I had Renntech monolites for my SL65 and they bent every time i got them fixed and then took a drive, Then figure the 3 piece wheels wouldn't cut it because of the weight of that v12 and went to HRE P43s mono block's in 20". I knew i should have went baCK to a 19" wheel but i figured with the 1 piece wheel i would be alright. Now there bent also, seems to be just the fronts that I'm having problems with so I'm thinking about just going down to 19" in the fronts so i only have too buy 2 new wheels instead of 4. So anyone ever do a 19' front 20" rear on an SL before? Im going to go with super sports since they got a real nice seize side wall even on my 20" wheels on my GTR, they look pretty meaty. I have also thought about just going to a new set of 19''s and getting the older P43 since they have some extra meat on them and might be a bit stronger are there any wheel guys out there with any real good information on some real strong wheels that are still light and good looking? Obviously these HRE P43s's are supposed to be some of the nicest and lightest and strongest wheels out there so not trying to take anything away from them and i am aware that the weight of this car is just a lot to deal with, that hydraulic suspension doesn't help!! If i drive the car in lowered mode the thing is so damm hard on any bumps i can't imagen why they went with that over the airbags and didn't just go with the same thing like the SL55. I flipped out on Renntech because i thought they just sold me defective wheels, i didn't believe that the weight and the hydraulic system combined was going to do that to any wheel. I have to drive the car around jaked up to try to soften the ride as much as possible.

Any help or tips, suggestions would be great.

 

19s are better because the sidewalls are taller, you need 35s front and 30s rear minimum

 

You can use that sidewall on 20s for SL: 245/35-20 & 285/30-20.
For even higher sidewall, but on 19s now: 245/40-19 & 275/35-19(or 285/35-19).

 

In my experience stock 19" wheels are the only wheels that take -a-lot- to bend. There is a reason why they are so expensive.

 

We have pretty harsh roads here in Colorado, and my stock 65 wheels were all straight as of yesterday when i had the new Michelin PSS put on. I may just keep these wheels on the car since i see so many of these aftermarket wheels i like cracking and bending. Good luck.

Aaron

 

Ya i tried to put my stock wheels back on at the begging of this journey but some how they where misplaced at my guys storage place for wheels and i never seen them again!! I heard that the stock ones don't bend, when they give they crack! But they can take a beating. There has to be something thats as good? Any one know where i can get a set?

 

I'm surprised no one asked the question yet but what pressure are you running in your tires.

 

I have had 4 sets of Stock AMG SL65 19" two piece wheels.. And in every set there have been wheels with flat spots on the inside...

The wheels and tires ALL looked absolutely PERFECT not a mark on them anywhere. They were also 100% original with low milage and there was NO evidence of contact with anything.

But when you spin them some of them have flat spots usually on the inside of the rears... The wheels are just not strong enough for the weight of the cars especially with the modern low profile tires... Even a minor hit like a pot hole transfers the shock through the tires and can flat spot the AMG wheels without leaving a mark!

Also the AMG SL65 wheels are made in Germany... BUT the identical looking factory AMG 19 inch two piece wheels for the S Class AMGs are Campagnolo ( Same as Ferrari uses)and they are made in Italy... These wheels have a slightly different offset 44mm vs 31mm and the Italian wheels are a little bit heavier and possibly stronger?

 

Thats what i was thinking, no matter what wheel i go with they just won't be strong enough. I live in Montreal and i think we have the worst roads in north america. I would fix the wheel and within an hour the thing is shaking again. 20" forget it. I don't know if i should bother keeping it at this point, the fact that the steering wheel shakes in a car with an MSRP of 260k doesn't sit well with me. Those hydraulics don't help either, theres no give. I love it when it when the wheel aint shaking.

 

Wow... that's somewhat shocking to me... They BENT? Seriously? Like... they lost their shape? Did they ever break?

I drive 19" original AMG Performance Wheel (forged) on my SL. No problems whatsoever.
On my signature pic I got 20" RS8 Lorinser wheels on. Also... no problems.

 

55's don't have this problem at all. Theres about 400lbs or so difference and that weight kills wheels.

 

Other difference is 55's have air bag's and the 65 has hydraulic suspension. Its all a big difference. I wanted to sell mine and get a 55 because of these differences.

 

SL55s have the identical ABC struts and suspension of the SL65s... Not airbags.

The standard SL55s have 18 inch one piece wheels that seem OK unless they have the 030 option package... The 030 option includes the SL65 19 inch two piece AMG wheels that definitely have the known history of bending or developing flat spots. There is even a disclaimer in the owners manuals for ALL AMGs about road hazards causing damage to the wheels/tires.

People are also under the misconception that the extra 190LBS of the SL65s over the SL55s is all in the front because of the V12 engine and this is absolutely wrong.

While the V12 motor is 56 LBS heavier the additional 140LBS is evenly spread around the car. There are about 50-60 upgraded and stronger parts specific only to the SL65s or 030 optioned cars. For example all (4) brakes (including calipers and rotors) are much larger and the SL65 has as standard equipment a limited slip along with heavier axles, rear hubs and drive shaft. This is probably around 40lbs of extra weight in the rear to balance out the weight up front of the engine. The Sl65 also has the discussed larger wheels/tires and a beefed up transmission. If you take the time to research the parts list you will be very surprised to find that there are a lot of part numbers that are SL65 only.

 

Good answer...

 

I had the Renntechs on my car and had to have them straightened after 2 years and 30K miles they were not too bad. I have had several sets of 19" and 20" wheels and they all bend. You just have to watch out for holes in the road. I don't think you can find a 19" or 20" wheel that a 4000 pound car can't bend.