Wheel interchange.....

[callen]

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

[airedale]

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

[5280BENZ]

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.

[callen]

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....

[5280BENZ]

Originally Posted by callen

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.

[jjrodger]

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.

[callen]

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.