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Tires and Wheels for stock '88 560

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  RickM 
#1 ·
I've only had my 560 for a month. About the only thing it needs is the stock alloy wheels reconditioned and a new set of tires. I'm keeping the stock appearance and plan to keep the original look as much as possible.

Has anyone had their stock alloy wheels reconditioned? Any recommendations on a shop that does a quality job? Cost?

The current tires are Michelin MXV's with only about 10k on 'em. However, they appear to have started to break down with 3 out of the 4 showing sidewall cracking. (The car was driven only rarly over the last 3 years.) I'm looking to replace these with Bridgestone's Turanza LS-V (stock size). Anyone had any experience with this tire? Any other recommendations? (I'd like to stay with a "V"-rated tire.)

Thanks,
Rick
 
#4 ·
The wheels on my 560SL are really bad. I started a thread on a different forum and got the...

The wheels on my 560SL are really bad. I started a thread on a different forum and got the following:

DIY wheel re-painting
It is surprising what sort of job you can do at home yourself if you are prepared to make the effort. A few years ago I purchased a set of 7" x 15" late 107/126 wheels to fit to my 350SLC. Not being overly impressed with the condition of the painted finish, I decided to have a go myself. After thoroughly cleaning them (time consuming), I gave them a few coats from pressure pack spray cans called "Silver Wheels" in a brand sold here called "Power Plus". I followed this with a couple of coats of clear also from a pressure pack. The results were very satisfactory and matched the original finish well (the plastic centre caps still have the original finish). The real effort goes into carefully filing any minor kerb damage and thoroughly cleaning away all baked-on brake dust and tar spots. After that I simply paint them without bead blasting or sanding. In your case if the alloy (yes, it is mainly aluminium) really is corroded rather than just the paint deteriorating you may need to lightly sand before painting. I figure there is nothing to lose other than the cost of some spray cans and some time by having a go yourself. If the results are unsatisfactory then get them professionally re-finished.

Since then I have done two more sets. Last year I did the Sportline wheels I fitted to our 300TE which subsequently won its class at concours. Just recently I have done the wheels on my recently purchased 190E 2.3 Sportline. It was a tidy car but the appearance was let down by the wheels. This set I actually painted with the tyres still fitted to the wheels. I made up a shallow cone-shaped mask to prevent paint getting on the tyres. They now look like new. In fact, while visiting a MB dealership recently, comments were made about the excellent condition of the wheels. There were surprised looks when I mentioned that I had achieved that finish from spray cans.

To date the finish has stood up well without any sign of not lasting. Unfortunately, only six weeks after the concours my wife "kerbed" one of the wheels on the 300TE. She was not very popular when finally after two days finding the courage to even tell me what she had done. Thankfully, I had not spent a fortune having the wheels done professionally, it was only my time.


__________________
Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Club (NSW) Inc.


I started to sand one of these wheels - not an easy task. Then try the paint. Can always start over. If i screw it up, it will become the spare.

Hope I'm not breaking any protocal here by transfering from a different forum!
 
#5 ·
I found a wheel refinisher.

After some Internet and Yellow Pages searching, I came across the Keystone Automotive Web site. www.keystone-auto.com They have a wheel refinishing service that allows you to have your alloy wheels reconditioned OR you can trade 'em in on some in their inventory for a quicker turn-around. Cost (either way) is about $125 per wheel. Yes, I know it's expensive (I could buy a brand new set of aftermarket wheels for the same price.) However, I get to keep my original wheels (which will look just like new) AND the service comes with a lifetime guarantee. They even repair light damage and insure roundness and true running. Check the web site for the location nearest you. Fortunately, I had a site within 40 miles of my location.

On the tires, I went ahead and ordered the Bridgestone's. They should be in at the same time the wheels get back.
[:)]
 
#6 ·
Wheels and Tires are On

Well, the wheels are back from the shop and they look TERRIFIC!!! Absolutely spotless and factory-fresh!! You couldn't tell the difference if you went down to your local M-B dealer and bought 'em! Yep...they were worth the cost.

I mounted the new Bridgestone Turanza LS-V's (stock size: 205/65-15) and they look great, too. Took her for a spin and she felt like a totally new car. We'll see how the tires do over the long term but, for right now, everything's fine!


[:D]
 
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