Hello Everyone,

I just took delivery of an 05' SL55 AMG this weekend and the car is simply tremendous. The question I have is has anyone upgraded their wheels from 18" to 19" and if so what was the impact on the ride (both good and bad). Recently, I upgraded the wheels on my 545i to 19" BBS and the overall impact was great except when in NYC the ride is "tough". The suspension in the SL55 is more rigid and not sure how the ride would be affected with 19".

Thanks in advance.

Al

I just (this week) went from 18 to 20 on my 2005 SL55 and I can hardly feel a difference in the ride quality (still smooth), though when the car is pushed - overall handling is certainly better...

That said, I'd be VERY hesitant to make the switch in NYC because of the potholes.



~ Ian

I think it is better looking for your SL55 to upgrade to 20" than 19" because I saw lots of my friends did it and it looks excellent but the NYC's road quality is really another considration. I really doubt whether it is the worst road quality in the world.

I think NYC roads dictate 19s

I'd go for the 18's personally and get a very aggressive lip.

The 19's ride really nicely except on really poor pavement. I would rather have the rides of the 18's but the 19's are quite acceptable and the look is killer. I have the AMG Style IV rims. Here's a pic after being washed at a friend's house.

Jeff

Thanks for the info. I'm leaning towards 19" wheels. Actually, I'm only in NYC once or twice a month and if I need to I could always drive in another car. NYC roads would be the extreme for me.

On another note, I've always felt that the quality of wheels is very important, so in the past I've only bought wheels from makers like Kinesis, BBS, etc. Any thoughts on the knock-offs available? Very unlikely i would purchase them but I've seem a couple of SL55's with knock-offs and that surprises me.

AMG 19 inches monoblock IV is the best compromise for confort/handling/look. You should go for it.

I have the 19" AMG IV wheels and love 'em! The look is great and the car handles alot better. There is much more road feel and with Michelin PS2 tires that are available to handle the weight of our cars, you can derestrict without worry.

That sounds great. The AMG IV seem to be a perfect match for SL55....now I need to find a place to purchase them. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the info.

You can call Luke @ TireRack. Get the Bridgestone RE050s which are the only tires recommended for that wheel on the SL. Also, if you have TPMS, make sure to get the sensors preinstalled.

J

I say 19"s.

I'm rolling w/ the Brabus Multipiece Monoblock VI... and they turn heads everywhere I go. I've heard people say that the Brabus rims are soft... but I have not had any issues yet.

Not to "knock" the "knock-offs", but if you're willing to be a bear and buy a $125K car, might as well be a grizzly and get real wheels...

~ Ian

Ernie's Alloys in Opa-Locka/Miami area. Best price i could find at the time i had my SL55. Good service too. Mounted on Bridgestones flawlessly, without a scratch. He will ship em.

T

I just wish they had a bigger lip...

Wrap them in PS2's and you'll love them though!

~ Ian

So true, the small lip is my only concern with their appearance. I have BBS RX II's on my 545i and they have a great look, including a 2" lip on the rear wheels. But the AMG IV look more appropriate for the SL55. Decisions, decisions....back to searching for wheels.

Thanks.

I got my mine at Ernie's Alloys in Florida. They charged my ~$4500 for the wheels and tires.

The Brabus Monoblock VI rims have a wider lip on the rear wheel. They also look good on an SL, if you fancy lips on your rim of course (no pun intended).

I have those wheels (AMG IV)on my SL55 and am using Michelin p2's on the rear 295x30x19's and 255x35x19's on the front. The ride is firm but not harsh or punishiing.

Lou K

That's my setup... wheels... not lips on my rim.

~ Ian

I'm not that into lips (on wheels). So the AMG 19" would be my choice, if I weren't sticking to the default AMG Style V, which I like even more.

Having said that, if you like lip, and have the budget, HRE's are also a nice choice, and very light to boot I presume.

Well thanks for all of the suggestions. After spending several hours searching the net I think I'm done to either the AMG IV or HRE's. There are a couple of other wheels but they look similar to the HRE's, just cost less.

Al

Why are those tires recommended for those wheels on that car? Are different tires recommended for the AMG IV wheels if they're mounted on a different car, such as the E55? And, what is the source of all of these recommendations for wheel/tire combinations on various cars?

Thanks for any info.

If you read the AMG literature or on amg-owners-club.org. And, if you check out the pics of the SL65 AMG, you'll notice that there is only one tire recommended for the AMG 19" Style IVs...the RE050s. Apparently, those tires were tested and approved for the derestriction package.

I believe the issue is the heat generated and the ability of the tire to dissapate/deal with the heat. Realize we're talking a 4800 lb car riding on 30 profile 19" tires!

According to amg-owners-club.org, the 20" tires and wheels never passed AMG certification. If you read posts from Angusdawe who has tried this tire/wheel combo multiple times, you'll find he blew several tires at high speed!

In the US, this is likely less of an issue. Here is a pic of the SL65 show car.

Jeff

i have the SL55 and a Supra with 426HP, you really must use good quality wheels the power you put down is immense and the torque quite incredible. at 150mph your tires are producing several tons of pressure. If the front falling off at 90mp doesn’t put you off go up in 10mph multiples until it does….