Most people find it odd to have tires of different sizes on the same car, but Mercedes cars are an exception. So why do Mercedes have different size tires? Let’s find out
Many drivers consider the sizes of their wheels and tires primarily for aesthetic reasons.
However, wheel size and the size of the tires you place on them are important considerations. Using the wrong tires may be expensive and even dangerous.
Your car must be able to move, stop, and turn without slipping. Your vehicle’s tires carry out these duties.
The tire’s design and structure impact how it performs on hard, deformed, wet, and dry surfaces.
There are additional main forces applied by the tires that impact your car’s motion in addition to gravity and aerodynamic forces.
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Why Do Mercedes Have Different Size Tires?
Mercedes manufactures cars with different size tires because it enhances the car’s aesthetic and increases the vehicle’s speed.
This helps them gain popularity in car magazines and earn more revenue through increased sales.
Although tire upsizing or different sizes in Mercedes offers a vehicle a bold attitude and speed, it has performance downsides in addition to the delight of a determined look.
As a result, before upgrading their tires, vehicle owners should think about a few things.
The goal of staggered wheel/tire setups is to send greater power to the ground by putting more rubber on the back wheels while avoiding the steering penalty that bigger front tires frequently bring.
A wider tire will often give you a jittery steering sensation, and your car will be more prone to follow the ruts on the highway.
Most W202 owners don’t mind having more power than their rear wheels can handle, which is why Mercedes didn’t stagger the arrangement.
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Does Tire Size Matter?
Put simply, the bigger your tire, the better your vehicle’s traction on the road will be. The breadth of a tire grows as it covers more road surface area.
Increasing your the surface area that your vehicle is in contact with the pavement offers it more grip, improving its handling and maneuverability.
So, does the size of your tires matter? Yes, that is the quick answer. Is the size of the wheels, however, important? It is debatable.
The terms “wheels” and “tires” are not interchangeable. The wheel configuration includes tires. For example, your vehicle’s rims have a specific size, but you can purchase multiple tire sizes to match those rims as long as the center of the tires is the proper size. A car with larger rims, on the other hand, will frequently be able to fit larger tires than other vehicles.
Bigger Wheels Equal To Bigger Bills
In general, larger tires and wheels are better for boosting traction in your car. According to Consumer Reports, however, larger tires come at a higher price.
If you choose larger wheels and tires when you buy your car, you may not notice the price difference at first, but when you need to replace them, you will pay more than someone who drives a vehicle with smaller wheels. Try to strike the right balance between size and price.
When it comes to tire replacements, once you’ve decided on a size for your car, you’ll want to stick with it. This is because a different-size tire might cause your speedometer to malfunction and potentially harm your vehicle’s anti-lock brake systems and stability system calibrations.
This applies to both smaller and bigger tire sizes. Changing to bigger tires with an inadequate sidewall height can harm your vehicle’s suspension system, wheels, and tires, as well as result in inaccurate speedometer readings.
Your speedometer and odometer should not change if you match larger-diameter wheel sizes to lower-profile tire sizes. Because your tires are built up this way, they have shorter sidewalls, which implies stiffer sidewalls and a higher risk of blowouts if you hit a pothole.
When replacing your tires, try to keep them with the same brand and size since mixing and matching might result in spinouts and loss of control.
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Tips on Buying New Rims and Tires
While the average motorist may not know precisely what they’re looking for when shopping for new tires, replacing tires and rims is simple if you follow a few basic principles.
When looking for new tires, size designations like 235/75R15 and P215/65R15 will pop up. If you don’t know how to read these labels, they can be difficult, but they become more apparent once you understand tires’ language.
Three digits and sometimes letters can be seen on the left side of the slash sign. The numbers reflect the width of the tires from sidewall to sidewall in millimeters. The larger this value, the more road the tire has contact with.
The tire type is indicated by a letter on the left side. You could notice the following letters:
- “P,” for passenger vehicle tires. This document also informs you that the tire is manufactured in accordance with US standards. When there isn’t a letter, it implies it’s manufactured to European specifications. The load capabilities of the two kinds are different.
- “LT,” for a light truck. Tire sizes beginning with these letters are designed for light vehicles. They’ll have greater psi recommendations to handle trailers and big loads more effectively.
- “ST,” for a special trailer. Tire sizes beginning with these letters are only for trailer wheels.
We can determine that a P215/65R15 tire is for a passenger car and has a 215-millimeter width by looking at it.
Two numbers, a letter, and two additional numbers may be found on the right side of the slash sign. The first set of figures represents the aspect ratio of the tire’s height to its width. These values are 65 in our P215/65R15 example, indicating that the tire’s sidewall height is 65 percent that of the tire’s width. The middle letter on the right side of the slash indicates the tire’s manufacturing technique, which is usually “R,” which stands for radial. This means that the tire’s layers run radially across it.
The final number is crucial since it indicates which wheel size the tire will fit. This number in our case is 15, indicating that the tire will fit a 15-inch diameter wheel.
FAQs
1. Do Mercedes need special tires?
The Mercedes-Benz Original tires, unlike those from other companies, are created exclusively for Mercedes-Benz cars. This means they improve the performance of this well-known European brand while also fitting perfectly.
Choose whether you want more traction for your AMG® car, a quieter ride, or merely functional tires made particularly for your Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Mercedes-Benz Original tires are customized to your specifications.
2. What happens if you have different size tires?
If you want to utilize mismatched tires or wheels, ensure that each vehicle’s axle is equipped with identical tires.
The two front tires of a two-axle car should match, and the two rear tires should fit. The pair of rear tires do not have to match the pair of front tires. The new tire and wheelsets, on the other hand, should be of comparable size to the original.
3. Can I put bigger tires on my Mercedes?
When tight bends or suspension bottoms out, the tires may rub against the fender well if the replacement wheels and tires are larger than the originals.
Because speedometers compute speed by calculating the distance traveled for each wheel spin, a change in size might result in an incorrect readout.
The factory diameter and breadth of the wheels and tires must be maintained to keep the suspension and speedometer working correctly.
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4. What tires does Mercedes Benz recommend?
The Stuttgart-based manufacturer offers a wide range of variants and trims levels to cater to a wide range of consumers and their demands. There are nine different versions available, including four diesel and five petrol engines.
Depending on the engine outputs, different tire sizes are available for the various versions. The sizes range from 16 inches for the entry-level model to 19 inches for the top-of-the-line C 63s AMG variant.
The 15-spoke design on the 16-inch wheel is finished with vanadium silver paint, while the 5-twin spoke design on the 17-inch wheel is finished in the diamond cut.
Wrap Up
Your vehicle’s wheels and tires are critical components. Though it may seem self-evident, many drivers don’t pay much attention to the tires they pick for their cars, which can lead to various issues. To guarantee that your wheels are safe and provide your vehicle with the highest amounts of traction possible, get to know your car and avoid making costly tire errors.
