This Brabus 15" and 17" thing...

[VinceLA]

Yes, we are on the list. Yes, we are getting it (DDE April 2009). Yes, we saw it at the LA autoshow. In fact, the one at the show is what we configured exactly.

But truth be told...the wheel sizes bug us. It's just aesthetically horrifying, especially so on a micro car. Even my wife thinks so. In fact she suggested this: get the 15"s from another Brabus owner.

So there. We want 15" Brabus all corners. Those waiting for a Brabus, who's up for a swap + cash? We want your 15"s, you get our 17"s + cash of course.

Just throwing an idea out there....

[Old Panda]

And WHY pray tell does this 15"/17" thing 'horrify' you?

[4GAZM]

acually the 15s are a different width and may have a different offset so the swap may not work, i have herd people say when thin tires are fitted to the rear the car is unstable, your better off going with the 17 thicker tires ratehr than the 15 thinner tires,

just a thought

[Old Panda]

Originally Posted by 4GAZM

acually the 15s are a different width and may have a different offset so the swap may not work, i have herd people say when thin tires are fitted to the rear the car is unstable, your better off going with the 17 thicker tires ratehr than the 15 thinner tires,

just a thought

First, not sure what you're talking about when you say 'thinner' and 'thicker' tires. Are you talking about the tread and/or section width OR are you talking about the distance from wheel to pavement? BIG difference.

Second, sorry but I'm not buying having 17"s on the rear make it unstable. The smart/Mercedes/Brabus engineers are much more intelligent than probably anyone here on scoa (sorry other members). I'm sure they've tested it with this wheel/tire combo and have found it to be safe. The Brabus suspension has been 'tuned' to this wheel/tire combo and any changes to it (such as going with 15" on the rear) will more than likely make it unsafe.

[mdfortwoguy]

The few original 450s that were released, and subsequently recalled, had the same size tires front and rear. They failed the "moose test" because they allowed the car to become unstable and flip.

smart switched to staggered width tires to ensure that the fortwo will always understeer if pushed to the limit. Putting the same size tires front and rear will potentially help with grip (if you put wider tires on the front, that is), but at the expense of safety and handling dynamics at the limit.

Also remember that ESP is calibrated for the staggered size tires that come on the vehicle in these cases. A 2" difference will most likely be enough to make it activate when not needed, or potentially not activate when needed.

[2smartArizona]

It is the offset that is going to mess you up on that swap.

[Old Panda]

Originally Posted by mdfortwoguy

Also remember that ESP is calibrated for the staggered size tires that come on the vehicle in these cases. A 2" difference will most likely be enough to make it activate when not needed, or potentially not activate when needed.

I would think that the overall diameter of the tire would effect the ESP, not the wheel diameter. Just because the rear uses 17" wheels doesn't mean the tire diameter is necessarily 2" taller than a 15" wheel. Wheels are wheels and tires are tires.

[4GAZM]

howdy what i was saying was the width the 15 are very narrow and the 17s are wuch wider like 7 inches wide or so not sure of exzact measurments

what i was saying is the narrow tires in the rear makes the car unstable. i read that a guy used the the same width tires that are on the front of the car on the rear when going to snow tires and he said the car bacame squirlly so he went back to the staggered sizeing

thats all

so i was just saying that if he goes with the same front 15inch front narrow tires their like 4 or 5 inches wide on the rear witch has like 6 or 7 inch wide tires hes going to loose handeling and also the offset is also going to get screwy so i was just saying he may be better off going 17 all the way around witch many have done and say it helps handaling alot going with wider tires on the front ofcourse


oops one more thing you missunderstood me when i said thinner tires, i meant narrower tires the front of the smart have narrower tires and the rears are wider tires
sorry bout the trouble

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by VinceLA

Yes, we are on the list. Yes, we are getting it (DDE April 2009). Yes, we saw it at the LA autoshow. In fact, the one at the show is what we configured exactly.

But truth be told...the wheel sizes bug us. It's just aesthetically horrifying, especially so on a micro car. Even my wife thinks so. In fact she suggested this: get the 15"s from another Brabus owner.

So there. We want 15" Brabus all corners. Those waiting for a Brabus, who's up for a swap + cash? We want your 15"s, you get our 17"s + cash of course.

Just throwing an idea out there....

This might work out. I want to run 17's all around. More research needs to be done to make sure offsets work for both parties. I'm not too concerned with tire sizes. That can always be changed.

As long as rim width and offsets work, I'm up for the trade. I'm up in Norcal. I still don't have a DDE for my Brabus

If we can't get a definite answer on fitment from other owners or the dealer, perhaps the 1st person to receive their Brabus can swap fronts to rears to check fitment.

[mdfortwoguy]

Originally Posted by Big Panda

I would think that the overall diameter of the tire would effect the ESP, not the wheel diameter. Just because the rear uses 17" wheels doesn't mean the tire diameter is necessarily 2" taller than a 15" wheel. Wheels are wheels and tires are tires.

Exactly - however, - has anyone seen the posted sizes for the tires on the brabus yet?

I was working more from the angle of the car potentially being sized slightly differently (so as to not have significantly more front sidewall than rear).