W211 sitting lower at the back

[e280x]

W211 / E class sport with the multi spoke Alloys where the rear ones are slightly smaller and wider than the front.

When looking at it side on it looks like its sitting lower at the rear than the front. I have seen other cars with the same sports pack and Wheels and they seem to sit level.

Is there any reason the back would be lower. The boot is empty... Which part of the suspension dictates the car's height?

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Troon]

Saloon? Airmatic?

 

[GordonTarling]

Firstly, the wheel diameters front and rear should be the same at 18", though it's a staggered setup where the rears are wider than the fronts. If the rear is definitely sitting low, then it's possible that you have a broken spring (or two), as this is a relatively common fault on these cars. You mention 'boot', so I'm assuming you have a saloon? If it's an estate, then the rear suspension gets a bit more complicated!

 

[renault12ts]

The OP is confused. I suspect he means the tyres are wider at the back, and therefore with a lower profile number...which would make them the same front and rear with respect to diameter.

 

[e280x]

Yes the car is a saloon with normal suspension, no air matic.
The tyre profile is less at the back than at the front.

 

[John]

Might be worth posting a pic up on here?

 

[sinewave]

OP,

I think you confused peeps in your original post when you stated that the rear Alloys were a smaller diameter that the front!

They aren't!

The Sport Alloys are staggered with the rears being 1/2-1" or so wider than the fronts, they are both 18" in diameter.

The rear tyres are a profile size down on the fronts at 35 series with the fronts being 40 series, all this is standard.


..................back to the height issue!

Gota be saggy or broken springs if no Airmatic or self leveling.

 

[renault12ts]

Yes the car is a saloon with normal suspension, no air matic.
The tyre profile is less at the back than at the front.

That's fine. Profile is a percentage of width. So your back tyres will be wider than the fronts, and therefore you need a lower profile so that both ends have the same diameter.

A 245/40 tyre has a tyre wall height of 40% x 245 = 98mm.
A 275/35 tyre has a tyre wall height of 35% x 275 = 96.25mm.

 

[sinewave]

Rear Tyre will be 265 section so that's 92.75mm

 

[renault12ts]

Rear Tyre will be 265 section so that's 92.75mm

I was only giving examples of how profile is calculated...not talking specifically about any car. But if you do have a 245/40 on the front, then a 275/35 will be the correct one for the back since there will be only 1.75mm difference in the radius.

 

[sinewave]

I agree totally Ren!

It must be a rear clearance issue then as to why MB use 265's on the rear of all Sport models.

Gota feeling C63's run 245 - 265's combo as well?

 

[renault12ts]

There is a variance, when they use 265 on the rear often times they will use 245 on the front (wrongly imo), but at other times they will use 235s which are correct.

 

[GordonTarling]

245/40/18 and 265/35/18 are the correct sizes for this car, producing static rolling radii of 305mm and 301mm respectively.

renault12ts - you're right about 235/40/18 on the front being 'more correct', so I don't know why they specify 245 for that car.

 

[Gareth]

I'd go with broken spring, mine is in as I type for this at the moment (amongst other things)