Mercedes-Benz 300 SD-TURBO DIESEL 1983, Owner'S Manual

Page: 67 / 97

Wheels Tires Changing Wheels
Wheels, Tires
In case of replacement we recom­
mend you use tires and rims of
identical design, version and brand.
See any MERCEDES-BENZ service
station for information on tested and
recommended wheels and tires for
summer and winter operation. They
will also offer more advice concerning
tire service and purchase.
Mount single newly acquired tires on
the front wheels. If any tires are
replaced and the spare tire is new and
of the same make and version, mount
the spare wheel on the vehicle as
road wheel. We recommend that you
break in new tires for approx. 100 km/
60 miles at moderate speed.
On new rims, it is imperative that the
wheel securing bolts be retightened
after approx. 800 km/500 miles. On
new vehicles retightening is carried
out in the course of the 1 st inspec­
tion. 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 according
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 proper­
ties 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
pressure 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.