Wheels, Tires, Changing Wheels; Wheels Tires - Mercedes-Benz 1985 380SE Owner's Manual

Wheels Tires Changing Wheels
Wheels, Tires
Replace wheels or tires with the
same designation, manufacturer and
type as shown on the original part.
See any authorized MERCEDES-
BENZ dealer for information on
tested and recommended wheels
and tires for summer and winter
operation. They can also offer more
advice concerning tire service and
purchase.
Front tires should be replaced in
sets. If possible, the spare tire
should be used on the rear wheels.
We recommend that you break in
100
new tires for approx. km/
60 miles at moderate speed.
After a wheel change, it is imperative
that the wheel mounting bolts be
retightened after approx. 800 km/
500 miles. On new vehicles retigh­
tening is carried out in the course of
the 1st inspection. Retightening is
also necessary when new wheels
are fitted at a later date, e.g. when
the spare wheel is used for the first
time or when a new set of wheels
with M + S tires is fitted.
For tire specifications, refer to
"Technical Data".
Rotating wheels:
The wheels can be rotated accord­
ing to the degree of tire wear while
retaining the same sense of rotation.
Rotating, however, should be carried
out before the characteristic tire
wear pattern (shoulder wear on front
wheels and tread center wear on
rear wheels) becomes visible at a
mileage of 5000 — 10 000 km/
3000 — 6000 miles as otherwise the
driving properties deteriorate.
Slowly leaking air (e.g. due to a nail
in the tire) may cause damage to the
tire such as tread separation.
Regular tire pressure checks at
intervals of no more than 14 days
are therefore essential. For the tire
pressure checks, keep in mind that
hot tires show higher pressure than
cold tires. See tire pressure chart on
last page.
Should the tire pressure decrease
constantly, check whether foreign
objects have penetrated the tire or if
rim or valve allow the air to leak.
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.