[W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.

[Sharan Bains]

The rears wearing out quicker than the fronts is not related to power but 
due to the fact that the MB's are RWD.

It's physics essentially - the rear wheels will always be accelerating and 
hence always wearing out. The fronts are not - they are only suffering wear 
on turning. Even on the highway, at a constant speed of 50mph say, the rear 
wheels will ALWAYS be accelerating. Unless you are on a frictionless 
surface, in which case there will be no acceleration.

If fronts are wearing out quicker than rears on a RWD, then only two reasons 
for it :

(1) suspension/tracking is not right.

(2) Your journey to work is 80% turn-ins and corners.

The W126 requires 4-wheel alignment - i.e. the fronts need to be aligned 
with respect to the rears, since you cannot make any adjustments on the 
rears on a W126. But if trackings out you can have situations where your 
rear wheels are pointing straight ahead but your fronts are at a slight 
angle. So even when you're moving in a straight line, your fronts are 
essentially skidding along at an angle !

If when driving in a straight line you are still hacksawing away at the 
steering wheel, i.e. continuous input to the steering, then there is a 
problem with suspension / tracking.

talbir



>From: "Shayegan, Richard" <rishayegan at davidson.edu>
>Reply-To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
>To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
>Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
>Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 09:43:54 -0500
>
>Same, but I think it's because the us 380 is too weak to burn out those
>back tires but can get up to a high enough speed to do some cornering
>work. Now my dad's 540, that thing will wear out the back tires. I think
>the backs had 2/32 when we replaced them and the fronts had 4/32.
>Richard
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
>[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Chiappinelli, Joseph
>Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 8:49 AM
>To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
>Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
>
>Not suggesting there is no benefit, just questioning the cost/benefit
>relationship. By the way, for whatever reason, my front tires have
>always worn more rapidly than my rears on the four 126 models I've owned
>over many years.
>
>J.Chip
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
>[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]On Behalf Of Sharan Bains
>Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 8:24 AM
>To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
>Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
>
>
>
>The tool for those OZ wheels IS held by certain refurbishers. Tools
>required
>to open almost every other multi-piece wheel made by BBS, OZ and Ronal
>etc,
>ARE readily available, since they usually require 12-point sockets or
>12-point spline bits, which are available anywhere and everywhere.
>
>It's just these OZ 3-piece wheels that have a rare fastener head - but I
>
>managed to source the tool, so with a little effort, anyone else can
>too.
>
>My original statements still hold true, namely :
>
>1) components can be replaced or re-furbished on multi-piece wheels
>rather
>than having to dish the whole wheel
>2) higher quality AND lighter metal is used, meaning lower unsprung
>weight
>=> better handling
>3) they look miles better than a single piece wheel
>
>Fine, point 3 is subjective. But points 1 and 2 are fact. It's why all
>the
>tuners, AMG, Brabus, Kleeman fit multi-piece wheels to their products.
>It's
>why BBS, OZ Racing etc, the best wheel designers in the world invest so
>much
>money on developing multi-piece wheels.
>
>Aftermarket wheels are always heavier and lower in quality.
>
>To suggest there is no benefit to multi-piece wheels is about as true as
>
>suggesting front tyres wear out quicker than rear ones on a RWD car. It
>just
>doesn't stack-up.
>
>
>
>Talbir
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: "Chiappinelli, Joseph" <joseph.chiappinelli at mirant.com>
> >Reply-To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
> >To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
> >Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
> >Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 07:29:12 -0500
> >
> >Ah...the "benefits" of multi-piece wheels.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
> >[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]On Behalf Of Sharan Bains
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 4:09 AM
> >To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
> >Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
> >
> >
> >Hi Jack,
> >
> >The tools required to open the 3-piece OZ Racing AMG wheels are not for
>
> >sale
> >anywhere in the world.
> >
> >Only a few wheel refurbishers have the tools required. The attached
>image
> >shows the tools set that I have - I was lucky to get in touch with a
> >contact
> >on the inside to acquire these tools.
> >
> >The fastener heads are 8mm 10-point and the fastener nuts on the rear
>are
> >10mm 10-point.
> >
> >BTW, in a previous post you said the wheel shop had the wheels split -
>how
> >could this be possible if they do not have the tools to undo the
>fasteners
> >?
> >
> >Some cowboys grind out the original OZ fasteners and replace them
>standard
> >ones - beware ! The fasteners used by BBS and OZ are bespoke for
> >multi-piece
> >wheel usage - the fasteners have a tensile strength of 10.9, i.e. they
>can
> >withstand a force of 150,000 psi. Standard fasteners should not be used
>on
> >multi-piece wheels - only ever use the original fasteners. You can see
>the
> >numbers '10.9' engraved on each fastener head.
> >
> >You'll need to find a refurbisher who has the tools set for these
>fasteners
> >- someone who does AMG/Porsche wheels for a living. I don't think
>you're
> >going to find the tools anywhere.
> >
> >Talbir
> >
> >
> > >From: "Jack Emery" <jemery at wn.com.au>
> > >Reply-To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
> > >To: <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
> > >Subject: [W126 Coupe] Jack's wheel saga.
> > >Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 16:00:26 +0800
> > >
> > >When I went to collect my wheel I was told that the repairer had no
> >wrench
> > >to fit the little stud bolts around the rim.His whole business is
>wheels,
> > >but he said he had not seen these wheels before.
> > >The studbolts have 8 flutes in the head. Does anyone know where to
>get a
> > >wrench, please?
> > >      Jack OZ
> > >
> > >
> > >The MB Coupes Website!
> > >W126 SEC Mailing List
> > >Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
> >
> >The MB Coupes Website!
> >W126 SEC Mailing List
> >Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
>
>
>The MB Coupes Website!
>W126 SEC Mailing List
>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
>The MB Coupes Website!
>W126 SEC Mailing List
>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
>
>
>The MB Coupes Website!
>W126 SEC Mailing List
>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.