[Steve (Austria)]

Hi everyone!

Most of you I know from the W163 forum. I will be trading in my 2000 ML 320 for a 2006 ML 320 CDi Diesel this week. If all goes well, I will get it Thursday or Friday.

One thing that I noticed about the new ML is that the wheels are considerably narrower with 23565R17 instead of the 25570R16 that I have now. (Both are equipped with identical Continental WinterContact 4x4 tires. My question: is it possible to get fatter tires for the ML, without having to increase the diameter of the wheels, and therefore the profile of the tires. My wife actually likes a large profile tire, and wants to have a broad footprint as well. It just doesn't seem right to have a great looking chrome tipped square dual exhaust, and these 235 tires.

Thanks for your help!

Steve

 

[Steve (Austria)]

Here are a couple of pictures I have taken with my phone the other day. They are not very good quality, but you get the idea. Steve

 

[ABenzGuy]

Steve. Try www.tirerack.com You enter your vehicle and then they tell you what will fit. Normally you can go up one size; e.g., one width increase. They aren't going to list the '06 ML320CDI since it isn't available here in the U.S. so you'll probably need to use an '06 ML350 instead.

 

[Avantgarde 1998]

Steve why don't you go for the 255/55/18?I think it's a good middle solution.

 

[GregW / Oregon]

Tires on ML320

Steve (Austria) - 4/10/2006 10:18 PM

One thing that I noticed about the new ML is that the wheels are considerably narrower with 23565R17 instead of the 25570R16 that I have now. (Both are equipped with identical Continental WinterContact 4x4 tires. My question: is it possible to get fatter tires for the ML, without having to increase the diameter of the wheels, and therefore the profile of the tires. My wife actually likes a large profile tire, and wants to have a broad footprint as well. It just doesn't seem right to have a great looking chrome tipped square dual exhaust, and these 235 tires.

Agree with you on the tire width. Even the 255s look whimpy compared to the 275/55-17s that came on the later US W163s. Your new W164 has a base wheel size of 7.5Jx17H2 & 235/65 tires. To keep the same diameter in 255-17s you would need a 60 aspect ratio. 255/60-17s will work fine on a 7.5" rim and are available (in the US, at least) in the following tires: Continental 4x4 Contact, Dunlop Grantrek ST 8000, Pirellis Scoprion Zero, Continental CrossContaxt LX, Michelin Cross Terrain SUV & Pirelli Scorpion STR.

The best option is to see if the dealer will let you upgrade to the 18" wheels, which come with the 255/55 tires. There is not much compromise in ride quality.

 

[GregW / Oregon]

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[wannaln]

Me too was wondering why these "new" MLs have skinny tires!!!

My ML 430 MY2000 has 275/55-17 tires from factory. They look wide and aggressive while looking from the rear...

 

[Birger]

Hi,

Part of the problem is that the tires are skinny (if you can call a 235 skinny []), and another thing is that the offset of the wheels + the suspension design puts the wheels very "inboard".

In fact, even the 255/55-18 and 255/50-19 look "skinny", especially at the rear. MB must be aware of this, as they have recently added an EUR 460 option (on the Appearance/Sport package) that puts 9,5 J x 19 ET 56, 285/45 R 19, on the rear axle. Also the AMG 19" wheels have changed to this dimension as of this year.

This (apparently deliberate) MB policy is unfortunate, as even the glorious ML63AMG (which has quite nice 295/40-20 tires) has (IMHO) UGLY! plastic fender flares added, which to a great extent cancels out the effect of the wider tires.

OT: I passed a Volvo XC90 on the way to work this morning, and couldn't help noticing how much farther towards the outside the tires are on this vehicle - and an XC90 also has only 235 (or 255) tires.

Cheers,
Birger