Streamliner

Well, I did it! I just got off the phone with Tony from AlloyWheelsDirect.com and finalized my purchase of four 19” x 9” AMG forged wheels, as shown in the photo below. I have gone back & forth about which way to go and after much good guidance from Wolfman, along with research form other sources, I decided to take the plunge. These wheels are made by Otto Fuchs of Porsche 911 wheel fame and I think they are just gorgeous. They are coming direct from Germany and I will post photos in a couple of weeks when I get them mounted. Now, to decide about brake pads and tires.

Wolfman

Congrats!
I am curious of how the square, non-staggered setup will look on the car but I am sure it'll be fantastic. Worst case scenario you may need to add some spacers in the front. Supreme Power will be the goto place for that (they are in in Fullerton). Better than H&R and they come with proper bolts.

bob55

Below is a pic of that AMG Forged Wheel as shown on the Alloy Wheels Direct Website:

Available in both 19" and 20" diameters, these lovely AMG wheels are usually seen only on the SL65 which unfortunately is no longer in production. Those wheels should certainly help 'Mighty Mouse 'appear' 'mightier' than people assume upon seeing the 'SL450' model designation on the rear deck!...

Certainly a very nice wheel upgrade, and the 'Mighty Mouse' will now have 'a look' that is consistent with it's given name!...

Now you just have to find a way to 'make her squeak' instead of 'purr' Stramliner!...


http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/mer...ged_wheel_5751

Streamliner

Yes, and I would like to also thank YOU, Bob, for recommending AlloyWheelsDirect! Much appreciated.

Streamliner

Well, from stock, I am going a half inch wider in the front and a half inch narrower in the back. I can’t imagine it will make much difference, but we’ll see. I’ve been told by TireRack and AlloyWheelsDirect that it should not be a problem, but may require some spacers, as you have said. I will definitely check out Supreme Power, thanks!

Streamliner

Of course I get the joke, but SQUEAKS are exactly what I am afraid of, when thinking of changing brake pads. The brakes work SO great on this new car, I hate to fool with them. But, I want the brake dust to go away, as I want the wheels to glisten all the time. So, maybe RacingBrake or Porterfield pads. Porterfield is about three miles from my home, so I’m going to go over and talk to those folks.

bob55

Well a little 'brake squeaking' here and there wouldn't be so bad as long as the engine keeps 'purring' along!

Good Luck with the brake pad project!.......

eddieo45

Love the wheels!! A very upscale version of my OEMs:

TennesseeZ4

Love the choice of wheels Streamliner! Cannot wait to see them on MM! Well played.

Streamliner

I ordered the wheels on June 5th, but asked Tony not to ship before the 12th, as I was going to be out of town. So, the wheels arrived yesterday, by UPS. There was $177.00 due for duty & customs fees, which I thought was amazingly low, but pretty much what Tony told me they would be. Here are a few photos. Truly excellent packaging! Now, to figure out the brakes!

iridium18

Mighty Mouse will be flying high with those !!! Well Done.

Patric

Excellent choice!

Rockinrob

I just converted to "custom" 18" SF03 Stance wheels from the OEM 19's and removed the Conti runflats for Pilot Sport AS3+..... and you would not believe the ride difference! I contemplated going to the PS4's , but Tirerack swore that the AS3's had a little softer sidewall. Stance set the offset so that the fronts were approx 10mm further out and the rears were approx 15mm further out. (rears almost even with the fender). 9.5" Rears and 8.5's on the front. I thought the gunmetal titanium finish was too dark for a white pearl finish , so I opted for a diamond silver...slightly lighter. Too little offset on the fronts can cause some steering issues, so I let Stance figure all that out. The SF03's are form flowed and should at least be as strong as the factory AMG 19's. I'm keeping the factory wheels for a locally available spare (in the garage) . I'd like to give a shout out to Ted at Stance and Jason at "Get Your Wheels" - one of their distributors. Most websites only listed 19's and 20's for R231's, but Stance listened to my requests, The process took over 2 months for their production and they offer various painted schemes. The front calipers clear the inside of the rim by only 3/8", so 17's are out of the question - besides looking too small. I know that many prefer the 19" to 20 " look, but I'm closer to the ride that my 2009 SL550 with ABC had with 19" wheels. The older I get, the more I want the "Streamliner ABC Ride" , so this is my present best option. The wheel color closely resembles the front caliper color..... but I would have been fine with a more silver color in the paint. On a positive note, the brake dust barely shows on these. I'm including photos so you can see the color and offsets. The wheels with paint are approx $450.00 ea. Costco installed them and charged a $5.00 per TPMS install for a new seal between each sensor and the wheel. I reused the sensors as the batteries typically last about 10 years. I'll replace them at my next tire-change with hopefully the to be released Michelin self-sealing tires that will begin as an option on the 2020 Explorer. Google it and get excited if they ultimately offer it in SL sizes...


The rear is about even with the fender


Notice color similar to the caliper.....

View with top up...I know..the 18's are a little small for many of you..but the ride is so much better losing the run-flats and going back to 18's

iridium18

Rockinrob - Great Results - nicely done. Thanks for sharing. Now get out and enjoy the ride.

Rockinrob

Appreciate the response.Iridium18!! ..see the link below for Stance flow-forming below...pretty cool!!

https://www.carid.com/stance-wheels/...logy.html#8445

Streamliner

Very nice! Thanks for the detailed explanation of what you did. Enjoy!

TennesseeZ4

Great 'conversion'! Love the look. Enjoy the ride.

Dr. Manhattan

Those look really great! Not too small at all. JMO, but 20s just look useless on this car...why not just go with 24s and skip the tires altogether? Thanks for addressing the 17" question as well. I was wondering about that. When you said you only had 3/8" clearance, were you referring to clearance to the rim or to the spokes?

Rockinrob

Doc:
I was referring to the distance between the outermost part of the caliper and the part of the wheel that the stick on weights would attach to. ..I'll try to take a close-up photo tomorrow in the daylight to illustrate.
You should have more clearance if you don't have the larger AMG brake (Sport) package I would think...but mine does - so it is close...and 17's would definitely not even fit over the calipers by coming in 1/2" more for the radius change.

eddieo45

When are you gonna put those new wheels on the car Streamliner?

I've never understood offsets but isn't 8.5" front/9.5" rear the OEM widths? Is 3/8" clearance enough for the balancing weights? My goals have less to do with "ride quality" - I don't mind the level of road feel on my OEM 19's with RFTs - I need protection from wheel damage due to potholes and other road abnormalities. Chris from Alloy Wheels Direct (Tony's boss) recommended that I stay with RFTs (on 18's) for the added protection the tougher sidewall provides....

Streamliner

I’ve been waiting to get the brake dust issue settled. Yesterday, I purchased a set of pads that will hopefully do the trick. I hope to get those installed this coming week. If all goes well with the new pads, I’ll put the new wheels on shortly thereafter.

TennesseeZ4

eddieo45, here is a link to an article on Tire Rack that gives a good overview of wheel offset. Link: https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech...heel%20+offset

Rockinrob

The angle isn't perfect, but I don't have a lot of clearance....


The tirewell inflator works well- it has two alligator clips to fit on the 2 jump terminals under the hood - and the cigarette lighter connector as well. It pulls 15 amps and should rest after 12 minutes, but it hopefully wouldn't need to run that long.

Eddio45:
Some of the stick on weights were outside of the calipers and some were inside of the caliper plane.(I hope that makes sense) They are about 1/4 " high, and would clear, but it is getting close in there...
I am monitoring the weights to see if the heat will affect their adhesive capability - as the calipers get pretty friggin hot! So far, so good.. Removing the runflats is always a liability,,especially if you venture into the boonies..
I have a great 12volt compressor, a can of fix a flat, and a plug kit in the trunk. The all fit under the floor panel in the trunk. see photos.. Remember to google the Michelin self sealing tires coming out next year that might make life easier!!

TennesseeZ4

Did you decide to go with the Porterfields?

Streamliner

I did. I picked them up on Friday and they will be installed tomorrow. The Porterfield guy said they do not require bedding. He actually said to try and use them very gently for the first 50 miles or so. I’ll report my experience.