[R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 55, Issue 4

[rtorchia at aol.com]

Thanks for all the info and ideas on tire pressure. I will stick to 
what I have, more or less. For the record, I use the standard factory 
wheels, I believe made by Ronal. Regards to all, rt





-----Original Message-----
From: r129list-request at mbcoupes.com
To: r129list at mbcoupes.com
Sent: Thu, Jul 16, 2009 12:15 pm
Subject: R129LIST Digest, Vol 55, Issue 4



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Today's Topics:

   1. sl500 proper tire pressure (rtorchia at aol.com)
   2. Re: sl500 proper tire pressure (Markus Meyer)
   3. Re: sl500 proper tire pressure (Jonathan Hodgman)
   4. Re: sl500 proper tire pressure (Rob Vonderhaar)
   5. Re: sl500 proper tire pressure (Jan Kuylaars)
   6. Re: sl500 proper tire pressure (Peter S)
   7. A/C Blower (John Brown)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:43:29 -0400
From: rtorchia at aol.com
Subject: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: r129list at mbcoupes.com
Message-ID: <8CBD38AE5F67875-1114-8CE at MBLK-M14.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about
tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated
that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 PSI
is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and
recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter
for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic
recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my opinion.
I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and would like
to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt


Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:00:43 -0400
From: Markus Meyer <markusfmeyer at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <SNT121-W316925B228B5A102FD4C9EDC200 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"


Are you running stock wheels/tires on your car or larger?  I run larger 
on my
126 (18's) with Z rated tires and do about 30-35 front, 35-40 rear.

Markus


> To: r129list at mbcoupes.com

> Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:43:29 -0400

> From: rtorchia at aol.com

> Subject: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure

>

> I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about

> tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated

> that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 

PSI

> is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and

> recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter

> for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic

> recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my 

opinion.

> I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and would 

like

> to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt

>

>

> Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.

> The MB Coupes Website!

> R129 SL Mailing List


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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:52:32 -0400
From: Jonathan Hodgman <blueridgemb at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: SL Mailing List <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <4A5E1760.2070407 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I run 36-38 psi in mine w/ 18' Aero II's on PS2's.  Smooth as Glass and
grip Almost like an R spec;-)

Jonathan



rtorchia at aol.com wrote:

> I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about

> tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated

> that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 

PSI

> is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and

> recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter

> for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic

> recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my

> opinion. I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and

> would like to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt

>

>

> Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.

> The MB Coupes Website!

> R129 SL Mailing List

>



--
Blue Ridge Mercedes/AMG East
www.blueridgemb.com
Offering Enthusiast Service, Restoration and Tuning.
96 S600 Euro
91 560SEC ECE (for sale)
91 560 SEC Undergoing TT/GT28 conversion
88 300E AMG
89 190E 2.6 5sp (Mosselman TT waiting..)
89 300TE
88 560SEC AMG Euro ECE (parts)
89 560SEC AMG solid lifter 7K RPM Conv.
87 Hammer 6.0L 32V
86 560SEL AMG 6.0L 32V



------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:23:10 -0400
From: Rob Vonderhaar <rob at robvonder.com>
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: SL Mailing List <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID:
     
<2DE8297FCF695442ADD3AC01CFE61158210A806AD2 at VMBX103.ihostexchange.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I'm running 32 psi front and 36 psi rear (cold) on my 2005 SL500 with 
the AMG
Sport package.  Watching the tire pressure monitors while driving, this 
climbs
to about 35 & 39.  I also have a 1995 SL500 with similar 18" AMG wheels 
set at
those same pressures.

Seems like a good compromise on both cars in terms of giving decent 
handling
without feeling every imperfection in the road.  Anything higher just 
gets so
rough that it's not fun to drive.  I agree with your mechanic that 28 
psi in
front is too low.

     Rob
_________________________
Sent from my Omnia Windows? phone.

-----Original Message-----
From: rtorchia at aol.com <rtorchia at aol.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 1:48 PM
To: r129list at mbcoupes.com <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Subject: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure


I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about
tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated
that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 PSI
is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and
recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter
for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic
recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my opinion.
I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and would like
to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt


Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.
The MB Coupes Website!
R129 SL Mailing List


------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:15:39 +0200
From: "Jan Kuylaars" <J.kuylaars at kpnplanet.nl>
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: "'SL Mailing List'" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <089440D90C654829BE6F616EE4FFD60A at medion1>
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="us-ascii"

It is indeed not fine to drive with higher pressure, but I have ruined 4
new tires last year because I had them to flat.
All tires become little cracks on the inner side of the tire, so you
even cannot see it.
*In Holland they have a lot off speed limit bulbs who are just touching
the inner side of the tire.
It is even dangerous, now I have no problems with 2.8 bar rear and 2.5
in front.
Flying Dutchmen.


-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com
[mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] Namens rtorchia at aol.com
Verzonden: woensdag 15 juli 2009 19:43
Aan: r129list at mbcoupes.com
Onderwerp: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure


I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about
tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated
that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 PSI
is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and
recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter
for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic
recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my opinion.
I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and would like
to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt


Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.
The MB Coupes Website!
R129 SL Mailing List
Gecontroleerd door AVG - www.avg.com
Versie: 8.5.375 / Virusdatabase: 270.13.14/2238 - datum van uitgifte:
07/15/09 17:58:00




------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:03:49 +1200
From: "Peter S" <joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz>
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure
To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <001d01ca058f$c08ed9d0$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
    reply-type=original

Hi Rob, Robert, Jonathan and Marcus,
Tyre pressures!  We could all spend weeks or even years on cars and 
vehicle
tyre pressures.  The pressures are dependent upon tyres, vehicle 
weight,
vehicle weight distribution, how much stuff we manage to fit in, number 
of
passengers carried, and where all this is carried, required handling, 
road
construction, road conditions, road 'banking', vehicle steering 
engineering,
fuel economy etc etc.  All good engineering stuff!

We presently have some 7 cars and 4 motorcycles/ scooters (including a
Piaggio MP3!).  Like many car/ motorcycle enthusiasts, I  have possibly
owned some 100+ vehicles in my lifetime (so far) and driven a lot more
vehicles in NZ and other countries.  In winter, I tend to run the cars/
motorcycles at 32 psi - yes all of them (front and rear), to give a bit 
of
grip on the roads just in case.  In Autumn (fall), Summer and Spring, 
all
the vehicles are pumped up to 36 psi.  Sorry about the psi bit, but in 
New
Zealand we are meant to use kilopascals for the last 30 years - our
beautiful country uses all metric parameters, but we still tend to use 
psi
as the US uses psi!

I run a variety of tyres from Pirelli PZ0, through Bridgestone Potenzas 
(my
overall favourite tyres) and currently Kumho's on the R129 ( believe it 
or
not my second best favourite brand).  I also have continentals, 
Firestone
Firehawks and Michelins on the cars.  In NZ we seem to be fraught with 
a
variety of imported Asian tyres that I can hardly pronounce the names 
of!
Many tyres are the very dangerous mud and snow tyres that should be 
banned
in NZ - another story!

Our motorways here and very different from the freeways overseas. Our 
roads
generally use a rougher chip seal, and most of all of our corners are 
banked
to allow better handling/ cornering.  Our secondary roads are narrow
sometimes, not too dissimilar from English country roads.  We have 
quite a
few 'gravel' roads as well.  Note that low profile tyres do not track 
too
well on gravel, so if I am back country roads for a long trip, I often
exchange my 18 inch Potenzas on the W123 with the traditional 123 Mag 
alloy
Merc wheels fitted with Bridgestone 205/65/15 tyres.

So in brief, being a simple bloke that is not capable of multi-tasking,
unlike our female counterparts, I put in 36 psi summer, autumn and 
spring
and 32 psi winter.   Those horrible space savers in the Japanese 
vehicles
have to be run at about 70 psi though - short distances only.

Cold in NZ at present as it is our winter - about 4 degrees C here 
today.
Acquired a chill 3 weeks ago and have had a dowse of influenza (not the
swine type!) - main possible cause - driving the R129 with the top 
down,
outside temp at about 2 degrees, and not having enough gear on!  We 
have our
National Mercedes Benz AGM in Picton (top of the North Island) next 
week so
will have to get my woollies out as we will be in the R129 with the top 
down
heading across on the ferry.  The greater Picton area has about 150 
wineries
within a 100 km radius, so I wonder what else we will be doing......

Have a great week.
Regards, Peter S.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Vonderhaar" <rob at robvonder.com>
To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 6:23 AM
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure


I'm running 32 psi front and 36 psi rear (cold) on my 2005 SL500 with 
the
AMG Sport package.  Watching the tire pressure monitors while driving, 
this
climbs to about 35 & 39.  I also have a 1995 SL500 with similar 18" AMG
wheels set at those same pressures.

Seems like a good compromise on both cars in terms of giving decent 
handling
without feeling every imperfection in the road.  Anything higher just 
gets
so rough that it's not fun to drive.  I agree with your mechanic that 
28 psi
in front is too low.

     Rob
_________________________
Sent from my Omnia Windows? phone.

-----Original Message-----
From: rtorchia at aol.com <rtorchia at aol.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 1:48 PM
To: r129list at mbcoupes.com <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Subject: [R129 SL] sl500 proper tire pressure


I know this sounds dumb, but I have heard all sorts of opinions about
tire pressure on an sl500. I have Bridgestone Pole Potenzas Z rated
that take a maximum of roughly 50 PSI. The Mercedes manual says 28 PSI
is recommended. My M-B expert mechanic says this is too soft and
recommended 35 to 40 PSI (the former for the front wheels the latter
for the rear wheels), and yet another knowledgeable mechanic
recommended low 40s PSI which gives the car a harsh ride in my opinion.
I do not want to cause irregular or premature tire wear and would like
to hear what you all like on your Z rated tires. Thanks, rt


Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D.
The MB Coupes Website!
R129 SL Mailing List
The MB Coupes Website!
R129 SL Mailing List



------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:52:36 -0700
From: "John Brown" <jbrown63 at bak.rr.com>
Subject: [R129 SL] A/C Blower
To: <r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <6D7FD5BFDCC14CF9B7BDE1463F36F045 at JohnPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

      I have a 1993 500sl.  The A/C unit puts out good "cool" air, 
However the
Blower will not increase speed when the other buttons are used 
e.g.(1,2,3,4,).
Where are/is the 30amp fuse for the blower? How do you get to it? What 
other
possibilities could cause the blower speed to work in AUTO but not 
using
1,2,3,4,?
J.K.Brown
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