Mercedes-Benz 260 E 124 1988 Owner's Manual page 79

Wheels, Tires
Replace wheels or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as
shown on the original part. See your
authorized MERCEDES-BENZ dealer
for further information.
Warning!
Do not mix different tire construc­
tion types (i.e. radial, bias, and
bias-belted) on your car because
handling may be adversely affected
and may result in loss of control.
See your authorized MERCEDES-
BENZ dealer for information on tested
and recommended wheels and tires
for summer and winter operation.
They can also offer more advice con­
cerning tire service and purchase.
Front tires should be replaced in sets.
If possible, the spare tire should be
used on the rear wheels. We recom­
mend that you break in new tires for
approx. km (60 miles) at mode­
1 0 0
rate speed.
It is imperative that the wheel mount­
ing bolts be retightened after approx.
800 km (500 miles).
On new vehicles retightening is car­
ried out during the 1st inspection. Re­
tightening is also necessary whenever
wheels are fitted, e.g. when the spare
wheel is used for the first time or when
a set of wheels with M + S tires is
installed.
Tightening torque: 110 Nm (80 Ib-ft).
For tire specifications, refer to "Tech­
nical Data" .
Rotating wheels:
The wheels can be rotated according
to the degree of tire wear while retain­
ing the same direction of travel. Rotat­
ing, however, should be carried out
before the characteristic tire wear pat­
tern (shoulder wear on front wheels
and tread center wear on rear wheels)
becomes visible at a mileage of
5 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 km (3 0 0 0 -6 0 0 0 miles)
as otherwise the driving properties
deteriorate.
Underinflated tires due to a slow leak
(e.g. due to a nail in the tire) may
cause damage such as tread separa­
tion, bulging, etc. Regular tire pres­
sure checks (including the spare tire)
at intervals of no more than 14 days
are therefore essential. Keep in mind
that warm tires have a higher pressure
than cold tires. (See tire pressure
chart on fuel filler door and the last
page.) If a tire constantly loses air, it
should be inspected for damage.
Use only genuine MERCEDES-BENZ
wheel bolts (identified by Mercedes
star).
Thoroughly clean the inner side of the
wheels any time you rotate the wheels
or wash vehicle underside.
Dented or bent rims cause tire pres­
sure loss and damage to the tire
beads. For this reason, check rims for
damage at regular intervals.
The rim flanges must be checked
for wear before a tire is mounted.
Remove burrs, if there are any.