guide tool

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sean sherry

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it used to be that a guide Tool to locate the wheel when changing a Wheel was in the Tool Kit. Not with our C Class 204 ( 2010 ) With two damaged tires lately it is very difficult to mount the wheel without a 14 mm guide pin. The lip to centre the wheel is very shallow. Guide Pins from Amazon are $8.50 plus $42 freight !
They are all made in Tiawan, but ex USA. Not even Hong Kong, where a lot of Bits are Postage free?
I can't even get a 14 mm bolt to cut the head off to make one. At hardware stores or Builders Suppliers sizes jump from 12mm to 16mm , nothing in between.
Happy to buy one if anyone has a spare laying around.
 

abl567

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Try Nepean Fastners in Seven Hills for the 14mm bolt
 
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sean sherry

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12mm bolts at the Hardware stores were one size down. Just measured the OD of a wheel bolt ..14mm.

I cut the head off a spare bolt and cut a screwdriver slot to remove it. Pretty short I will admit , but it will be much better than nothing till I get a proper guide bolt made up.
Severn Hills tomorrow, but I'll call first to confirm that they are open.
I was surprised to see that the wheel bolts are not treated steel, just soft metal. But could be that I use tempered steel hacksaw blades ?????
 

Styria

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God only knows what you used, Sean - anyway, I got one of them things but you can't have it ! :D:D. You could use a longish, thickish Phillips Head Screwie for starters. You should try lifting those heavy Taiwanese made Speedy (brand) wheels into place on Gleaming Beauty - I was exploding everywhere - even the dog took off with a yelp. Regards. Styria
 
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sean sherry

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Yet again in another life, Styria, I worked on Ford Trucks with dual Rear Wheels
To lift them back on we used two large flat levers and a big heave Ho. I was full of youth full energy back then. When i get the guide pins sorted ( Two Of ) I will carry a couple of levers as well.
 
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sean sherry

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Mission accomplished......
Two Hi Tensile 14mm bolts with the heads cut off and a length of flat iron to lift the wheel. Guide bolts at 2 and 10 o'clock. Q.E.D.
Little Wifey asks what don't Mercedes supply these ?
Costs too much, says the cost Accountant... he is still there.
 

c107

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Do mercedes even supply a full size spare anymore? was looking at a new model C class the other day and don't recall seeing one.

I really hate those tyre repair kits. I had one on a rental while in Europe. of course you never get a flat during working hours, and trying to find a place to get a tyre on a Sunday morning that was hertz approved pretty much wasted a day of our holiday. had there been a spare we could have whipped it on and had it repaired on the Monday.
 

Styria

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Do mercedes even supply a full size spare anymore? was looking at a new model C class the other day and don't recall seeing one.

I really hate those tyre repair kits. I had one on a rental while in Europe. of course you never get a flat during working hours, and trying to find a place to get a tyre on a Sunday morning that was hertz approved pretty much wasted a day of our holiday. had there been a spare we could have whipped it on and had it repaired on the Monday.

It really does make you wonder. If you take a Ch.116, not R107 of course, you have the usual compartment for the spare. Say if that area was reduced in size to just accommodate a get you home spare, the space saved could it ever be put to any good use ? I doubt it. So really, what is the purpose of a space saver ? Got me beat. Regards Styria

N.B> Something else - how often does one use their back seat or carries passengers ? Mercedes have stats that indicate 5% usage of the back seat - so, do we need one or could we just have additional luggage space -- again, it's got me beat. Regards Styuria
 

abl567

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Weight reduction is the reason for the space saver spare or elimination of a spare altogether, less weight = lower fuel/energy consumption = lower emissions, which of course results in unchanged global temps for the last 18 years, see, Daimler have single handedly defeated global warming:D
 

BenzBoy

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Hmmm - the CLK has a full sized spare (although the wheels are different sizes front to rear) but the ML has a space saver - total useless little thing that compromises handling in a very big way. The full size wheel from the ML will not fit in the space saver holder underneath the vehicle, so if you have a full load of passengers and a full boot of luggage you have nowhere to put the flat tyre and must leave it beside the road.
Won't someone talk some sense into manufacturers who supply space savers and run flat tyres in this country?
Regards,
Brian
 

c107

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Hmmm - the CLK has a full sized spare (although the wheels are different sizes front to rear) but the ML has a space saver - total useless little thing that compromises handling in a very big way. The full size wheel from the ML will not fit in the space saver holder underneath the vehicle, so if you have a full load of passengers and a full boot of luggage you have nowhere to put the flat tyre and must leave it beside the road.
Won't someone talk some sense into manufacturers who supply space savers and run flat tyres in this country?
Regards,
Brian

That's hardly the rugged offroad image mercedes would want to portray! One minor rock and the shiny ML is like a beached whale!
 

BenzBoy

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That's hardly the rugged offroad image mercedes would want to portray! One minor rock and the shiny ML is like a beached whale!
Well actually, one nail on Pennant Hills Rd was enough to do that! When I travel into the country I always take a full sized spare in the boot - imagine trying to get home from Orange or elsewhere with a load of dogs and a space-saver.... Karl Benz would roll in his grave if he knew how silly the whole thing is.
Regards,
Brian
Ps: Mr Fast and Furious has a full sized spare. Sensible chappies those French!
 

Michel

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Testing the new C63S and I must have hit a stone on the M5, which resulted in the wall of the tyre shearing and a deflation seen on the dash via the tyre pressure window.
I pulled up in the first breakdown bay and attempted to get the spare out to replace the flat tyre I had.
What spare? A can of tyre repair stuff was all I found.
After a few calls to MB PR office in Melbourne, I was advised that a tow truck was on its way!

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NOT HAPPY JAN...
 
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sean sherry

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Welcome to the Club Michael!
Both my flat tires recently were the result of side wall damage. It does not take much , what is going on with these modern tires? They are not cheap to replace.
May be like the City Race Horse which breaks it's fetlock in the first 100 metres at a Country Track.
 

BenzBoy

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Gentlemen, gentlemen - all the more reason to buy a REAL CAR! Hyundai has a full sized spare!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page - http://www.hyundai.com.au/cars/suvs/santa-fe/specifications
It's sad really that a company of such renown as Benz simply can't get it right when it comes to looking after customers' needs in Australia. A can of goo for a damaged sidewall? Imagine you were driving to Melbourne and this happened .....
Regards,
Brian
 
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sean sherry

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In the scheme of things, does a small Market like Australia have much clout?
I guess when Benz look at their customer Base here they see mostly City dwellers, who fly when going out of Town. Just number crunching I guess.
A space saver wheel would be at least better than nothing. I would buy something from a Wrecker and make room for it. Waiting for Roadside assistance ( if your Mobile has any reception) on a Sunday night in the poring Rain steers me to a Hyundia
 

260ebenz

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Sorry to hear about the C-Class breaking down Michel very frustrating!
:mad: :rolleyes:

Once you back out on the road can you provide a review of the car?

Cheers.
 

WGB

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I am sure the guide tool can be purchased at your local M-B agent for a small sum.
Most new M-B's do not have a spare at all and M-L's come with a spacesaver.
My W222 S350 S class has an oval hole in the boot floor with a large battery bolted to it's centre.
As I have now delaminated two 20 inch run flat tyres cruising long distances at 110 km/hr I now carry a spare in a canvas holder in the boot.
The genuine s-class spare is magnesium and carries a price tag of $5000 but this could be reduced to $2500 with haggling apparently.
The agents supplied me with - spacesaver wheel from an ML, spacesaver tyre from VW Tourag, Tool kit with jack and wheel brace (and the original guide tool), canvas storage bag - total $950.
Got me home from 200 k north of Perth when my second tyre delaminated a long way from home.
I have changed the brand of tyres and will be more careful with checking tyre pressures.
Bill
 

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