i would like to keep a near-stock look on my W123 while accomodating the W126 brakes, which require a 15 inch wheel. i think one solution is getting 6.3 wheels, obviously ridiculous, or european W126 steelies. i am willing to go as far as zip tying the hubcaps to the wheels, if they sit down properly at least. any thoughts, folks?

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

To the best of my knowledge the first generation vented W126 disc brakes do accommodate a 14 inch wheels. I think chad300tdt did the conversion (if memory serves me right). Charmalu might be able to shed some light on this too - as would vstech I guess...

...the list goes on!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

that would sure solve my problem, Stretch! why do people prefer the second generation brakes again?

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

I dunno - try getting in touch with the forum members mentioned above. Perhaps they can shed some light on the subject?

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

The 1985 and earlier front brakes will fit inside the 14 wheels. The 1986+ version requires the 15" wheels to clear the calipers. Rear brakes will clear the 14" wheels on ether version.

The flatface 15" R107 or W126 wheel is the only commonly available wheel for the 86+ brakes.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Second generation w126 rotors are 300mm diameter vs 278mm of generation one, and w123 cars. They're also thicker and vented, although I believe the gen one rotors are vented, just the smaller diameter

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1982 300D Turbodiesel, daily driver. Mods so far: Fram 8038 paper filter, 4 brake light mod, Gen II w126 (front) rotors/calipers, boost turned up to 12lbs, non-egr manifolds, water/methanol injection, 4-speed manual
1980 300SD Turbodiesel, project car, nearly ready to hit the street

1974 240D, New paint

thanks folks. i'm stuck between the hubcaps and the bigger brakes. i thought the size difference was greater than 278 -> 300 mm. those figures suggest the upgrade only gets you 16% more rotor area. this makes the change seem less worthwhile than i expected!

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

Did you find out if the smaller W126 ones are vented or not?

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

yeah Stretch, gen I is vented too.

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

Great stuff - nice upgrade to do then - I'll consider it myself.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I would run 15" wheels (easier/cheaper to find tires) and secure the hubcaps with safety wire or some kind of bolt setup. Zip ties tend to get brittle after a while. The hypermiler guys bolt pizza pans to their wheels for better aerodynamics.

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

Putting caps and rings on standard black steel wheels will work, or spray them silver. There was a plain looking ford ranger steel wheel that used a screw on clip plate and a center cover. a chrome saucer-like shape, then had a red divided painted circle in the center of that. The screw on plate wont come off and the cap takes some strong even pressure to get installed. they were 86 or 87 or both, styled steel wheels ,and were used on at least 2 levels of trim. Others had a 5 bolt pattern that came thru the holes in the cap. The cap was plastic and had 3 screws using 3 insert nuts(clipped-in to predrilled holes.) plain, no logo reflective red,

Hubcap heaven here we come?

Everything else is plastic or china. You cant lose with the ford stuff. Stainless trim rings would complete the look. If you find em b4 me? Save me a set !!! like GT wheels! bud

adding info. the used and NOS section on peach pts has some hubcaps with a very pretty tristar... these could perhaps be tried with the centercap hardware i saw used on the rangers. this could go in the center of the steelies? or are they too large? Gentlemen, we can design, submit and patent them ourselves. put a big peach in the center... hahaha

Ford Motor had a 15" full wheelcover that was first used on the 1971 full size Ford range. This wheelcover was later recycled for the Ford trucks in the 70s and 80s.

What's notable about this wheelcover, is the fact that the same wheelcover was also used on Ford's 16" wheels.

How, you ask?

The wheelcover had a trim ring attached to the perimeter, extending the 15" cover out to fit the 16" wheel.

Perhaps a 15" trim ring is available that is of a configuration that allows the 14 wheelcover to attach to the trim ring?

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

I have light weight CLK wheels 16x7 and only 13lbs, that's 10lbs less that the stock steel 14x5.5 wheels. You guys have seen these wheels before, I like the weight but I don't like the look, so we have to change that.

I like the classic mod look so I plan to mount the center section of a Benz dog bowl hubcap on them, take the wheel ....





Add this center cap....






After they are polished, painted and have the hubcap center on them they should look a bit like ....

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1971 250C Ivory / Cognac Leather ~ 1993 500E - 040 / 271 - Porsche Type 2758

Past Cars - 1994 E500 - 2003 CL600 V12TT by SPEEDRIVEN - 1994 E500 - 1995 E320 Cab - 1988 BMW M6 - 1994 E320 Cab