Tire Size

[rowdie]

8J x 16 ET11. AMG GenI road wheels made by ATS Germany. 225x50x16 No problem.

[jdhill]

I found this photo on another site posted by digmenow in 2008. The difference in the arch edge is pretty obvious. Somewhere along the years MBz altered the arch, I guess to accomodate larger tires. His is an 81, 380. So a little grinding and welding, and I will be good to go. You'll have to look at my other post's photo to compare, as apparently you cannot upload the same photo twice.

[rowdie]

Don't know what car that is but Dig's is blue.
I have checked the arches on the following. '72 450SL, '73 450SL, '81 280SL, '84 500SL and '86 560SL. On each one the top of the arch was rolled as pictured. The only one where the back arch was rolled was the 560SL.

To save grinding and welding you might try this.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1468459-rolling-fenders-eastwood-machine.html

[fonzi]

I've got 225/50/16 on et11 wheels (same wheels as the ones in post 17) on a 1973 450sl. There is at least a half inch of clearance (room to grow) on the outside of the rear tires on my car. This is really good/interesting information about the bulging sidewalls on a 55 profile tire. All the calculations I've seen (like those on rimsntires.com) do not show any sidewall bulge growth with increased profile size. They seem to basically assume that a 225/55 tire will be no wider than a 225/50 tire, assuming only the diameter would change.

Since the 225/50/16 tires I have on the front of my car rub on the outer front edge when turning and braking in reverse, I would expect you'd have even bigger problems with a 225/55/16 on the front. The small gap you see in this picture (of 225/50/16 tires) closes when hitting the brakes in reverse. http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/r-c107-sl-slc-class/306402d1273018411-pentas-nobmobile-pentas-004.jpg

Here's a little bit of an effort to show the max tire sizes that you can fit on the front of an r/c107: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1595455-how-much-tire-can-you-stuff.html
... and the rears: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1595451-how-much-tire-can-you-stuff.html

Based on the way the calculations were being done in those threads, I'd assume you'd be fine with 225/55/16 on the rears. So this thread may have just taught me something new. Thank you!

[fonzi]

P.S. It seems that all r107 cars have about 5-6" of factory-rolled fender in the top of the front. The rears on my car might need to be rolled as I'm planning on putting on 9x16 et10 wheels with 245/50/16 tires... some day.

[jdhill]

Originally Posted by rowdie

Don't know what car that is but Dig's is blue.
I have checked the arches on the following. '72 450SL, '73 450SL, '81 280SL, '84 500SL and '86 560SL. On each one the top of the arch was rolled as pictured. The only one where the back arch was rolled was the 560SL.

To save grinding and welding you might try this.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1468459-rolling-fenders-eastwood-machine.html

I found that post on benzworld under his sign-on and just assumed it was his car. Had seen the fender roller in Eastwoods catalogue but it looked like it would only work on round wheel well openings not assymetrical like the rears. I'll PM roncallo and see if he did his rears with it. He does mention that his info was also that AMG modified the openings.

[jdhill]

Originally Posted by fonzi

I've got 225/50/16 on et11 wheels (same wheels as the ones in post 17) on a 1973 450sl. There is at least a half inch of clearance (room to grow) on the outside of the rear tires on my car. This is really good/interesting information about the bulging sidewalls on a 55 profile tire. All the calculations I've seen (like those on rimsntires.com) do not show any sidewall bulge growth with increased profile size. They seem to basically assume that a 225/55 tire will be no wider than a 225/50 tire, assuming only the diameter would change.

Since the 225/50/16 tires I have on the front of my car rub on the outer front edge when turning and braking in reverse, I would expect you'd have even bigger problems with a 225/55/16 on the front. The small gap you see in this picture (of 225/50/16 tires) closes when hitting the brakes in reverse. http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/r-c107-sl-slc-class/306402d1273018411-pentas-nobmobile-pentas-004.jpg

Here's a little bit of an effort to show the max tire sizes that you can fit on the front of an r/c107: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1595455-how-much-tire-can-you-stuff.html
... and the rears: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1595451-how-much-tire-can-you-stuff.html

Based on the way the calculations were being done in those threads, I'd assume you'd be fine with 225/55/16 on the rears. So this thread may have just taught me something new. Thank you!

If you go to Yokahama Tires/tires 101/customizing, youll find all the formulas and charts you need to make the right decision.

[jdhill]

Should add, Summit Racing and I'm sure others, carry a tool made by Percy's
called a wheelright tire simulator that bolts to the calipers and measures all the factors of wheel and rim replacing. Don't know if at $70 it would be worth it for one job but if it saves a costly mistake??

[Roncallo]

Right now I have 9.5 x 18 23Et with 275/35's on the rear. No rolling required. but real close on the outside about 1/2" available on the inside. A 10 wide wheel with 285's is doable with an offset of about 10. Without rolling on the 560SL.

[jdhill]

Wish I had a 23 offset on my rear 16's, I'd be home free.