New Elnath Alloys fitted at last!

[High-Lo]

Hi all,

After picking up my new Elnath alloys from A-AvantGarde nearly a month ago I finally found enough time to fit my wheels late yesterday. Pics taken earlier today.

Before (with 15" ET37 Avantgarde alloys)

After (with 7Jx16 ET37 Elnath Alloys)

Close up of Elnath Alloy Wheel

Bling caps remain. Also fitted brand new MB bolts.

Very pleased with the outcome

Comments welcome.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[C240Sport97]

looks great .. really modernises the car, and makes it sit better. bigger wheels always make Mercs look better, up to a point

 

[High-Lo]

Some more shots taken at Mercedes-Benz Orpington.

Yes I know I am in a disabled space but MB Orpington was closed today and I was only there for 5 mins

Cheers,
Steve

 

[pammy]

Steve -- have looked at all your pics in the gallery. Car's looking great - have a narna :bannana:

 

[jimmy]

Wheels look good but...................

Who fitted the tyres and used hammer on weights???

They want shooting for doing that, surely every tyre fitter worth anything uses stick on weights on alloys these days? Your wheels will be ruined prematurely, the hammer on weights will have broken the laquer that protects the paint, MB Alloys are sensitive enough without this!!

Sorry, dont mean to go on, but it is something that really, really annoys me.

 

[Will]

Wheels look good but...................

Who fitted the tyres and used hammer on weights???

They want shooting for doing that, surely every tyre fitter worth anything uses stick on weights on alloys these days? Your wheels will be ruined prematurely, the hammer on weights will have broken the laquer that protects the paint, MB Alloys are sensitive enough without this!!

Sorry, dont mean to go on, but it is something that really, really annoys me.

Couldn't agree more!

IMHO I would get down a tyre fitters ASAP (either the original or another one) and get those balance weights changed.

I'd get that laquer touched up quick before the salt and rain gets under there!

Wheels look good at the moment - but you don't want the paint to lift.

Cheers,

Will

 

[High-Lo]

Couldn't agree more!

IMHO I would get down a tyre fitters ASAP (either the original or another one) and get those balance weights changed.

I'd get that laquer touched up quick before the salt and rain gets under there!

Wheels look good at the moment - but you don't want the paint to lift.

Cheers,

Will

Thanks everyone for your comments so far

The issue about the hammer on weights has always annoyed me too. They came off A-AvantGarde's W203. The tread currently left on the tyres is about 3-4mm so I would assume that these tyres may be the originals from new. If this is true then the weights may have been fitted by the supplying MB dealer?

Apart from the damage it may do to my alloys it doesn't really bother me that much to look at although I would definitely prefer the weights to be out of sight given the choice.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[230K]

Hi

These could be the original weights, i think some MB's come with these type of weights on when new. The wheels might not have ever been rebalanced since new.
The 203 classic loan car i had had weights very similar and there was only 2000 miles on it.

230K

 

[pammy]

Hi

These could be the original weights, i think some MB's come with these type of weights on when new. The wheels might not have ever been rebalanced since new.
The 203 classic loan car i had had weights very similar and there was only 2000 miles on it.

230K

Mine has them fitted by MB - never liked them

 

[Will]

Hmm...If it was MB who fitted those weights, they should know much better than that!

My impression of the main dealers keeps on dropping - there are literally hundreds of different balance weights, for different types of wheels.

I would never have 'hammer on' weights put on alloy rims.

Altough they look ok at the moment, I personally wouldn't risk it. I would try and get them changed ASAP and carefully touch in the damage. By the time you can see the paint blistering it will be too late.

I wouldn't want to spoil an otherwise 'immaculate' set of wheels.

HTH,

Will

 

[Will]

Mine has them fitted by MB - never liked them

And they wonder why they have so many problems with Alloy wheels corroding.

Will

 

[Satch]

Can be even more difficult to get "split" balancing so that the stick on weights can in most cases be hidden behind the spokes.

Should not be this difficult but there are very few good tyre fitting outfits

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Looks great Steve, nice to see the pictures of my wheels on your car!

I'm afraid the weights were on the wheels when I got the car and indeed would have been on them since new. To be honest I wanted to get the weights taken off but I ended up buying some 18" AMG's on the same day as picking up my W203

 

[Shude]

They look great!

Sadly it's highlighted the arch clearance a little, one mod is never enough

 

[Deleted member 2227]

Then he'll lower it, and give it sports suspension, then it will drive like a sport so he'll have to rebadge, then re trim it inside and out, then the engine will need some attention and then......................

 

[rees_A]

post msg

can someone let me know how to post a message. I can't find an option anywhere

 

[andy_k]

Then he'll lower it, and give it sports suspension, then it will drive like a sport so he'll have to rebadge, then re trim it inside and out, then the engine will need some attention and then......................

and at some point he'll realise if he'd spent all the money he did on mods on a new car he'd be driving an E55 and still have some change in his pocket

Andy

 

[rees_A]

post msg

can someone let mem know how to create a post. Cant find an option anywhere

 

[Deleted member 2227]

The New thread button is on the top left of each section page. In the middle of someones elses thread about their wheels you cant start a new thread, only add to the tread you are reading.

 

[High-Lo]

Couldn't agree more!

IMHO I would get down a tyre fitters ASAP (either the original or another one) and get those balance weights changed.

I'd get that laquer touched up quick before the salt and rain gets under there!

Wheels look good at the moment - but you don't want the paint to lift.

Cheers,

Will

Thanks Will and Jimmy for the advice on removing the hammer-on weights. Got it done this morning and they have put stick-on weights now. Cost £6 per wheel so £24 all in. The damage this has left on all 4 wheels is shown below:

Look much better now although advice welcome on how I can remedy the damage. Can I touch it up with silver paint or just lacquer it? Also where can I buy the laquer from?

Thanks in advance,
Steve