eki912

Looking for a set of wheels, not urgently, but anyway searching for options.
Reasonably priced, good looking ones, that will fit a GLK with no issues.

Anyway, have been looking locally on Craigs etc, also going through the ads here. So many MB wheels available that I am confused...

What are the basic, simple to understand, rules for finding a set that surely will fit a -14 GLK BT? The sizes, bore, and most importantly ET.
As many sellers claim simply these will fit MB.... or came from this and this MB model.
And I found easily many sets (like AMG sets) locally available from different types of MBs for sale.

I am not after anything too fancy or too big ( 18", 19", or max 20" ) as I will be having 2 wheelsets anyway. The other set ( maybe the stock ones under the car right now ) will have the wintertyres on them and will be used at winterseason only.
The other set that I am looking for will have summertyres on them, and will be used summer only.


Thanks in advance.

gary1944

I have done this research for my own car ( 2015 GLK350) and here are my findings:


Wheel bore 66.6
Offset can be from 42mm to 47mm
I stayed with 19" and use AMG 19x8 ( real , not China crap) with an offset of 43.5 and they fit perfectly. Plus I was able to still use the stock tire 235 50 19.


Generally you should not go wider than 8.5" with an offset of 42mm. I have heard of some guys going to offsets in the high 35-38mm range but I think you may be pushing it a little with wheels poking out from the fenders a little IMHO.


My original wheels are 19 x 7.5 with 47mm offset.

eki912

Thanks, this clarifies a lot.

Maybe I should at least check what the stock size wheels are that I have now under the car right now....

I will continue my search. The good thing is, I am not in a hurry to find a (good value for money) set.
And have seen many well priced AMG sets available when other owners upgrade for really big ones.

gary1944

Also meant say the bolt pattern is 5 x 112. Most MBs are that now anyway except for the GWagen which is 5 x 120.

eki912

Additional question :

the wheel size is the same on front and rear axle ?

So no wider at the back ? Both the same ?

Edit : What I mean is, can and should the rear axle have wider wheels than front? As for example I see sets for sale, where a pair is 8" and the other pair is 9". And if either way, why? or why not ?
Edit : Explain, please, if offset 42-47 is optimal ( thanks for this valuable info! ), I still go and buy a set that is only 35 for example, what does it mean?
The reason why I ask is, I see many sets for MBs available with ET 30 to 35. And also because I don't understand these yet....

gary1944

You can run up to 9.5 " wider with an offset of 45mm on the rear but that's a lot of tire for the GLK IMHO. I would keep the rear no wider than 8.5" with an offset of 45mm

gary1944

Pic of my setup. 2014 MB GLA45 AMG wheels on my 2015 GLK350. 19 x 8 with a 43.5mm offset.

whiskywizard

eki912, if you're happy with your existing wheels and summer tires, you should consider going to a minus 1 or minus 2 configuration for the new snow tires and winter wheels. That is, a narrower, taller tire on a smaller wheel. It will have the same rolling diameter but perform significantly better in snow.
I'd suggest 235/60R17 (with the correct load rating) mounted on 17x8 wheels (5 x 112 bolt pattern, approx 45mm offset)

eki912

My original idea is/was to use the existing 19" wheels to mount the wintertyres on and use them during winter season only.
And purchase something a bit nicer looking (?) , maybe larger (20?) , to use only at summertime. The stock wheels are ok, but as we all know a nice set of wheels makes a big difference.
Also saw a replica set of 5-spoke AMG wheels FS for under 1000. So not real AMGs but most likely chinese copies, set of 4 in 19" under 1000$. I do know they are not as good as the real ones are, but how big of a risk is it to go for replicas? Anyone using a set ?

whiskywizard

Nothing wrong with your plan. Risk of a total failure is extremely low. Risk of you being unhappy because they don't run true, or are hard to balance, is slightly higher. How much snow do you deal with? (Where are you located?)

My wife's GLK came with 20" AMG wheels with all season tires, so they will remain as her summer wheels.

For winter, I installed Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 Tires 235/60R17 102T tires on DAI Replica R20 wheels (17" x 7.5" 5/112 45 66.60). She's had these on for 1 winter and they proved to be very good.

eki912

gary1944 has the wheels (the real ones) which I was admiring, except the ones I was after, they are replicas. I do like the look of those.
From Your reply and pics, I got the impression GLA wheels would fit nicely GLK´s too ?

I live currently in NYC and have been easily surviving here with the existing all season tires. ( I believe that our 250 BT has all seasons under now ) Plan to use them for the time being. As there is nothing wrong with them.

But I will move later to another country where the proper snow tires are a must. Actually required by law during winter season.
That´s why I do want and need 2 sets of wheels & tires. But as I mentioned not in a hurry to get the other set purchased, yet.
Naturally if something really nice with good price comes up my way, will buy a set immediately. Also open to any other nice looking wheels if available in reasonable price range. Doesn´t have to be AMG look.
Would love a set of real BBS´s .... just simply not ready to invest that much in a set of wheels.

And don't mind at all if You have found a source for nice looking wheels for GLKs, post pics of Your wheels here with all details (size etc) and where You got them from. They don't necessarily have to be AMGs or BBS's to be good and look nice under GLK.

eki912

Couple of additional ones :
What is the easiest way to know you are buying real AMG wheels???
As I saw so many FS on Craigslist locally, some under 1000/set, and the ads claim they are real ones....

And why isn't 18" even an option on this page :

http://www.wheel-size.com/size/merce...0-bluetec-eudm

Many others are listed, but no 18 at all. The reason I ask, I saw several sets of AMG wheels from CLA for sale, and they were all 18's.

whiskywizard

I can't say why that one site excluded 18s. Maybe because they're not regularly offered as stock size. Regardless, 18s are fine. Wheels are 18x8, tires are 235/55R18. Check somewhere like Tire Rack for confirmation.

I have no idea how you would identify real AMG wheels. Why be fixated on AMG wheels; there are numerous high quality wheels out there.



Quebec?

eki912

Thanks for all tips, suggestions and info, valuable and appreciated

I am not 100% fixated to AMG wheels, the 5 spoke ones just look good to me. And if I look around for MB wheels, I always see plenty AMG ones !

I have a feeling many go for even bigger size/low tyres and special individual looks, and replace the original AMG wheels, thus they end up for sale.
I don't mind at all having something else than AMG wheels, as long as they look good under GLK and don't cost too much.

Having a set of 18" for wintertyres seems to me like near optimal solution, price and availability of tyres is better than with bigger sizes, and generally for wintertyres smaller and not too wide a tyre is a better choice for grip too.
On my previous (sportcar manufacturer) German SUV, we had 20" low profile summer tyres for summer driving ( and looks, as they were painted shiny black, on a black car ) but used the stock 17" wheels and all season tyres during the winter season, worked perfectly !

I/we and our GLK will eventually move to Finland with us. Where the law requires you to use wintertyres from December to end of February, not necessarily studded ones, but they have to carry the M+S marking.

But as I mentioned, not moving yet. Will have time to shop around.
As tipped here, will have a look on TireRack too.
They have a nice choice of wheels, I have to admit.

mogulman

My regular wheels are 19". Last season I got some 17" Blizzak 235/60R17 Tires and some used MB 17" wheels from a store on ebay for $200 shipped for all 4. Worked great for me this last winter. Oh I also bought some Schrader branded TPS sensors for around $30 or so on Ebay which also worked well. For the wheels I was looking for 17", 5x112,, 43-48 offset.

Living in Colorado BTW... and driving back and forth to and around the mountains every single week because of ski team for my son and they worked great, even in some pretty nasty snow storms...

shotgun_banjo

8.5 x r20 35 offset is pefectly fine and flush with the fender. Did this on my 2011 GLK and it looks nice.

glennhl

Really like these wheels on the GLK. Where did you get them and how much were they?

gary1944

Bought them off Ebay ....$2000 for the set delivered

eki912

Story continues, ordered a set from a big company ( had a really really nice offer available ) , waiting for them to arrive in a next couple of days.
19" x 8.5" , offset 45, should fit nicely ?

I did not (yet) order those TPMS sensors/valves, as they were really expensive. Well.... nothing is cheap on MBs... but anyways,
is there an aftermarket source for good TPMS units available ?

eki912

The boxes from Tirerack arrived, opened the boxes with shaking hands, and whoooooaa !
I am pleased, the 5 spoke, black wheels do look nice. Even the silver "line" /groove in the spokes, is not looking bad at all. Was originally bit worried of the look.
And did not cost too much, actually I would say they were priced OK.

And they are these, not my first choice originally, but the offer was so tempting :

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...4&autoModClar=

eki912

And to make them look a bit more "real", ended up taking the original Avarus texted centercaps out, ordered a set of black MB star caps for 20$ from Ebay, and to my surprise they fitted nicely.
I am pleased, spent less than 700 for the set of 4 brand new wheels. Now looking for some rubber to put on...

eki912

eki912

Finally got them under the vehicle, with some new Bridgestone rubber from Costco.

theine

eki912, what size tires did you put on those 19x8.5 wheels?

eki912

They might have been 235/50/19, but can’t be 100% sure.
I sold the car about a year ago, so can’t verify it anymore.