[Hondagal]

Saskatchewan Canada.. October is usually the start of winter. I am a big believer in winter tires. I have the 4matic sport package with 19inch AMG rims. It took a month but I finally found a decent set of rims.

I went with 18 inch rims. Touren18 inch painted silver. TOUREN - WHEELS - Products The style is TR9

I went with Goodyear ultagrip GW3. Look great and I am quite pleased. Said and done the cost for everything was $2150 can tax incl. require new lug nuts, hub spacers.

but.. I have a vibration at higher speeds. Fountain Tire has balanced the wheels 3 x so far and no luck. I have asked for 4 new tires. My suspicion is the balancing machine is not working. Hope to get this corrected, however from a look perspective I like it.

 

[turbolink]

Hope to get this corrected, however from a look perspective I like it.

Do you have before and after photos? Hope you get it resolved, that's an unneeded frustration.

 

[Hondagal]

I will take pics. Wheels have been on for 6 days. I have not had time yet. I spent 3 hrs at the tire shop today. Balanced twice today. Very frustrated. Next Saturday we will give it a go again. I believe it is the shops equipment or staff

 

[k2jer]

I will take pics. Wheels have been on for 6 days. I have not had time yet. I spent 3 hrs at the tire shop today. Balanced twice today. Very frustrated. Next Saturday we will give it a go again. I believe it is the shops equipment or staff

Are they balancing them by the hub or bolt holes? With that brand of rims you have to balance bolt centric or will have vibration issues.

 

[Hondagal]

Are they balancing them by the hub or bolt holes? With that brand of rims you have to balance bolt centric or will have vibration issues.

Thank you for this info. I have no idea how they are balancing them. Appears not the correct way after three times. ?

 

[AMGz]

What's the difference by hub and by bolt holes?

Seems like by the hub, balancing would be most efficient for finding where to add weights.

 

[ccatx]

What's the difference by hub and by bolt holes?

Seems like by the hub, balancing would be most efficient for finding where to add weights.

Rather than type it all out myself, here's a lazy reply…

Lug vs Hub centric balancing - Car Forums and Automotive Chat

 

[Hondagal]

Side view of the new winter rims.

 

[cute-ute]

Nice! Did the tire shop manage to balance them correctly?

 

[Hondagal]

no solution yet. They are ordering me metal rings instead of plastic. Fountain Tire does not seem to have the adapter needed for the balance machine. They feel metal spacers is the solution. I am frustrated, but I do need them to exhaust all avenues I guess.

 

[gcurnew]

LOL. It's a small world, Hondagal. Still have tour S2K?
I sold my second one (an AP2) in 2012.

I had a balance problem once due to the centering rings...the ones the wheel vendor shipped they were the wrong size for my bore.

 

[Hondagal]

LOL. It's a small world, Hondagal. Still have tour S2K?
I sold my second one (an AP2) in 2012.

I had a balance problem once due to the centering rings...the ones the wheel vendor shipped they were the wrong size for my bore.

Small world indeed. I do still have my s2000. 13,000km. Hehe. Bought the GLA this past February. I have not been on s2ki.com for a long time.

 

[m-type]

wow 13,000km is like mint. ap1 or 2? small world indeed lol

 

[gcurnew]

I was planning to get a set of aftermarket 18" wheels for the GLA and keep the 19" AMGs for summer...but couldn't get my preferred winter tire (Pirelli Sottozero 3) in the correct 18" size anywhere in Canada or the U.S. After looking at brick-and-mortar stores and online for a few weeks, only 1010Tire in Canada had the correct OEM 19" size for the AMG wheels, so ordered up a set. (The GLA tires are in the foreground; the tires at the back are the same Sottozero 3s for my son's 370z).

The Sottozero 3s get great reviews, and while not the most aggressive winter tire in terms of deep snow and ice performance, where I live the roads are dry 85% of the time in the winter. The dry road winter performance of the Sottozero 3s should make the GLA at least as composed and fun to drive as the OEM all-seasons. I've had a set of the Sottozero 2s on one of our Porsches, and after three winters the tread depth is still 6/32 all around...hopefully the 3s wear as well. With 4MATIC, the GLA should be pretty much unstoppable wearing these boots, and still be tossable when the roads are free of snow and ice.

 

[cute-ute]

They look the same. Is your set Pirelli Sottozero?

 

[Tailwagger]

I was planning to get a set of aftermarket 18" wheels for the GLA and keep the 19" AMGs for summer...but couldn't get my preferred winter tire (Pirelli Sottozero 3) in the correct 18" size anywhere in Canada or the U.S.

I suppose it depends on what you consider to be the correct size. I just bought a set of 18" BBS SRs with sotto 3s. 235/50s as opposed to the suggested 215/55s.

 

[fatalus]

Have you installed them? Would appreciate photos as I have the same rims but not installed yet!

 

[scorcherjf]

Hi there. GLA250 owner from Toronto with the 19" wheels (Sport package). I'm thinking about getting a very similar winter setup but I had a few questions as I'm new to the brand. Do we need TPMS or does the Canadian spec GLA250 use ABS to check pressures rather than a dedicated sensor on each wheel? Also, do you need new lug bolts if you go with aftermarket wheels or can you simply reuse the stock bolts with the new wheels? Lastly... would 17" wheels fit?

 

[gcurnew]

Hi there. GLA250 owner from Toronto with the 19" wheels (Sport package). I'm thinking about getting a very similar winter setup but I had a few questions as I'm new to the brand. Do we need TPMS or does the Canadian spec GLA250 use ABS to check pressures rather than a dedicated sensor on each wheel? Also, do you need new lug bolts if you go with aftermarket wheels or can you simply reuse the stock bolts with the new wheels? Lastly... would 17" wheels fit?

No TPMS on 2015 Canadian GLA...whether wheel nuts would fit on aftermarket wheels depends on the wheels; if they are AMG reps, for example, the MB nuts might work. Mercedes cataloque has 6.5 J x 17 ET 38 wheels, so 17's at or VERY close to that offset would work.

 

[scorcherjf]

No TPMS on 2015 Canadian GLA...whether wheel nuts would fit on aftermarket wheels depends on the wheels; if they are AMG reps, for example, the MB nuts might work. Mercedes cataloque has 6.5 J x 17 ET 38 wheels, so 17's at or VERY close to that offset would work.

Thanks for the info. I ended up going with 18" winter wheels with Blizzak WS80's. Went with the DAI ART R20 18x8 ET45 wheels with 235/50-18 tires. Since they were replicas, I could re-use the OEM lug bolts (conical seat). Also, didn't get any tire pressure monitors and it was fine as you said since the Canadian GLA uses the ABS system to monitor pressures.