Would the ride quality improve if I switch from 15"x7" too 16"x7" wheels?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

It would decrease.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

agreed.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Really? What about cornering and performance? My suspension is not stock any more: poly bushings, Bilsteins, bigger sway-bars. Looking for a firmer and better controlled ride.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Depends on what you mean by improve. I went from 15" with 205/55 to 17" with 215/40 and the ride did get a little harsher but ride control increased quite a bit especially in the turns. I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Going up 1 inch and down a few percent in profile I do not think would affect you ride adversely. Just my opinion.

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2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

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Depending on sidewall height. The added unsprung weight makes the ride harsher. .

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Satan creates nothing: he only ruins everything. He does not invent: he tampers. And his followers are no different ~ Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigaṇ

I assume that you plan to use a tire that would maintain the overall diameter of the 15" tire currently in use. If so, moving from a 15" to 16" would require you to use a tire with a shorter sidewall, which generally allows less sidewall flex, resulting in a tire more responsive to steering inputs. The downside is that the shorter sidewall will result in a rougher ride.

That's correct. I like the more responsive steering aspect.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

16x7x20mm VS 15x7x20mm, what would be the best tire size for the 16" wheel? And what are the opinions about the rims: top is 15" and bottom pic is 16" rim?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I love the 16's on my SD.

Ride quality is still Mercedes, and cornering and road feel are better.
The combo I am running is almost exactly the weight of the 14" bundt set, so there are no effects from variations in the unsprung weight.

Have not noticed any change in fuel economy either.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

I like the look of the top rims, however I think 16" s would give you better handling.

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Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
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On my wagon I went from 15" to 16" with the ultra lightweight CLK wheels. From a performance standpoint, taking mass out of the rotating assy can result in significant improvements. When there is less mass, the suspension doesn't have to work as hard at keeping the rubber against the pavement.

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90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

As you can see, ... at the same time,

I've owned a stock 1990 with 15" tires,











and also a 1991 with 16" tires that are wider profile tires, and the car itself being lowered with eibach springs, and Bilstein HD shocks...









and I must say, there is a very substantial difference between the two.

The stock one, with the 15''s - rides more softly and serenely, but wallows luridly when caned hard into corners.



And the modified one, has a harsher but not annoying, ride at higher speeds, and I took it once, quite briskly into a decreasing radius turn that felt pretty lurid and on the outer edge of control, until I glanced down at the speedometer and noticed the speed - I was going 90 mph!!!! My god that was amazing!

So that was the car I kept...seen here in its euro clone guise a couple of months ago. The one you saw in West Los Angeles when we met up about a year ago...





So for your car, i'd definately go the 16" route; so long as there is no wheel well scrubbing, I think you'd be ok for that beautiful 780 coupe there should be nothing to worry about, but before you do I'd check with brickboard and sweedspeed...

If THEY give the thumbs up then yes, AND thenyou should see about shocks from Bilstein (HD or Sport- though Sport are almost impossible to get in USA I have heard and they are revalved HD's anyway I think)

and then go to the ipd catalogue and order up sway bars for your Volvo 780 if they still have them.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Your car is stunning. I have seen the AMG pentas on a Volvo; looked pretty damn good, not sure how they mounted it.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Don't overlook the difference in tires...I had a Grand Cherokee with 16 inch wheels and Goodyear Wrangler ST tires that had a really soft ride. I went to a stock 17 inch wheel with Michelin of some sort, that really firmed up the ride, minimized understeer too. When they wore out, I put Kumho Solus tires on it, and it wallowed around more on the 17 inch Kumhos than the 16 inch Goodyears, and understeered dangerously.

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