Tyre size on c class issue

[grumpyoldgit]

I have the staggered 17" rims on mine. Option d). from Markjay's list which is wider wheels at the back than the front. All are 17" diameter.
Here's a side view. Don't really know what look you're after for yours.

Remember that if you change your rim size you will need new tyres to fit them.

Does this help? http://www.blackcircles.com/general/sidewall

 

[219]

thank you, but does that mean i have 15'' Rims currenty on as i have the following 195 / 65 / 15 ?

Yes - you have 15" wheels

 

[219]

'' Option a: 205/55 R16 91H (or 91V or 91W) on 7J x 16" H2 ET31 wheels, front and rear ''

does the R16 not imply a 16 inch size, and would a 15 inch tyre fit on this rim?

It does , and no , it would not .

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

I have the staggered 17" rims on mine. Option d). from Markjay's list which is wider wheels at the back than the front. All are 17" diameter.
Here's a side view. Don't really know what look you're after for yours.

Remember that if you change your rim size you will need new tyres to fit them.

Does this help? Tyre Sidewall Explained | Blackcircles.com

This looks lovely. Im assuming its a c class pre 2005?

what a great look! awesome! thanks for showing total inspiration!

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

If you look in the 'Technical Data' section of your owners' handbook ( pages 446/447 in my copy ) , it lists all the applicable wheel and tyre combinations for the range of C Class estates .

15" wheels are only applicable for the C200CDI , C180 Kompressor , C200 Kompressor , and C220 CDI - so I hope your car is one of these ?

For all models further up the range ( and the ones listed above ) 16" wheels are specified by the manufacturer , and for some of the 5 and 6 cylinder models 17" wheels are also specified .

My C270CDI runs 205/55 R16V tyres all round ; I also discarded the 'space saver' spare wheel and purchased a 7Jx16 H2 ET37 steel spare wheel to which I fitted a fifth identical tyre to match those on my four road wheels . I could have fitted 205/50 R16V tyres onto the same wheels , but opted for the narrower/higher aspect ratio tyres since ride comfort is more important to me than ultimate dry grip , and the narrower tyres will also fare better in wet weather/snow than the 225's . I ran the car through the winter on the standard Bridgestone Turanza's I bought at the end of last year ( these are not winter tyres ) and had no difficulty whatsoever on icy/snow covered roads , despite tales of woe from many on various internet forums about the allegedly poor capabilities of modern Mercedes cars in winter conditions .

Re your wish for a 'sporty rear look' , bear in mind that a small minority of W203 estates have self levelling suspension which was an optional extra and this can be adjusted to change the rear ride height .

Bear in mind that if you opt for a 'staggered' wheel setup with different sized wheels/tyres front and rear , your spare will only be correct for one end of the car ( unless you decide to carry two spare wheels , or stick with the spacesaver which restricts you to limited distance/speed since it is only really intended to enable you to limp to the nearest tyre depot ) .

Here are a couple of pics of my car sitting on 16" wheels

Those pictures ( in which I think the car is still sitting reasonably level , although the back end is higher when unladen ) were taken with a boot pretty well-filled with photographic and video gear , the first time I used it in earnest ! I've since had it even more full with the back seats dropped and the whole rear end filled with photo/video/PA kit/generator and more ; it is noticeably less roomy than my W124 estates were !

><<><

you have a lovely car and what a great look!

apparently though from other posts, my W203 220 Cdi diesel estate 2002. Can according to the guys have 16 / 17" Rims, not just 15''. Sorry to disagree with you, perhaps it was something you had not looked at before?
or will you still disagree that my 220 cdi 2002 plate estate w203 can only handle a 15'' set of rims?

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

OK to the guys that say my car can handle 17'' Rims would these suit =
A W203 220CDi Estate. on 2002 Plate Deisel

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Mine is a facelift / post 2005 C Class, but I'm sure the only changes were cosmetic, both interior and exterior.

Take a look at this site, scroll down and select your model, then rim size to see what is/was available. Mercedes alloys | Alloy Wheels Direct Ltd

NB: Is the C Class Estate model not S203? Not W203.

 

[219]

><<><

you have a lovely car and what a great look!

apparently though from other posts, my W203 220 Cdi diesel estate 2002. Can according to the guys have 16 / 17" Rims, not just 15''. Sorry to disagree with you, perhaps it was something you had not looked at before?
or will you still disagree that my 220 cdi 2002 plate estate w203 can only handle a 15'' set of rims?

I'm not saying that those other wheels cannot be fitted ( clearly they will bolt on and will fit under the arches ) ; what I stated was verbatim from my owners' manual ( do you not have one with your car ? ) in which it states the different wheel/tyre combinations that were supplied from the factory for each model .

While it may certainly be possible to fit larger sizes , there can sometimes be downsides , particularly in terms of reduced capability in winter months , but also increased wear on suspension components due to different loading , sometimes altered steering and handling characteristics and last but not least changes in rolling radius will affect speedo accuracy . Oh , and you need to tell your insurer who may say it makes no difference , other insurers may load your policy as the car is now 'modified' and others again might even refuse to cover the car with certain wheels - which could cause serious problems if you don't tell them then have to claim .

I'm not trying to be pessimistic : it is one thing changing for a different style of wheel whilst retaining the size determined by the engineers at Mercedes-Benz to be optimal for your car , and quite another to change these parameters for purely cosmetic reasons .

 

[219]

NB: Is the C Class Estate model not S203? Not W203.

S is an internal factory designation used to describe estate cars , just as C is for coupes , R for roadsters and V for LWB saloons ; however W covers all variants on a common platform and can be used for any of the foregoing .

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

S is an internal factory designation used to describe estate cars , just as C is for coupes , R for roadsters and V for LWB saloons ; however W covers all variants on a common platform and can be used for any of the foregoing .

THAT covers a lot of missinterpretation and missunderstanding in regards to the S203/W203. Which in reality is the same car, same everything, only in relation to the factory and its only significance is inside the factory. SO Why do some of us ( including me ) choose S203 now we know ! BIG thanks for super clarification.

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

In relation to Putting 17" Rims on a C220 CDI 2002 onwards. I just thought that this particular Tyre combination could cause an issue on the front on a full right hand turn of the wheel?

205 / 55 / R17
225 / 50 R17 92 v or H

If a 17" Rim was used on the front would a 205 / 45 not be more suitable, as the ( 45 ) would not rub?


Personally I think i will go for 16" Rims on a C220 CDI with this combination

205 / 55 / R16 / 91V for summer Tyres.

does this make sense?

 

[nigel cross]

I have 225/40x17 on front and 245/40x17 rear no problems ( if you have staggered size wheels )

 

[jeffjeffjeff]

I have 225/40x17 on front and 245/40x17 rear no problems ( if you have staggered size wheels )

thanks.

so the 40 doesnt cause any issues with geomotry and smoothness?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The sporty look which I suspect you're looking for is when viewed from the side (1) the wheel (silver) is bigger, (2) the Tyre (black) is narrower, and (3) the gap between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch is smaller.

If you don't want to spend to much then buying 16 inch wheels the tyre sizes detailed in your handbook for 16 inch wheels will partly address (1) & (2), but not (3).

If you're happy to spend more then 17 inch wheels will give the sporty look you want and address (1) & (2), but might make (3) appear worse, ie it will look like there's an even bigger gap. A C-Class supplied with 17 inch wheels from the factory would have 225/45 17 tyres at te front and 245/40 17 tyres at the rear.

To address (3) you will almost certainly need to fit lowered suspension springs, adding to the cost.

It is possible to fit 18 inch wheels but that's starting to get expensive!

Finally, there are other aspects to wheel size, not just the diameter, ie 15, 16, 17. You must also consider wheel width and offset (complicated) so stick to the Mercedes sizes as per your handbook, and referred to in another post above. The width is a number followed by a "J", and offset is a number with "ET".