Wheel interchange.....
 

Purchased 99SL and spare didn't look right so jacked up car and lo and behold it didn't fit car...sooo I need to get a rim and tire for it. It is a sport with 18" so questions

#1. What was the original tire spare combo for 99 SL Sport? 17" 18" and tire size.

#2. Will a rim from early R129 fit a 99. are all R129 rims interchangable? Thinking of getting a new cheap rim for $120.00 from tire rack.

Thanks

Callen

Talk to Luke at Tire Rack, he has the answers.

The original rim/tire combination is still in the trunk of my 1999- SL500 w/the "SPORT" option:

Tire: Michelin Pilot SX 245/45 R 17. 95W,MXX3,tubeless.

Rim: 8 1/4Jx17H2,ET 34, #A1294011302,"SPARE WHEEL ONLY". Sticker on the rim states:"50 MAX MPH".

"Sport" option on SL500: P245/40ZR18 front & P275/35ZR18 rear. :sun_smile

5280Benz
 

Thank you!!....exactly what I needed to know...

just purchased and finding stuff I need to deal with........also noticed "tool kit" is missing....arghhh....

Hi Callen. One more observation: The fit of the tire/rim that I described in my post is a "TIGHT" fit (both in diameter and height) in the spare tire well. I doubt that any size combination other than O.E.M. would work.
The spare wheel is the same as described by poster JJ Rodgers in post #6 below. :sun_smile

Post June 1998 cars have larger front brake discs which require 17" wheels as a minimum. Stock size, as another poster has mentioned, was 8.25J x 17 ET 34 fitted with 245/45 R 17 tyres. Smaller 16" wheels, which were used prior to June 1998 will not fit. I too have a full size 17" rim fitted with Michelin tyre in my spare wheel well, but it is a black-painted cast alloy spare wheel, not a match for those on the car.

Tire Sizing
 

Thanks for tip....I did some looking and 16" were much cheaper than 17". Glad you pointed this out....Plan is to buy the cheapest 17" rim that I can find that will fit the car. Will unfortunately also need to buy the tire.....oh well.