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I have a 2014 W166 ML400 (with airmatic) with the 21inch AMG rims - 9J x 21 ET53. (see attached picture)
Currently have the original Continental Crosscontact UHP, 265 40 R21, around the 40k mark at the moment and running low on tread, considering replacing all 4 tyres soon.
Any recommendations as to replacement tyres for these rims? Prefer not to have these contis again unless there are no other tyres better than the contis. Looking at some pirellis (scorpion verde) but it does have mixed reviews.
The car does 100% road and 0% off-road, aiming for comfort, quietness and longer life rather than performance.
Reading through a few posts about these rims, and based on self experience, these rims are quite susceptible to gutter rash as the tyres dont cover the rims enough to prevent accidental kerbing. Would 275 40 R21 fit these rims (being fatter) and would they be safe? Or is it probably best to stick with 265 40/21 just so that the speed reads are accurate? I would think 275 tyres would probably look nicer as well.
Thank you in advance for your comments and contribution.
Last edited by blob2004; Jun 18, 2018 at 09:34 AM.
Reason: added picture
Go to tirerack.com, click on tires, then shop by size.
- Firstly, find your OEM tire and get the specs for that tire, mounted on a 9" rim.
- Then shop for tires eother in a size up as you'd mentioned, or a completely different size. This, in order to find a fatter tire
Example: Rather than the OEM 265/40- R21, try going with a 285/35-R21. Compare the specs on a tire like that to your OEM size. Namely, measured rim width, sectional width and tread width as well as overall diameter. Ideally, you want to keep the same diameter (+/- 1/4") if you want accurate speedo readings and no perceived overall gearing changes.
Note: Choices for 21 inchers are dismal. Changing rims and going to 20" opens you up to a plethora of possibilities
Listening to idiots like peter here who think they know their stuff and advise putting on a 285 section tire on a 9" wide rim can cost you a lot more than rims, tires or a new car. While his advice for using the same diameter tire if possible is correct, the worst thing that will happen if you change the diameter is that your speedo may be off by a small percentage. If on the other hand you put on a 285 tire on a 9" rim on a 5000+ vehicle, the worst thing that can happen is disability or death. The rim needs to properly support the tire, and to properly support a 285 tire you need at least a 10" or 10.5" wide rim. So - no, don't change the tire sizes unless you also change the wheels. As for the choice of tires, yes, there are other options than the factory Contis, but I don't think they would fare any better than the Contis in the long run. The Pirellis are IMHO considerably worse - they will be extraordinary for the first six months but then rapidly drop off in all areas. Michelins may be a better option if they make the right tire in the right size. You should also look at Toyos which Tire Rack does not sell.
Neither Toyo nor Michelin make tires in that size that also have the required load rating (105 or higher). I am afraid you're stuck with Contis or Pireillis. Unless you change the wheels, the OEM Continentals are very likely your best option.
Appreciate your inputs guys.
Currently the options i have are (265/40 R21)
1. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Seasons (105V)
2. Conti Crosscontact UHP (105Y)
3. Conti Sport Contact 2 (105Y)
4. Pirelli P Zero (105Y)
5. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT (105Y)
6. Yokohama Advan Sport V105 (105Y)
I don't race or drive eratically (hard cornering etc). Australian speed limits are pretty much 110km/h tops as well.
My ML400 is hardly a racer anyway.
Which tyres out of the top selection would be better in terms of a more comfortable ride, lower road noise, etc (but of course long lasting as well).
I know the above comment advised against the Pirellis, but is it ALL pirellis?
Here in the US I checked Tire Rack and the local MB dealer, only options I had where Conti and Pirelli... The Pirelli didn't last 10kmiles before I was at the wear bars on 2 tires, oddly passenger rear was the most worn ? Moved to Conti....
I put these on.... they had more than twice the tread wear rating.... perhaps not as sticky but seriously this is an SUV not a race car
Appreciate your inputs guys.
Currently the options i have are (265/40 R21)
1. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Seasons (105V)
2. Conti Crosscontact UHP (105Y)
3. Conti Sport Contact 2 (105Y)
4. Pirelli P Zero (105Y)
5. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT (105Y)
6. Yokohama Advan Sport V105 (105Y)
I don't race or drive eratically (hard cornering etc). Australian speed limits are pretty much 110km/h tops as well.
My ML400 is hardly a racer anyway.
Which tyres out of the top selection would be better in terms of a more comfortable ride, lower road noise, etc (but of course long lasting as well).
I know the above comment advised against the Pirellis, but is it ALL pirellis?
Thanks
The bottom four tires in your list are high performance summer tires only that will last you for maybe one season on the SUV. They will be very noisy, and you can't drive on them if the temperature ever drops below 7C. Your only real choices are the first two, with the Continentals arguably being the better of the two in all areas. The almost complete absence of suitable tires in that tire size makes your selection process EXTREMELY simple... you have only two tires to choose from, and everyone that has used both has told you that one of them fares considerably worse than the other. And yes, it is all Pirellis. They are excellent tires in terms of performance (i.e. grip) when they are fresh, but they fail in all other areas.
BTW... even the CrossContact UHP is a SUMMER-ONLY tire. No idea how low the temperatures drop in your neck of the woods down under, but the only all-season tire in that size is the Pirelli (which incidentally isn't an MO approved tire). At this stage, you either go with high-performance summers that will wear out relatively quickly, or go with the Pirrelis that won't wear out as quickly but will become noisy, slippery and will wear unevenly making you discard them in about the same amount of time as the Continentals.
If you want all-seasons and a much better choice of tires, you need to get new rims (preferably a 20" set rated for the weight of the vehicle)... either OEM Mercedes ML rims or quality aftermarket wheels (for an SUV) like the OZ Racing Versilia.
Exactly... it doesn't exist. The problem with tire selection in this particular case is the tire size. There are only two tire models (one form Pirelli and one from Continental) that are made for an SUV; the Conti is the only MO tire with the extra belts and plies in the carcass, and the Pirelli is the only all-season tire. Neither one is a good choice based on the OP's criteria.
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