4200/GS alternative space saver from a Mercedes SL R230

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
The alternative space saver is from a Mercedes SL R230, part number A2304010602. I paid £100 delivered from German eBay and was an unused one as new.
This shares the identical space saver tyre as the Maserati OEM, being a deflated 185/60 17 with the same load rating. The alloy wheel is also the same size being 6x17, the difference being the Mercedes has a different bolt PCD and wheel offset.
It therefore fits in the boot, per the OEM, but requiring a humped boot floor, again per the OEM.
To get around the different bolt PCD the only safe way is via a bolted hub adapter, from the Maserati 108mm PCD and locating centre bore of 67.1mm, to the Mercedes 112mm PCD and locating centre bore of 66.6mm. Both use the same 60 degree taper seat M14x1.5 bolts.
There is nothing you can do about the offset. The difference between the Maserati and Mercedes, with the 20mm thick hub adapter, I estimate to be 40mm, so the Mercedes space saver when fitted is 40mm further out than the genuine OEM space saver. However per the pictures below, it appears that the space saver is flush with the bodywork when fitted, worst case on the front. I have not inflated the space saver, for I wished to keep to deflated as once inflated, it can be difficult to shrink back down in size!
The hub adapter fits very well, a snug fit to the car, and the space saver. In my case a very snug fit to the space saver, requiring a good tug to remove the space saver once it has been bolted up tight. Better that way than sloppy.
Unfortunately you need 4 different sockets to fit the space saver. A 22 to remove the original bolts, a 13 to remove the two disc locating screws, a 17 to fit the short head bolts, and finally a 19 to fit the nuts onto the studs. I could have selected to have tapped holes in the hub adapter, but I feel studs and nuts are a better solution and solves the problem of locating the space saver onto the hub and potential cross threading of threads in the aluminium.
The hub adapter was supplied by T T Tools Ltd http://www.tttoolsltd.co.uk/ who specialise in alloy wheel modifications, spacers, and hub adapters.
I bought a pair for £156 all in delivered, of course only needing one, selling the second onto a forum member.
The description per order was as follows:

20mm adapters type c-Maserati 5X108mm PCD centre bore of 67.1mm, to the Mercedes 5X112mm PCD centre bore of 66.6mm. 10X M14X1.5 NUTS INCLUDED / 10X M14X1.5 SHORT HEAD BOLTS INCLUDED

Of course it is up to the individual if they decide to copy my solution to the alternative of the OEM space saver that costs £££. It's not of course approved by anybody, and if copied, used at your own risk.

Oh, it only took me 10 minutes to jack up the car, fit the hub adapter, and then the wheel, taking pictures at the same time!

Hope this is helpful to others.
Cheers,
Mike
 

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VEDE

Junior Member
Messages
167
If you can use hub adapters for the spare wheel... has anyone tried to install a hub adapter that would allow fitment of GTS wheels to a 4200???

Luke
 

adam01

Member
Messages
1,079
If you can use hub adapters for the spare wheel... has anyone tried to install a hub adapter that would allow fitment of GTS wheels to a 4200???

Luke

Alvin (MMG) has fitted GTS wheels to his GS- dont know details but look good
 

VEDE

Junior Member
Messages
167
Thanks mate, just spoke to him. They are actually the 19in QP wheels... apparently there was a bit of machining work to get them to fit but the end result is great IMO
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Thanks mate, just spoke to him. They are actually the 19in QP wheels... apparently there was a bit of machining work to get them to fit but the end result is great IMO

I looked at the option of QP & GT wheels (normal wheels) and with the necessary hub adapters due to the different PCD and the off set of the QP wheels they would stick out too far....maybe he has shaved the actual wheels to bring them in closer? Not sure I would be happy doing that!
 

Woody

Member
Messages
2,802
Thanks mate, just spoke to him. They are actually the 19in QP wheels... apparently there was a bit of machining work to get them to fit but the end result is great IMO
O/T, would be interested to know the details of this. Is he on the forum?
 

adam01

Member
Messages
1,079
O/T, would be interested to know the details of this. Is he on the forum?

Woody, is an infrequent poster; cant remember his ID but posted this year or late last year some data and graphs regarding an ECU flash
 

Woody

Member
Messages
2,802
OK, cheers. Be interested in seeing pics of a 4200/GS with QP wheels on - you dont have any, do you?
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
My god they are huge!

Should have been Neptunes but hey go.

Can you get him to post the adapters spec or where he got them from?
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
My god they are huge!

Should have been Neptunes but hey go.

Can you get him to post the adapters spec or where he got them from?

Just had a look at the off sets, and it appears when I last looked it was a problem with GranTurismo wheels, not the Quattroporte wheels. The issue is the GranTurismo rear wheels with a much smaller off set than the front.
So using bolted hub adapters from T T Tools per my first post, and fitting Quattroporte wheels, would appear to be similar to fitting say 25mm thick spacers to the standard 4200/GS wheels. So all quite possible as proved above.
Shame about the GranTurismo wheels, I prefer them to the Quattroporte wheels.
Side note, yes you can also fit GranTurismo wheels to the Quattroporte, only because the reduced off set of the rear GranTurismo wheels are like putting wheel spaces on the standard Quattroporte rear wheels!
 

VEDE

Junior Member
Messages
167
My god they are huge!

Should have been Neptunes but hey go.

Can you get him to post the adapters spec or where he got them from?

Matt, he had a local shop in Melbourne modify the wheels themselves... not sure of all the details, but there are no adapter plates. Apparently becaue the QP wheels have a slightly wider offset, they sit flush with the wheelarch.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Matt, he had a local shop in Melbourne modify the wheels themselves... not sure of all the details, but there are no adapter plates. Apparently becaue the QP wheels have a slightly wider offset, they sit flush with the wheelarch.

Yes they do have a slightly wider off set, but only by 3mm on the front and 1.5mm on the rear, although the rim width is wider on the rear rims by an inch, and half on the front.
Would like to know how they shrunk the bolt PCD safely!
 

Chrisbassett

Member
Messages
3,909
Must get a firm ride with what looks like a ribbon of a tyre...you guys have nice pot-hole-free roads over there, right?