Wheels, Tires, Changing Wheels - Mercedes-Benz 300 CD 1978 Owner's Manual

W heels, Tires
In case o f replacement we recom ­
mend you use tires o f identical
design, version and brand.
See any MERCEDES-BENZ service
station fo r inform ation on tested
and recommended wheels and tires
fo r summer and w inte r operation.
They w ill also offer more advice
concerning tire service and p u r­
chase.
M ount newly acquired single tires
on the fro n t axle. It is advisable to
break in new tires over a mileage of
approxim ately 60 miles (100 km)
at moderate speeds.
To prevent damage to the valves,
vehicles equipped w ith steel rims
m ust only be driven w ith the hub
caps installed.
For tire specification, refer to
"Technical Data".
Rotating wheels:
The wheels can be rotated accord­
ing to the degree of tire wear
w hile retaining the same sense o f
rotation. R otating, however, should
be carried o ut before the charac­
teristic tire wear pattern (shoulder
wear on fro n t wheels and tread
center wear on rear wheels) be­
comes visible at a mileage o f 3,000
— 6,000 miles (5,000 — 10,000 km)
as otherwise the driving properties
deteriorate.
Slow ly leaking air (e. g. due to a
nail in the tire) may cause damage
to the tire such as tread seperation
or breakage o f cleats. Regular
tire pressure checks at intervals
o f no more than 14 days are there­
fore essential. For the tire pressure
checks, keep in mind th a t hot tires
show higher pressure than cold
tires. See tire pressure chart on last
page.
W heels Tires C hanging W heels
Should the tire pressure decrease
constantly, check w hether foreign
objects have penetrated the tire
o r if rim or valve allow the air to
leak.
Caution: Use longer wheel bolts
fo r light alloy rims than those re­
quired fo r steel rims (see illustra­
tion on page 62).
Thoroughly clean the inner side of
the wheels any tim e you rotate the
wheels or wash vehicle underside.
Dented, bent or corroded rims
cause tire pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads. For this
reason, check rims fo r damage at
regular intervals. Derust steel rims
and spot paint, if required.
Check rim flanges o f light alloy
rims fo r wear prior to m ounting a
tire. If necessary, remove burrs.