I've pulled my low mileage 2014 S550 out for summer and at 16,000 miles the RFT have gotten so loud I'm swapping to Michelin non RF. I'm thinking of keeping a RF as a spare for trips out of town ( assuming a full tire fits in the truck ) and wondering if there is a preferred type of jack or complete kit that I can throw in with the tire. At 3-4K miles per year the risk is small but when I do take the S550 on the road I'm wondering if it is worth having the option to change the tire on site or if it is better to call for roadside assistance and have them do it. I haven't lost a tire on the highway in 40 years but I'm due. Thanks, Dave

 

The V8 and V12 AMG's do not have RFT's. MB includes a Tire Mobility Kit in those cars. In the US that kit is a compressor, a tank of tire sealant and a towing eye. In a few non US countries a jack, wrench and wheel chock are also included. MB recommends buying a Tire Mobility kit if non RFT's are put on an S550. Streamliner has posted in this forum the information for those who want a temporary spare and jack for their W222's. Search on his name.
I am sure a full size wheel and tire will fit in the trunk, but not much else will fit then. If I take the false floor out of my S65 as well as the molded foam insert under it that holds the Tire Mobility kit it looks like the diameter of the tire might fit, but I never tried it. The tire would sit much higher than the false floor.
I am not sure why you are so concerned. I have never bought a car with RFT's. In my experience the most common puncture is from coated screws which are never totally disabling. The only "blowout" I have had in 15 years (about 300,000 miles) was caused by hitting a rock on the road (210 freeway in Pasadena) which broke the wheel. I just drove it 10 miles to a tire store at 40MPH. With the flat 35 series tire it drove normal at that speed.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-3...MAAOSwciNcfjxN

A full size tire will take a bit more room in the trunk. Most buy the w221 spare.

 

I went from RFs to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ last fall.
This past week on my way home from work my tire pressure light came on and was at 25. Luckily i was just down the street from home about a mile but in that time the pressure dropped to 21 psi

At home there was a 3/4 inch linear piece of metal totally embedded in my tire tread with an audible loud hiss of leaking air.

I couldnt get it out with pliers and in the morning i had to have it towed to a dealer. I decided not to use the slime kit i had bc i didnt want to risk damage to the TPMS even though it says safe.
Not sure it would of even worked bc they say only punctures up to 1/4 inch.
Not having a spare is a real concern of mine but if i only used it for trips where would the suitcases go?

 

The fawk is Streamliner?

 

My main concern is when I go to Badger Football games. Tickets are 2K per game so I'm thinking that would be the only time I care to have a semi easy repair. Other times I don't mind going without . Dave

 

You rang?

I carry a W221 compact spare. Jack & tools under trunk floor. I can still fit two roller “carry on” size bags. Works for my wife and I. I have since removed the Comfort Box.

 

Is there a complete Parts List for OEM parts:
Spare, Lug Nuts, Jack. I'd prefer not to purchase used on eBay. On the lug nuts, in one of the threads, it mentioned a specific size. What size is it and is it for al W222's? I have a 2014 W222 Sport Pkg.
Thanks

 

In 2015, when I leased my first W222, an S550, I looked into this. There is a factory part number for a W222 compact spare, but MBUSA will not allow their dealers to even admit it exists. The same with the jack & tool kit. I bought my W221 spare, which was unused, from an auto dismantler on eBay. My dealer has physically determined that it fit my 2015 S550 and now my 2018 S560. I bought the W222 jack & tool kit on eBay, from a source in Germany. The special lug nuts for the spare were still shrink wrapped onto the wheel. Mercedes-Benz: The Best or Nothing!

 

Is the below relevant to this topic? Would it be useful?
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...el/2096100575/

 

I’m not sure, but this appears to be the standard insert. They call it a “Spare Wheel” well, but if it is the original, factory part, the compact spare will not fit in it. It might fit a collapsible spare, I don’t know.

 

certainly looks like they could have made the spare fit. There are some sort of components stuck in there. I wonder if they could be moved around?

 

That's what upsets me so much about this. They COULD have made room for a compact spare, but they didn't, because they DON'T WANT US TO HAVE ONE! Talk about Big Brother!

 

I carry an extra breaker bar and the Mercedes specific lug nut socket because I'm afraid that I won't be able to get enough leverage with the spare kit.

I do agree that most people complaining live in warm weather without potholes. Run flats probably make a lot of sense in the midwest and northeast with crappy roads.

I wonder how much money or effort is saved by MB emergency services by pushing us to run flats.

 

It just happened to me. 50k miles a year for many years. Never had a blowout until I owned a car without a spare! Wtf Mercedes? I'm getting a spare.

 

Wheres konigstar!! can we move some of this **** and do a spare tire retrofit? Im thinking of taking a road trip to canada and Nc over the summer and the extra trunk space would be welcomed. Ultimate road car w no spare... a$$hats.

 

We too are doing a road trip Fla to NY to Wash DC to Charleston SC back to home. I am leaving the runflats on because of this road trip but am torn that I want to do my Michelins now, but the truck space is needed!!! I looked underneath the other day while the car was on a lift and it looked like there was room to have the spare, but when you lift the floor it is half that size?? Is it confirmed that if you remove that inner carpet there is no modification that can be made to fit the spare???

 

I'll be looking into that this weekend. I'm thinking there might be electronics there.

 

Thanks, looking forward to what you find in there!!

 

You have to wonder what the mentality is of the folks who made this “no spare” decision at MB. I know, it is supposed to save weight, but how much weight can we actually be talking about? How about offering several forged wheel options to save weight and a full-size, matching spare? Sure it’s expensive, but these are expensive cars.

Run flat tires are one issue, while not having a spare, or even the SPACE to properly carry one, should an owner wish to provide their own, is a completely different issue. In my estimation, using RFT or not, there should STILL be a spare in the vehicle, in case a road hazard shreds the tire or severely damages the wheel. If you only drive in a metro area, you can probably get away without a spare. But, if you take road trips, especially with the family aboard, you are, in my opinion, taking a risk by driving without a spare.

I wanted to buy a new E450 wagon—as an additional vehicle—but could not, because the spare I would carry would have to be inside the passenger compartment. Can you imagine? Something like a station wagon, that people love to take long trips in, and no frigging spare!

I love MB products. I love Germany and the German people. However, if you look up the word “STUBBORN” in the dictionary, you see a picture of a guy in lederhosen!

 

True, but I think BMW takes the cake when it comes to stubborn or we don't understand, or is designed that way stupid American! LOL

I have a background in accident investigation, please don't EVER carry a spare inside your occupant compartment. Everything not bolted down inside your car will continue move at the speed you were going prior to impact. You have safety equipment to slow you from hitting the dashboard but everything else will be a projectile. I have seen several people killed by stuff in the car hitting them where they would have otherwise lived. A 50lb spare tire moving at 60 mph in your car will snap your neck. Yes the moons have to align for these things to happen but sometimes they do. Drive safe