I've got YOKOHAMA tires (P245/50R15) on my custom MB wheels. I've got them on my '84 500SEL Euro with the hydro pneumatic suspension. Somebody told me that this suspension (when operating efficiently) should be smooth as silk. Mine seems to ride rough. If I went back to the original wheels and tires will I get a smoother ride? I realize that I'm dealing with quite a few variables here. 1) I live in the Detroit, Michigan area. Anyone who is somewhat familiar with this area knows that the roads are horrendous. 2) The 50's have more tread on the road and I've been told will cause a rougher ride. and lastly 3) The car is from 1984 and, although it is a Benz, parts do wear out.

What do you guys think I should do? The car does look sharp with the custom wheels and 50's on it.

------------------
FrankieZ
'84 500sel (love it!)
87K (odo was broke, what can I say!)

If the car rides "shakey" then the wheels are doing it. If the ride is stiff and bouncy, the suspension is at fault.

------------------
Benzmac:
1981 280GE SWB
1987 16V
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Thanks, Benzmac. But aren't stiff and bouncy too different things? Or do you mean bouncy as if you have too much air in your tires?

MB hydro suspension has a habit of eating nitrogen spheres on high mile cars. This is especialy true if anything other than the original fluid has ever been added. This system simply won't tolerate anything else. If your suspension has very little travel and appears to be very firm I'd say you need spheres. If you would have a mechanic from a quality independent shop, i.e. a Bosch Service Center,take a quick test drive you probably would get a free confirmation of this diagnosis. Most MB dealers look down their noses at grey market cars. Frankly this is their loss.

Frankie, if the pressure cells (all 5 of them, one for each shocks and a central one) have not been changed for more than 4 years or 60K miles, it is due. I changed mine 3.5 years ago and 30K miles, and they are readied for new ones again!!! It will cost about $1000 for this.

By the way I use 225/50-16 on my car. I have a set of AVS Sport and Pilot XGT-Z4 both mounted on 8 inch wide wheels and they both ride fine but not as good as 14 or 15 inchers. Good luck.

I drove the car, and I thought it drifted alot on the highway...constant correcting.
It takes potholes rather hard..as if the tires where solid rubber.

my two cents

-Larry

PS I believe they are 16" tires AS420's or 520's
------------------
03/83 300D
07/73 280




[This message has been edited by Larry Delor (edited 03-07-2000).]

Hey TommyMB, would it be possible to get your email so that I can ask you some thing?

Also you said that it would cost $1000. Is that with you doing it yourself?


------------------
FrankieZ
'84 500sel (love it!)
87K (odo was broke, what can I say!)

You are suffering from a classic case of the low profile tire syndrome. That's why you never see a limo or any other luxury type car wearing tires with a marked low aspect ratio (height vs. width). Also the midline of your custon wheels may be slightly different from factory. As for the tires, the low aspect ratio skins generally have less cross section and truly do put more rubber on the road. By the same token having more rubber on the road means more intimate contact with the road and all it's little irregularities. Also the tread to bead distance on these tires is much less than your standard ratio of 65, so less sidewall is available to absorb small imperfections in the road surface. This is the price you pay for that "sporty" look. BTW, have a local friendly police officer clock you vehicle for you, you might be surprised at what your speedo is telling you. In a nutshell smaller diameter wheels have to turn faster and larger have to turn slower at the same road speed.

------------------
Jeff L
1987 300e
1989 300e
1987 BMW 325

Yeah I agree with Jeff. If your nitrogen accumulators were bad, you would have a bouncy ride when you hit a bump. Low profile tires usually produce this sensation of a rough ride. Personally I prefer stock rims on any Benz, and correct size tires to boot. I like feeling the car the way it was meant to be fealt---bone stock.


------------------
Rgds,
Aaron Greenberg
MB technician
Precision Motorcars, Cincinnati, Ohio
'67 250SE Cabriolet
'77 450SL
'80 300SD
'85 380SE
'89 420SEL
'93 300E 2.8
'72 Alfa Romeo 2000GTV
'74 Jensen Interceptor Mk.III
'81 DeLorean DMC12

quote:

---

Originally posted by fz500sel:
Hey TommyMB, would it be possible to get your email so that I can ask you some thing?

Also you said that it would cost $1000. Is that with you doing it yourself?

---

Frankie, my address is TommyMB@aol.com.

The pressure cells are roughly $180 each retail and about $140 if you shop around. Installation for all five of them is about three to four hours. With new cells your ride will be much more cushy on rough road. What air pressure are you running with your tires? For 245/50, I would run 30 to 32PSI. Good luck.

Hey TommyMB,

I'm running around 35psi. I'm starting to think more and more that I need to go back to the stock tires and get away from these low profile custom wheels. I've seen a few 500SEL's around and they look pretty good with the original wheels.

------------------
FrankieZ
84 500sel EURO 87K

I used Yokohama tires for 8000 miles, they were very bad. At speeds over 80mph they gave the impression that the brakes came on. When I switched back to Michelin the ride was ok again.

300SE 89