ML loss of control in wet?

[nictry]

As it would seem a change of tyres is without question something needing doing, is there a good recommendation of an all weather tyre for the ML? I know the Pirellis are ok on the rear but spending some time on the forum and on tyre review sites seems to be a mix of opinions on Contis, Toyo Proxes and Dunlop for good wet weather grip?

 

[FaeLLe]

As it would seem a change of tyres is without question something needing doing, is there a good recommendation of an all weather tyre for the ML? I know the Pirellis are ok on the rear but spending some time on the forum and on tyre review sites seems to be a mix of opinions on Contis, Toyo Proxes and Dunlop for good wet weather grip?

Bridgestone tend to make good tyres.

I have used them on my SL, BMW 750Li and now on the E class (MB provided) and they all worked really well.

 

[Gareth Kent]

It's a heavy high end car with a big diesel lump over the front wheels and is set up to be neutral or biased towards understeer. I would only use OE tyres that the traction control and stability systems are tuned to work with and personal preference is for pirrellis over continental (on the ML).

 

[nictry]

These are what they fitted: Accelera Iota 265/45 R20 104Y BSW - mytyres.co.uk

I think we can assume that they are probably the cheapest tyre available in this size anywhere

 

[T5R+]

No idea if Accelera are good/not but do know that they are MB approved - local franchised dealer had a car with Continentals @ front and Accelera @ rear.

Are both sides evenly worn on each axle?

 

[nictry]

No idea if Accelera are good/not but do know that they are MB approved - local franchised dealer had a car with Continentals @ front and Accelera @ rear.

Are both sides evenly worn on each axle?

Yes even and as mentioned 4-5mm left on both.

The tyres are less than £100 each and are literally the cheapest tyre of this size in the UK so I have to believe they are very low end quality

 

[grober]

Pressures checked at MOT last week and 265/45/20 if I remember correctly so not thin by any means!

Your car is now understeering far more rather than oversteering meaning that recently the relationship between front and rear end grip has changed markedly. This could be down to tyre wear or a steering/ suspension problem as has been suggested but a change as sudden as this suggests its likely the relationship between the front and rear tyre pressures has been altered from their previous settings. First check the settings against the recommended settings on the inside of the fuel flap. They could be way off- Alternatively they could be "by the book" - BUT -- just because they are now " by the book" may still mean they have been changed from their previous setting which felt better to you. The ML 300 is a big heavy car so weight over the front wheels may play a big factor in how it handles. Normally assuming the tyres are gripping OK increasing pressure at the front will curb a tendancy to understeer at the expense of some tyre wear. Other thing to watch for is uneven wear across the tread where the edges can get quite worn while the rest of tyre has a respectable amount of tread left and remains legal. Weight transfer on cornering causes the car to roll meaning the car can be relying more on that part of the tyre for grip. Other possibility is that the roll stiffness front to back has altered due to a roll bar / linkage problem but I imagine that should have been picked up at the MOT.
Tyre pressures first.

 

[tabbywrench]

Try googleing 'tyreleader' for new premium tyres. Ive had four and it only took two days to deliver

 

[nictry]

Try googleing 'tyreleader' for new premium tyres. Ive had four and it only took two days to deliver

Took a look, seem to be about £5 per tyre cheaper when fitting added but unfortunately nearest fitter to me is a 30 mile round trip so doesnt really offset the cost

 

[nictry]

All tyres confirmed at 32 so spot on with diesel flap recs for non fully loaded!

Also this has been the same whenever I have checked previously so no change?

 

[grober]

All tyres confirmed at 32 so spot on with diesel flap recs for non fully loaded!

Also this has been the same whenever I have checked previously so no change?

Fair enough- next port of call--- tyre tread condition across the entire tread. -- after that--- some suspension element that's suffered some failure - broken spring/ roll bar drop link/ damper-strut failure. Make sure you take a good look at the rear end also as its still ultimately down to some change in car balance front to back /back to front and something affecting roll stiffness at the back might just manifest itself at the front.

 

[st13phil]

No idea if Accelera are good/not

A bit of research on Pistonheads would suggest that their wet weather performance is somewhat below par. A couple of typical comments:

Accelleras don't belong near any performance car. In my experience they don't handle standing water well, and you'll need your wits about you in the wet, even on gentle bends.

and

Do not buy these f***ing tyres. They're on the back of the B3 I've just bought and have tried to kill me twice, once on a small roundabout at 10mph with no throttle

They will break traction without warning.

 

[rf065]

I've experienced the exact same on two occasions with a Land Rover Defender & Ford Ranger. A combination of crap tyres with little wet weather grip, heavy 4x4 which also has a high centre of gravity. When turning in the wet, the tyres are simply overwhelmed even at low speeds.

Russ

 

[V12]

No idea if Accelera are good/not but do know that they are MB approved - local franchised dealer had a car with Continentals @ front and Accelera @ rear.

Are both sides evenly worn on each axle?

I can't believe they are MB approved.

I am in no way a tyre snob and the first to proclaim how far tyres have come in the last decade to the point that buying top end tyres is a waste of money on anything other than an AMG car that you Intend to drive to the limit.
BUT.
I had an E39 530d with accelera tyres all round. 6mm at the front and 4.5mm at the rear when I bought it. The car had absolutely no grip at all.

Changed the wheels and put an old spare set on which had some old kumho tyres and the car was transformed.

In fairness to the acceleras...they had low noise and were comfortable.

I sold the wheels and tyres to a drifter who said he would use them for show.

 

[BlackC55]

Terrible tyre. Cheap and nasty. Not MB approved

 

[T5R+]

Terrible tyre. Cheap and nasty. Not MB approved

Does not surprise me.

Let us just say the "MB Sales Professional" made a good show of going back into the "sales palace" after my "I would prefer matching Continentals all around" and returning to inform me that "MB approved fitment. We would not fit non recommended tyres sir".

 

[boxbrownie]

Joking apart could actually be a good test to see if totally a tyre related issue!

The only jokey part was the "have fun".........but if it is down to just cr'p tyres which have given up their best it'll show it up.

 

[boxbrownie]

Do not be tempted by Hankook for the ML, I had a set on my mine and although it handled fine and gripped well when the going got a little "spirited" they were just too soft, it felt like the tyre wall was just rolling over and lifting the tread, very sloppy, changed to Contis and although they were a lot noisier they gripped like bubblegum to the bottom of your best pair of Church brogues

 

[nictry]

A bit of research on Pistonheads would suggest that their wet weather performance is somewhat below par. A couple of typical comments:and

I really appreciate these posts as if nothing else they have shown I am not losing my mind about the level of grip in damp conditions!

I feel a call to MB customer services coming tomorrow to see if they really do approve the use of these things on main dealer supplied vehicles

Oh well £400 down the pan but a fair bit cheaper than a replacement vehicle or insurance claim! I may stick to the Pirellis as TBH I have never felt concerned about the rear end at any point so I guess that should offer some assurance.

Wow, just read some of the reviews here http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Accelera/Alpha_2.htm

How do they get away with selling these things?????

 

[tec]

I had Accelera Beta tyres on my last car and they were crap in the wet on roundabouts and you did have to drive slower than normal to keep traction.
In the dry they were fine, and I only bought them because they were cheap and had 'some good reviews'.

Continentals SC5's on the front transformed the car back to good grip on roundabouts in the wet.