vdubpower

ive got a slo leak in one of my rear tires, it cant be fixed b/c the nail is on the corner of the sidewall, so i will need to buy new rear tires soon.
i have 275's on there now but im wondering if there are advantages/disadvantages in the 265.

also , recommendations on brands, i have michilen pilots now, but they cost over 400 each,
opinions on dunlops, goodyr etc. thanks

vdubpower

?

vdubpower

someone please

E55 KEV

Get the 275, but you prolly will never notice any difference.

DrewSclass

The 275/40 is the OEM size for the staggered sport package in the rear. By going to 265 you are losing 10cm width per tire or almost .5 inches in width x 2 tires = 1inch of full rubber lost. Also, you will lose the extra protection it give the rims. By going skinnier you will expose the rims more and it will be prone to rashing.
My opinion is to stay with the OEM sizing on the rim.

As for tires, I like max summer tires like the pilot ps2 and goodyear eagle F1-GS-d3, toyo t1-s. Since you are from chicago, you might opt for allseason tires. For a good write up on tires check here:
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113019

vdubpower

then why did MB start to use 265 40s a few yrs later on the same package?

E55 KEV

That is the million dollar question. Now of us mere mortals can figuare that one out. The 265 rear is better suited for a 235 front and the 275 rear is better with a 245 front.

MBAMG

I had the exact same question, and I wrote an email to ask Mercedes, and here's their reply,

Either wheel configuration will work on the car. The reason the twin spoke
changes to a 265/40 R18 is due to the rim width. It is mounted on a 9 x 18
ET44 rim. The earlier tire, 275/40 R18 is mounted on a 9.5 x 18 ET46 rim.
The tire sizing is marginal in difference. With the twin spoke , you may
see the speedometer show slightly faster than your actual speed. This will
be probably in the 1 mph range difference. Basically no difference to
speak of. I would suggest that you visit your local Mercedes-Benz
Dealership to discuss the fitting details. I believe you will have to
modify the rear fender wells to accommodate the wider tires. Also, the ET
of the rims is 2 mm in difference. This may or may not be an issue. Some
of the tolerance of our vehicles are very tight and possibly the 2mm
difference could make the rim touch the calipers. Your local Mercedes-Benz
dealer can verify the specifics for your vehicle, before you commit to the
purchase.

DrewSclass

Nice responses guys. I had a feeling the rim width was smaller around 9.0 vs the 9.5. If you have the 9.5 "non twin spoke", I would go with the 275/40 tires cause it was designed for this tire size.

BTW, if anyone is selling there 275/40 rear tires in good shape, I am interested. I would even buy 275/35-18.

Litespeeds

you can not use a 275/35/18 tire as the overall tire diameter is too small. You have to get a 275/40/18 tire and it is best to get the same type of tire. If you want to purchase just one Dunlop SP9000 tire in the size 275/40/18, I have one that only has about 10% use so it looks brand new. The Tire Rack sells it for around $266 each but I will sell you mind for $180 shipped. Think about it and let me know. You can e-mail me at Litespeeds@hotmail.com