Interchanging the front and rear wheels of
differing dimensions can render the general
operating permit invalid.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
( Y page 324).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. Front tyres
typically wear more on the shoulders and the
rear tyres in the centre.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can interchange the wheels
every 5,000 to 10,000 km depending on the
degree of tyre wear. Ensure the direction of
rotation is maintained.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system or the tyre pressure monitor.
Direction of rotation
Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation.
Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tyres against oil, grease, petrol and diesel.
Cleaning the wheels
GWARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind-
ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam-
aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately.
Fitting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.XApply the electric parking brake manually
( Y page 163).XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.XVehicles with manual transmission:
fully depress the clutch pedal and engage
first or reverse gear.XVehicles with automatic transmission:
move the DIRECT SELECT lever to P.XSwitch off the engine.XRemove the key from the ignition lock.XIf a trailer is coupled to the vehicle, uncou-
ple it.XIf included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tyre-change tool kit from the
vehicle.XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, vehicles are not equipped with a tyre-
change tool kit. For information on which
tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Necessary wheel-changing tools can
include, for example:
R Jack
R Wheel chock
R Wheel wrench
Changing a wheel325Wheels and tyresZ
Securing the vehicle against rolling
away
If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tyre-change tool kit
( Y page 297).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
XFold both plates upwards :.XFold out lower plate ;.XGuide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =.
Securing the vehicle on level ground
XOn level ground: place chocks or other
suitable items under the front and rear of
the wheel that is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change.
Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
XOn light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle
GWARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack
must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
The following must be observed when
raising the vehicle:
R to raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If the jack is
used incorrectly, it could tip over while the
vehicle is raised.
R the jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle.
R avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and positioning wheel chocks. Never
release the parking brake while the vehicle
is raised.
326Changing a wheelWheels and tyres
