Different Front & Rear Offset ?

[sym]

Question about wheel offset .....

Is it wise to have a different offset front & rear on the C Class Estate....

eg

2xfront wheels 7Jx16H2ET37 (tyre size 205/55R1691V)
2xback wheels 8Jx16H2ET30 (tyre size 225/50R1692V)

.....seen some wheels on eBay which are advertised as for the SLK, however in Mercedes wheel brochure the wheel sizes & tyre sizes are both OK for C-Class - but doesn't state whether you can mix front & rear.

anybody know ?

 

[Shude]

Yes, it's fine.

AMG w202 models are shipped with 225/45/17 fronts, 245/40/17 rears with offsets of ET35 front ET30 rear. This setup is often referred to as "staggered" and usually indicates that the rear wheels are wider than the fronts. If the offsets were the same then the wheel would get wider towards the inside of the car and the outside to the same extent, which isn't always what you want, to correct this the offset is changed so the wheel sits properly in the arch.

 

[sym]

Cheers for the info.

Are there any advantages / disadvantages to running a staggered set up then ? Just want to be sure before I take the plunge.... !!

Simon.

 

[Shude]

Originally posted by sym
Are there any advantages / disadvantages to running a staggered set up then ? Just want to be sure before I take the plunge.... !!

Well, the front wheels do the steering and the rear wheels do the "driving", so you have wider rear wheels and tyres for a bigger footprint and more traction, you don't need quite so much traction at the front and turning the wheels for steering is easier with less footprint. I found I got a tiny bit more understeer with a staggered setup, and it "tramlined" a little more with the wider wheels front and rear so I don't know if it was the staggered setup that caused that. You won't be able to rotate the wheels for even wear etc (some people do that, I never did) and when you get tyres you can't order 4 the same, so some tyre deals won't be open to you. The real bonus of staggered wheels is that you get a much deeper lip on the rears, which looks cool. You'll find this impresses the nova/fiesta/saxo owning boy-racers too because all performance/supercars have staggered wheels (although they're usually a LOT wider than 8" )

 

[sym]

you'll find this impresses the nova/fiesta/saxo owning boy-racers too

oh well - that's sold it then !

Thanx for the info - I will keep bidding now!

Simon.

 

[geek]

Congratulations Simon, looks like you got your wheels on ebay. The price shot up at the end though didn't it !!. Post a picture when you get them fitted.:bannana:

 

[Shude]

Good deal! One wheel would have been about £150 new so that's not bad at all

They're half polished (high-sheen) half painted (in the triangle shaped section between the spokes) and they look good on the w202. They're designed for the SLK, but I have seen them on an SL and on a w202 I drive past regularly. Steve (MBenzNL) used to have them on his w202 too, looked great.

 

[sym]

Thanks guys !

Yes - I was expecting them to go much higher than that, so pretty chuffed !!

Will post some piccies once I get them sorted.

Need some 16 inch tyres now - any recommendations anybody ?

(Oh, and if anybody wants to buy my 10 hole elegance alloys with brand new Conti Eco Contact Fuel Efficient 195/65/15 Tyres, let me know - I will post some piccies when they are off my car and cleaned up).

Simon.

 

[simonl]

Originally posted by sym
Thanks guys !

Need some 16 inch tyres now - any recommendations anybody ?

Simon.

I currently have Toyo Proxies T1-S. Got them just before winter. They were cheaper than a lot of the competition and came 3/8 in EVO 2002 (performance) tyre test. I recall that they were consistently good in all categories but not outstanding in any single category.

Results of that test are:
1. Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3
2. Continental ContiSportContact
3. Toyo Proxies T1-S
4. Pirelli P7000
5. Michelin Pilot Sport
6. Dunlop SP Sport 9000
7. Bridgestone Potenza S-03
8. Avon ZZ3

I've heard raves about the S-03's but you don't get many miles with them. I suppose it depends on what your priorities are in a tyre.

Cheers,
SImon

btw: Nice wheels! :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[sym]

Thanks Simon - I was thinking of the Toyos - they are the ones with the same tread pattern as the Goodyear F1s - right ? How have you found them ?

I had Bridgestone Potenza's on my previous Car - Honda Accord Type R, and the grip was fantastic but they are a very soft compound and hence only lasted 10,000 miles !!

S.

 

[simonl]

Originally posted by sym
Thanks Simon - I was thinking of the Toyos - they are the ones with the same tread pattern as the Goodyear F1s - right ? How have you found them ?

S.

I've only had limited experience of decent tyres. The Toyos are the first set I've put on the car. It came with Dunlop SP8000's at the back and SP2000's on the front. I reckon the Toyos are better than those Dunlops.

(Before that I had a basic old Golf which got the cheapest tyres money could buy.)

They have much better cornering grip than the Dunlops. I can really push the car out of corners and roundabouts without the back end slipping.

However, they are noisier than the Dunlops. This doesn't really bother me though since if the roof ain't down then the stereo drowns out any road noise.

They seem good in the wet too. Though that's when I have to be a little more relaxed exiting those bends!

My most scariest test with them was on a hairpin recently. Bombing along a straight towards this hairpin, eased off the accelerator - on an incline so using deceleratrion sense to reduce the speed of the vehicle. Went into the corner and then the cruise control (which I forgot was on) started powering the car round this bend. It went round no problem - no sign of understeer. My other half gave me hell. Anyway, it certainly gave me (and probably the guy in the oncoming vehicle) an adrenaline rush.

Sorry I can't be much more help.

 

[sym]

Have ordered Toyo Proxes T1-S from

www.mytyres.net

- best price I could find in the UK.

They are coming from Germany so will take a week, but the saving definitely seems worth it.

Would advise anybody looking for tyres to check this site out before you buy.

S.

 

[Flyer]

Hi Simon

Did you notify your insurers of the change of wheels? I'll be changing mine in the next couple of weeks and will tell them. Just wondered if every one does??

Cheers

Andrew

 

[sym]

..... I haven't changed them over yet - that's a photoshopped image in my signature !

Waiting for the tyres which should arrive next friday,

I intend to let the insurance know before I change them over - just to be on the safe side. I'm not expecting them to charge an additional premium as it was possible to order 16s instead of 15s as a dealer fitted option on my car - its best to tell them though.

S.

 

[Shude]

I did, they weren't very interested.

Me: "I've got some new alloy wheels"
Them: "How are they different to the old wheels?"
Me: "The old ones were 16 inch 6 spoke Mercedes wheels and the new ones are 17 inch 5 spoke Mercedes wheels"
Them: "ok, I've put it in the comments section"

I don't think I was charged anything more for the premium.

 

[sym]

Yeah - my insurance company were much the same - very uninterested - just asked whether they were mercedes wheels or 3rd party - no extra charge.

My tyres turned up from Germany 2 days early - so are now fitted..... piccys below :-

......just got to get my old ones sold now, and I'm sorted !

(Avantgarde grill also due at the weekend :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: )

 

[GrahamC230K]

Very nice, like those.

 

[geek]

I picked up a set the same, for W203 for £150 on Loot.Com. Did you need new alloy wheel studs or did your old ones fit. Anyone know where I can get studs for SLK wheels (like Sym's) cheaper than the stealership. They quoted £39.00 for 16.

 

[sym]

geek - my old wheel bolts fitted no problem.

Sounds like you got a bargain there - what's the difference with the W203 ones ?

S.

 

[simonl]

They look spot-on

Now treat yourself to some metal dust caps. Halfords do them cheap enough. Buy two or three packs though, cos they have a tendancy to vanish occasionally!