So looking for cheap gear reduction, what is the largest tire without rubbing or other issues the 240D can handle? 14 or 15" options, right now it has 185/70/14, have 215/70/14 and 205/70/15 on other wheels or maybe something differrent?

Without uber rare 15" rims 205 is as large as I'd go.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I'm running 205/70/14s with no issues...

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1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D

As mentioned above. 205/70/14 is my tire size preference. I've tried smaller tires and have found the larger tires to be more comfortable.

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Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

I've been running 195/75s on my 123s for several years and am quite satisfied, my speedometers read just a tad high at highway speed but the error is not noticeable until then. (by GPS)

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

How much does this lower cruise RPMs?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I ran some numbers on a gear ratio chart, have 24.3" tires right now (185/70/14) given 3.69 diff and 1:1 top gear
Stock @62mph 3164
205/70/14 3040
215/70/14 2958
So you can benefit a small drop in rpms. I can usually find the 215's easy enough, but 205/70/14 is all dried up around here special order/full retail pricing on off shore brands only, whereas the 215 is often on the cheap rack/discountinued. Michelin does not offer 14" tires in Canada, just the USA!
Anyone know the absolute max size without rubbing? I have some 205/70/15 mounted on S class wheels to try 26.3" diameter or some LT 14" 205R14.

I don't know offhand, but you just need to measure your wheel well and your suspension travel to the bump stop. That will tell you the maximum rear diameter.

For the front, it's similar but a little tricky extrapolating when the wheel is turned.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I'm using 205/75-14 tires as that was all I could find here in town. Haven't had any problems.

Costco quoted me on a set a few months ago. Is this a recent development?

Cdn Tire lists them online:
Canadian Tire

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22