I absolutely love the CLK wheels pictured on the W123, and in the past year or so I have seen more and more w123's around town riding on them... once I have the money to work with, I would love to pursue a set, and install them on my w123. I have one concern though.

Assuming the fact that for the wheels to properly fit, i'll need to use spacers, how safe are they? I have heard mixed views on using spacers, and definitely do not want to make a mistake that could be potentially dangerous.
When using spacers, is the threat in the installation? (making sure that theyre re-installed after tire rotatons etc.) or is there a threat that could show itself while driving the car???

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Nate

1995 E420
1992 BMW 525i
1984 300D Turbo sold
1993 Volvo 244 sold
1995 Volvo 944T R.I.P!


"The details are not details. They make the product."
-Charles Eames

www.cbs.nu

I have the CLK rims on my '82 300CD with 25mm H&R spacers. I have had 0 problems with them in about 35,000 miles. Considering Porsche used spacers on the early 930 turbo from the factory, I'm not too worried. Doesn't seem to affect balance or runout if you go with a good, made for MB, hub-centric spacer and good extended lug bolts.

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J.B. Hebert

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Current Vehicles:
'76 Ford Bronco
'78 Volvo 262C Bertone V8
'80 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (For Sale)
'94 Ford Explorer
'95 Mercedes E300D Sportline+

Thanks for the tips! as soon as im ready to run a set i'll post pics of the results! I defintely think the CLK wheels are the best wheel mod for the w123.. the 8-holes look good, but are sortof outta character, and kinda boring. The CLK wheels seem like a modern rendition of the old bundts.. the way they dish inwards to the lug bolts and center cylinder with the MB star. Very classic looking, yet modern and not out of character.

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Nate

1995 E420
1992 BMW 525i
1984 300D Turbo sold
1993 Volvo 244 sold
1995 Volvo 944T R.I.P!


"The details are not details. They make the product."
-Charles Eames

www.cbs.nu

Here is my install. I think these really are one of the best options in terms of styling on upgrade rims. The finish is highly polished metal with clearcoat which looks similar to chrome at a distance, but looks much better in my opinion. They still look odd though, afterall I am used to the true bundt look.

Of course there is the spacer issue. Not really, if you go H&R hubcentric and double check after install. These are 25mm (H&R 5055665) DRA spacers all around with 12/1.5 x 20mm bolts from a junkyard car using steel wheels. These bolts are usually black, but have a mercedes star on each bolt head

I did have to slightly modify the front spacers to fit over the monster hubs...did I scare some of you yet? It wasn't really that big of an issue, but on my car the grease caps got in the way and the spacer was about 5mm from the flange. The hub has a very slight taper, so I ground down the inner 45deg ridge of the hubcentric ring ever so slightly with a dremel so that it just seated on the flange.

The wheels are 7J16 e37 with 205/55 16 tires and the spacers make the total offset only 12mm! (stock is 6J14 e30) This offset is required because of the spacer fitment on the front hubs. This means the outside of the tire sticks out an additional 30mm from normal and the inside of the tire actually moves out 5mm as well. Should improve the antiroll going around curves but could also put more stress on the wheel bearings...we shall see. This is really only equivalent to using 11mm spacers though over a stock configuration of 7J16 wheels...I've seen some W126 cars running around on Centra R31's which measure 7J16 e23.

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Dave

2002 Audi S6 Avant
1983 300D
1984 300D (sold)
1990 560SEL (sold)

Looks good! Glad you got the spacers working.

J.B.

i would under no imaginable circumstance drill the holes in the wheel deeper!

you are asking for them to break!

tom w

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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.

[quote=t walgamuth;1412120]i would under no imaginable circumstance drill the holes in the wheel deeper!

you are asking for them to break!

tom w[/quote

Tom, when I saw that post it really made me scratch my head. How would drilling the holes deeper make the wheel set in any further? Am I missing something?

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a few mb diesels