Well I guess i will be fiddling with my 300D now that my 240D is dead--can I use the 195 R14's on my 300D which now has 205 R14's? The 300D always looked too "HIGH" with those giant 205's...I always did think it needed 195's?

Reason--i hope to convert the 300D to Manual and mount an intercooler on The Diesel...

The 300D calls for 195/r14s. But I also have 205's on the 300TD and the 240D

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

For a 300D/CD/TD, W123, use 195-70-14 tires on the stock "bundt cake" wheel. The larger 205 tire on the stock wheel will "swim" around and make the handling sloppier, although a 205/65 might work OK but I still don't recommend it. If you want bigger/fatter tires the wheel needs to be larger too. The 240D uses a smaller tire, I think, I forget the exact size though...

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

I think the spec tires (195's) look a lot better, but there are several threads around here on the two. It's personal preference from what I remember reading...BTW, I feel bad about your 240D...what a bummer...it's good that you're marching on with the 300D...

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 300CD
1982 Mercedes-Benz 240D - stick

Speaking of wheels on W123s, has anyone here ever swapped the bundt cake wheels on their 300D turbodiesel for some steel wheels and hubcaps off of a 240D? I like the look of the hubcaps that are the same color as the car. If I ever get a 300D turbodiesel, I would like to do that.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Yes I like that look too h-town I have A 240 and it already has the hubcaps so can't say I have done it before. The hubcaps look alot cleaner plus the girlfriend likes cause it's color cordanated sorry about the spelling to lazy to get dictanary damm it cant even spell that word either, pretty sad, can't even spell the word that helps you spell words, oh well,hey I know how to spell beer which Iam going to get right now. To all english teachers sorry I have let you down

Switching to the steel wheels and the color coordinated hub caps is simple and easy to do. However there is one caveat! You must use the correct wheel bolts for the steel ones or the bundt cakes, they are not interchangeable.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

When you say wheel bolts, do you mean the same thing as lug bolts?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

You cant reuse the Lug Nuts from the Aluminum wheels with the steel rims that you are going to put the hubcaps on.

Those steel rims require a different Lug Nut, so when you pick up the rims from a junkyard or whatever, make sure you get the correct bolts.


I found this out the hard way, because I used to pack a steel rim tire as a spare and I couldnt us ethe lugnuts from my aluminum tires..

Wheels from a 1989 560SL with Dunlop 205/60 x 15.

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To answer some of the off topic stuff on the this thread, there was a masking tool for sale at one of the well-known sites (Samstagsales?) some time ago but it was very expensive. We discussed it over on the vintage forum and someone there said they don't really work that well anyway.

And for those of you who want to switch wheels, be aware that there are two styles that accept wheel covers. The style with 4 slots are steel, and the style with holes around the circumference are actually aluminum alloy. Those would be preffered, if they are straight. I have a set of 4 that are all bent.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
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