Standard wheel lug bolts on 1970 280SL

[CromeYellow]

Are they M12 x 1.5 ?

Standard factory wheels.

What if the rotors have been changed, will the bolts then be different?

To what torque should they be tightened on standard factory steel wheels?

[Duncan200]

Yes they are M12 x 1.5

Tightening torque is 100Nm

The bolts that attach the rotor to the hub are seperate to wheel bolts. They are hex head bolts from the inside of the rotor. These bolts are torqued to 130Nm

The rotors are not floating like they are on most modern cars.

[WRe]

Hi,
please note that the bolts for steel and aluminum rims have different lengths:
- Steel rim = L=21.0mm with indentation in the screw head
- Aluminum rim = L=29.5mm with crowned screw head
...WRe

[MikeSimon]

This tag refers to the aluminum "steelies" (or whatever they are called) not for the Fuchs alloys!

[WRe]

This is a bolt of my Fuchs alloys.

[CromeYellow]

How do you know if or when it is time to replace the original steel wheels?  Do they wear out over time or become "fatigued"?

What about the bolts?

[DaveB]

I'm sure steel wheels won't wear out or fatigue in normal service, or even rust significantly. If the bolts haven't been tightened adequately the holes can get chewed out. That would be terminal.
I once tested a set of five 250SE steel wheels on a piece of glass and they weren't all absolutely flat but didn't vary by more than 1-2 mm. They were 1084000002 wheels like yours. I haven't examined my original 113 wheels.

[ja17]

Mike, I believe the tag does refer to the Fuchs alloy lug bolts? Installing lug bolts which are too long can cause real issues with the back wheels, since the longer bolts contact the emergency brake assemblies in the rear axle.

[Cees Klumper]

With normal use and paint / coating protection I would guess the wheels and bolts last 'forever' (couple hundred years at least?). I worry more about the springs wearing out.

[lagolag]

The bolts are the same, I needed to add a missing bolt to my car and tried the once I had saved from when I had a MB 190E -89, and it fitted and looked the same.

[MikeSimon]

Mike, I believe the tag does refer to the Fuchs alloy lug bolts? Installing lug bolts which are too long can cause real issues with the back wheels, since the longer bolts contact the emergency brake assemblies in the rear axle.

Joe: I can not really read all the stuff on the tag, but I see "Leichtmetall Scheibenräder". The term "Scheibenrad" refers to a stamped sheet metal wheel, not a forged or cast alloy.

[dirkbalter]

I would translate "Leichtmetall Scheibenräder" into "light alloy (usually aluminum) disk (round) wheel". Not really sheet metal. Sheet metal imo indicates (carbon) steel.

[MikeSimon]

Dirk: Aluminum qualifies as a metal.  However you want to exactly translate it. English is a very wishy-washy language and not very precise. A "Scheibenrad" is not a cast or forged wheel.

[dirkbalter]

Mike, not that it really matters but my thought is "Scheibenrad" versus "Speichenrad", disk wheel  vers, wire (spoke) wheel.

[ja17]

I believe the stamped aluminum wheels were only available long after the pagoda went out of production. With this in mind, the tag could only be relevant to the Fuchs alloys? What is the printing date on that tag? It seams all the confusion might just be a bad translation issue?

[benjamingr1]

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, but I have a question regarding 'standard wheels' on a 280SL (1969). Are these 6J 14 H2? In other words, the same as the wheels from W111? (the idea behind it is to switch from alloy to metal wheels).
Thank you for your help,
Ben

[ja17]

A lot of the early W111 wheels were 13". Sometime in 1967 most Mercedes switched to 14" wheels. The first series steel wheels for the 230SL were  14" streel, 113 400 00 06, and 113 400 03 06. Your 280SL steel wheels would have used full wheel covers. Several different 14" steel wheels from MB models of that era will work, as they all used the full wheel covers. Look for 108 400 03 02 or 108 400 00 02. I believe only the later versions of the W111 coupes and cabs used a 14" wheel. 14" steel wheels off V-8 sedans of the era can be used also, since they used the same full wheel covers. These wheels are 1/2" wider and some have cooling fins built into the inside of the wheels to circulate more air. The later factory workshop manual has good descriptions, photos and part numbers for all of them.

[rwmastel]

Ben,

Welcome to the Group!  Here's a thread where you can introduce yourself & your car:  https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=529.0

Just curious, why switch away from alloy wheels?  That is what most people want to get.

[dirkbalter]

Ben,
Welcome to the group.
take a look here:
 https://www.sl113.org/wiki/WheelsTires/Rims
(I also like the appearance of the steel wheels with caps better.)

[rwmastel]

Dirk,

Ben can access the Wiki once he upgrades to Full Member.

[MikeSimon]

I believe the stamped aluminum wheels were only available long after the pagoda went out of production. With this in mind, the tag could only be relevant to the Fuchs alloys? What is the printing date on that tag? It seams all the confusion might just be a bad translation issue?

Joe, there does not seem to be a print date on the tag, however, in the description it refers to wheels of the 2nd generation contour from 9 (Sep) 1971 on. Which means the tag dates to AFTER W113 production.