Mercedes W463 G500 larger-tire fitment
icruise changes springs and wheel spacers after larger tires rub on his 2009 G500. The photographs belong to a separate 2010 G550 owner whose configuration and limitations remain distinct.
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A 2009 G500 owner asks about larger tires
icruise had just bought a 2009 G500 with 275/50R20 tires and asked about moving toward 35 inches. His questions concerned lift requirements, driving behavior and power. The later sizes he actually reports are not a confirmed 35-inch installation.
The first configuration rubs
The owner first reports 275/65R20 tires with 40 mm lift spacers. He says the original springs collapsed, there was bump-stop contact and the tires rubbed the radius arms while turning. He changed to 50 mm Old Man Emu lift springs and temporarily returned to the original tires while awaiting H&R wheel spacers.
A revised setup and an individual result
After receiving 30 mm H&R wheel spacers, icruise installed 275/65R20 tires with the 50 mm springs and reported that the setup worked well, including some off-road testing. He described that same tire size as 34.2 inches in the earlier update and 34.4 inches in the later one. Those source descriptions are retained as reported, rather than resolved into a verified measurement. He also later said he lost some engine power with the larger tires. His result is not a universal lift-and-tire recipe.
GFiveFifty’s photographed 2010 G550 is a different car
The five photographs below belong to commenter GFiveFifty’s 2010 G550, not icruise’s 2009 G500. GFiveFifty reports 275/70R18 tires on stock rims, a 40 mm ORC/Bilstein lift and 30 mm H&R wheel spacers. He says clearance was close and reports no rubbing with the wheel spacers, but describes uncomfortable freeway body sway before fitting a rear sway bar. In a later update he reports shock dust covers melting onto the catalytic converters and some accessory corrosion. The travel photographs show his separate vehicle; they do not demonstrate the G500 owner’s revised fitment or validate long-term durability.
