Squealing 123 tires - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

eagle-co94 · #16 09-12-2008, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remotemark

Yours are replicas of stock 99 CLK wheels?

These are OEM 98/99 CLK 16's:

I used 5mm spacers up front so that the centercaps wouldn't pop out. They clear the tie rods without though.

Chad300tdt · #17 09-13-2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remotemark

Yours are replicas of stock 99 CLK wheels?

I'm unsure of the year they are trying to copy, but they are replicas of the SLK/CLK AMG pentas. I can PM you where I bought them if you want to know. I don't want to post competitor info on our beloved forum.

TylerH860 has an authentic 17" set on his SL.

remotemark · #18 09-13-2008, 05:53 PM

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pts/809132779.html

Chad300tdt · #19 09-13-2008, 08:49 PM

Cool ... I think that might be Robert's ad. (Mister Byrnzoil)

Those wheels are more ornate than mine but NOT chrome which is a bonus. Great deal on the wheels and good tires to boot.

remotemark · #20 09-23-2008, 11:25 AM

If the offset for the 123 is >25, does that mean you can put on anything with an ET of over 25, say a 40ET? Or is there a maximum?

BTW, German word of the day:

ET = Einpresstiefe.

Nothing like sticking three words together to make up a new one.

eagle-co94 · #21 09-23-2008, 11:56 AM

No, but technically anything less, yes. The ET number is the positive offset from the centerline of the wheel, so adding more to the ET# puts the mounting surface further out, basically moving the wheel hoop and tire further towards your suspension and brake parts.

The trick with using a lower ET number means that you're putting the tire closer to your fenders, which can spell disaster on a really low car, a car with fender skirts in the rear, or with larger diameter wheels & tires than what originally came on the car.

remotemark · #22 09-23-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eagle-co94

No, but technically anything less, yes. The ET number is the positive offset from the centerline of the wheel, so adding more to the ET# puts the mounting surface further out, basically moving the wheel hoop and tire further towards your suspension and brake parts.

The trick with using a lower ET number means that you're putting the tire closer to your fenders, which can spell disaster on a really low car, a car with fender skirts in the rear, or with larger diameter wheels & tires than what originally came on the car.

So the car is limited to the ca. 17-30 range of offsets? It seems that folks put all sorts of wheels on the 123s, some of which looked to be out of that range.

eagle-co94 · #23 09-23-2008, 01:00 PM

That ET number is specific to that wheel width. If the wheel is narrower, you can go up, if it's wider you can go down.

If it goes up but you really like them you can get spacers. I don't know the magic number, but you'll have to see for yourself how much clearance you currently have between your tie-rod ends and the wheel/tire. Personally I've been so close that I wore down the clamp on wheel weights and had to remove them in favor of stick ons. Never had an issue, but I'd say a good 10mm of clearance is good.

Just measure what you've got now, subtract 10mm and add the number you get to the ET# of your wheels now. Then subtract 6mm for every 1/2" wider the new wheels are.

remotemark · #24 09-23-2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eagle-co94

That ET number is specific to that wheel width. If the wheel is narrower, you can go up, if it's wider you can go down.

If it goes up but you really like them you can get spacers. I don't know the magic number, but you'll have to see for yourself how much clearance you currently have between your tie-rod ends and the wheel/tire. Personally I've been so close that I wore down the clamp on wheel weights and had to remove them in favor of stick ons. Never had an issue, but I'd say a good 10mm of clearance is good.

Just measure what you've got now, subtract 10mm and add the number you get to the ET# of your wheels now. Then subtract 6mm for every 1/2" wider the new wheels are.

That's a fair amount of math for a lawyer, but I'll try it!! Thanks so much.

Just to be clear (math for dummies), when you say "Just measure what you've got now", do you mean the amount of clearance there is between the current wheels and the tie-rod ends?

remotemark · #25 09-29-2008, 09:59 AM

I was just bidding on some 15" bundts on germany ebay. I had to get out and the wheels ended up going for 751 euros, about $1150 by my math. That's before $150 in shipping. Sweet jesus.