Very seldom, if ever, after market rims have a hole in them to fit correctly on MB hub. The hole is made big so the rim fits most cars as it is an after market rim to be sold for as many cars as possible.

I went thru this exercise when first I got pretty severe vibration. MB use center hole centering in their OEM wheels meaning the hole in wheels fits snuggly over the shoulder in the hub. In my after market wheels the hole is too big to provide this centering.

The first corrective action by the tire shop was to use conical “centering” bolts instead of the “ball face” type original bolts. This helped but vibration was still there.

What fixed the issue is they used centering rings in the next step. There rings are filler rings that make the center hole in the wheel to work with the shoulder in the hub for centering purposes again. This method worked perfectly.

 

not read the whole thread.... but i'll give an insight.

For safety a car is not supposed to carry the load via the wheel bolts / studs. The hub should be made the correct size and the wheel such a close fit, the load path is supposed to be via wheel centre to the hub, not via the bolts or studs.... the nuts just locate the thing and stop rotational forces (under braking and acceleration) and of course take a bit of side load for the inside wheel (which isn't doing much in the scheme of things) when cornering. Pushing too much load via the bolts / studs, tends to cause them to fail, with unpleasant consequences.

However for the best cars in the world, it appears no one mentioned how to build a car to Mercedes Benz. And the wheels slop about running off centre and no doubt aside from trying to kill you, give balance and wheels shimmer issues all the time. I guess it does mean the hub wheel corrosion is less problematic, but you'll likely be dead before that's an issue ?

 

I do have correct dimensions of the hub and bolt pattern that fits my car perfectly, they also 18", I had to add 3/4 spacers
but I take stuff like wheels seriously i don't buy Chinese parts
anybody thinks the vibration on the highway might be in part because my car is missing undercarriage covers ?
might be a aerodynamic problem?
I also heard that flex disc might be going bad but I already had both changed
The vibration feels like off balanced wheels but I had that done
BTW anybody looking for 2010 s550? Invested over 17k in parts and labor asking $14k


98k on the clock , records and proof of maintenance on hand

 

" I had to add 3/4 spacers"

That is your problem. Your rims are not centered correctly as at some joint between parts the correct centering is not done. If your wheels fit the spacers correctly the question is does the spacers fit the hub correctly?

You said the problem started with the new wheels...

BTW: I would NEVER use spacers to fit rims in my car. I would only buy rims with correct offset.

 

" I had to add 3/4 spacers"

That is your problem. Your rims are not centered correctly as at some joint between parts the correct centering is not done. If your wheels fit the spacers correctly the question is does the spacers fit the hub correctly?

You said the problem started with the new wheels...

BTW: I would NEVER use spacers to fit rims in my car. I would only buy rims with correct offset.

 

I have no problem with aftermarket wheels, but I'm always amazed (or amused) by people who put them on and then blame the car for vibration or poor handling.

"I put new tires and wheels on, and now it's got a vibration"... Not the car's fault!

 

the thread is about Mercedes wheels are incorrectly made allowing them to run concentric ….. BOTH sets of OEM Merc wheels do this on my one....
a BIG clue is when you've had it in a garage for new tyres a few times and you later find the 4 spare bolts in the lock nuts set have vanished !!! so next round you use your hawk eyes and find the reason is two fold

1) because the hub and wheels are so wrong, the wheel doesn't naturally stay on the hub (like it will on a proper car) so the garage blat one bolt on to hold it in place
2) the concentric sitting of the wheel now means the other threads are not central to the wheel stud hole, and they regularly cross thread and trash the bolts till they need some new ones (so have to rob your spares !!!)

 

You can't fix incompetent people breaking your car. I've never -- EVER, not once -- had a shop cross-thread a wheel lug, on this car or any other. I did one myself, many years ago, because I ignored a badly worn/damaged lug nut on an old beater. Other than that one time, no, not since the early to middle 1970s when I was the one doing the summer/winter tire changes for my parents' cars. It's not exactly rocket science to get a bolt or nut on without cross-threading. My factory wheels bolt up perfectly fine with no vibration, and believe me I'm picky as hell when it comes to vibration and shimmy. I won't tolerate it. But really, anyone with the vaguest clue what the hell they're doing can get a wheel onto a car (even an S-class) without it being off center.

I'm not surprised that vibration has been an issue for M-B cars, especially the S class. You take a 2-1/2 ton vehicle, slap 19" or 20" or larger wheels with low profile tires on it, and give it the sort of ride that doesn't telegraph to the driver that the road is in exceedingly poor condition... it's a perfect recipe for bent wheels. That much is evidenced by the fact that my own S600 was in half a dozen times for wheel and tire replacements under the previous owner's care, and even I've bent a wheel and blown a tire (separately) in the two years I've been driving mine. Never done that on any other vehicle... ever. But then, I've never had anything this heavy with this little sidewall, either. My 4WD super-crew F150 might weigh as much, but it's got six inches of tire sidewall to keep from blowing up tires or bending rims.

Like that hot chick with the 4" heels, aching feet, and the occasional ankle sprain - there's a price to be paid for looking stylish.

 

Seems my English let me down...
try finding a garage that even knows its supposed to be a funny shaped socket !!!
So expecting them to be bolted as "concentric " is extremely unlikely - especially as it shouldn't be possible to fit them "eccentric" when a car's built correctly

jaguar...………………………………………………………………………………….. mercedes


Not only do they cross thread them, the security bolts are 17.2mm so a std 17mm socket can't fit to make it harder to nick the wheels. But the animals at round black things r us, have such a worn impact socket it'll fit anything but in doing so destroys the stainless trim so your own tools don't fit either

https://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/5707/Wheel-Nut-Socket-Convex-17mm

• 17mm convex wheel nut socket 1/2"D.
• Application: Mercedes-Benz 221 (S Class) and later CL Class and Maybach.
• The use of a standard socket will damage the wheel bolts (000 990 5407)

.

 

I took my 17mm "flower tulip" socket and torque wrench out of my trunk and manually removed the lug nuts and I only let the shop guy take the rim off once I removed the bolts, after he mounted and balanced the new tires, I then hand tightened the bolts and torqued them to 150 ft Lbs manually.

Often those impact air guns are set at way too high settings and just destroy everything

I'd rather take a few minutes to make sure it was done correctly, then end up with damaged hubs, bolts or rims....

 

Just took ownership of a 2012 S550 4matic with 85450 miles. First startup when cold, setting in the car and holding steering wheel you can feel a good amount of vibration in the steering wheel. Drive it and you can feel it under acceleration but not when you let off the gas. After driving for 20 minutes and pull back in the garage hardly any vibration in the steering wheel but it's still there. Things I have done to correct the issue, changed out the spark plugs and coil wire assembly, no change. I have bought the rear transmission mount, not installed yet, nothing has changed on the vibration.
On my first trip I couldn't get the gas cap closed (hard to turn) went into to town to get gas and the motor started missing bad, and check engine light came on. Pulled into parking lot and went in store and came back out the car started up with no miss or engine light drove thru the parking lot to the gas pump and filled up and then with both hands I was able to get the gas cap to turn closed. Have driven the car for about 25 miles with no other issues, on the engine miss. Could it have been the gas cap not being tight that caused the miss and engine light? Thanks Joe

 

sounds like ignition - this thread is only about issues when driving (usually at 60 mph and there are separate issues 1) front wheels running eccentric 2) rear vibration which is much harder to resolve and might mainly stem from the rear gearbox mount or the prop-shaft centre bearing failing

start the car go to the tail pipes at the back and put you hand in the exhaust stream each side - it should have a constant smooth flow of gas - if either side pulses the car is misfiring - never drive a modern car with a misfire it will destroy the CATs

 

Im still battling a very mild vibration at 45 mph, in steering wheel, then at 70 under my seat which feels like a grind.
NEw engine mounts, trans mount, all new tires, rotors and such. Wheels checked and rechecked.
80-90-100 mph smooth as glass. So thats not a bent wheel, centrics or anything in between.

Could be the druve shaft bushing. But I give up at this point.

 

Propeller shaft center support bearing/holder.

 

I suspect it. Is it possible to check it on our car without taking off the exhaust ? Is it easy to check before I order the part. Because at that point might as well change the rubber donuts as well on both ends right ?
shop I s my MB guys that are doing it. They know these cars well. Won’t be cheap.

 

there is a load of rubbish in the way - exhaust off, heat shielding off - all the parts from Mercedes >$800 - there are two weird bearings they claim are bushes pressed in to the ends of the propshaft to keep it square to the gearbox and diff - they should be replaced alongside the centre bearing and housing

40 year served Merc only parts guy said to me - "you know no one ever buys them, - but its these bushes that cause the vibration" - he also swore blind aftermarket idiots saying front and rear donuts and bolts are the same is BS - and thanks to Senecat I discovered they were both 100% correct

if early in the saggy centre mount ageing - I suspect you could just get the middle of the propshaft to sit 10mm higher replacing just the centre mount so it sits where its meant to be - and save the agro of swapping donuts and those bushes

 

Thanks. So just to check it exhaust must come off? I want to make sure that’s the part that needs to be changed, if so I’ll get the center support bracket and bearing which is $200 from FCP for mb parts. I expect labor to be close to $500 if not more.

all for a mild vibration at 45 and at 70, which by the way I can modulate by letting off gas pedal on and off.

 

That confirms it's a driveline issue.

Have you change the diff fluid?

 

we can't diagnose remotely - that’s impossible - but saggy centre bearing is std - all mercs do it - its just taken us far to long to realise

from the CATs back the exhausts have to come of - due to an incompetent design - mine exhibits (as most say) a feeling like wheel imbalance around 60mph - it goes away after a 20 mile drive when all the rubber bits warn up - likely thinking now, the donuts get flexible enough to allow the prop to wobble till it less unhappy than having to throw the entire car up and down

 

This has been discussed on other threads...two of us here have solved this issue with a new center support. In my case, I did both flex discs and the center support. If yours is original, it needs replacing. I did everything else imaginable to fix the shaking steering wheel, and nothing fully resolved the issue until I did the center support. If you are keeping the car, you need to do it anyway. Replace the exhaust rubber hangers while you're in there--the rubber degrades to hockey puck hardness and ceases to absorb vibration over time.

 

Thank you all.
Diff and trans fluid was changed recently. Front diff shares fluid with trans ? 2008.

It all points to center shaft bushing. At 70 I feel it more under my seat and just harshness in steering wheel. At 45 it’s just the steering wheel. What’s weird is that at 75-100 it’s excellent and smooth like I’d like it to be at lower speeds.
Sounds like if I’m paying to check the center bushing, might as well go ahead and change it since we are half way there.

Either that or just live with it and drive at 65. I like things in tip top conditions, by the repairs and maintenance of this car over 27k miles goes behind any logical or responsible financial responsibility.

 

I know on the R/Ml/GL front and rear diffs use Fuchs Sintopoid 75W85 and the transfer case 236.12 red ATF.

Never owned a 4 matic other than an R and an ML, so don't know if the 4 matic S has an integral transfer case or if that shares its fluid with the trans...

Running your Vin through WIS might shed some light on it.

 

You need to take only the rear part of the exhaust off and then the heat shields. Easy job.

If you desire to change donuts too it adds little to the job but should not be bad. Parts cost, of course and time whoever does the job.

I did not replace my donuts for my 2013 model as I had them done by MB garage chasing this vibration issue. They told me it is normal that the center bearing moves. Donut change did not help and I then replaced the bearing that fixed the vibration problem.

Rubber bearing “housing” had sagged about 1/4” or so. Bearing itself was fine, but sure replaced it too.

I face the same job again now as my 2013 was totaled and I have a 2012 model now with all same options (and problems) so I’m planning for it in a near future.

 

mine always stopped vibration when you go over 75 to 80 mph - sometimes at 60 its so bad no one normal would continue to drive it - as I said 20 miles later its normal at any speed

 

So, yesterday tackled the propeller shaft center bearing job. This made a huge improvement in vibrations from the shaft that now are gone.


Old bearing housing on top of the new one shows how the old rubber had sagged.