Out) probably would work in lieu of a crayon. "GregW" suggested ReverseLogic as a source of a locator pin, but I'm not sure of what thread to get 'cause the GLE's thread pitch is different from any other MB that I have had. The bolts have a more finely spaced thread. I guess I'll make a trip to Ace Hardware to find a mating nut with the correct thread.
Excellent suggestions. Thanks for your input. Liquid correction fluid (White Out) probably would work in lieu of a crayon. "GregW" suggested ReverseLogic as a source of a locator pin, but I'm not sure of what thread to get 'cause the GLE's thread pitch is different from any other MB that I have had. The bolts have a more finely spaced thread. I guess I'll make a trip to Ace Hardware to find a mating nut with the correct thread.
On my 2021 GLE 350, I purchased two additional studs, cut the heads off, so I could thread two in, then start the other studs, then remove the cut studs. The jack works ok, and the spare will work. I am on the interstate a lot, so I am looking into a after market rim so as to have a real spare tire.
On my 2021 GLE 350, I purchased two additional studs, cut the heads off, so I could thread two in, then start the other studs, then remove the cut studs. The jack works ok, and the spare will work. I am on the interstate a lot, so I am looking into a after market rim so as to have a real spare tire.
James
Sounds like a good approach and solution. Tire Rack should have a lot of options for rim and wheel. I'd check that one of your stock wheel/tire combos actually fit into the spare wheel well. Then you'll know for sure what size spare you can carry.
Sounds like a good approach and solution. Tire Rack should have a lot of options for rim and wheel. I'd check that one of your stock wheel/tire combos actually fit into the spare wheel well. Then you'll know for sure what size spare you can carry.
Obviously no stock tire/wheel will fit in donut wheel well. The point with carrying a full size spare is to go the narrowest possible (with taller aspect ration) full size tire (key is overall diameter to be close to stock's) on narrowest possible wheel with low enough offset (or using a spacer to compensate for higher offset). Of course this full size combo would need to occupy a part of "trunk" area.
12-21-2021, 01:33 PM
