C63 KW V3 with strut bar write up
04-09-2016, 04:31 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
C63 KW V3 with strut bar write up
I have had the KW V3 for over 2 years now, I have tried many different compression and rebound settings, have tried different ride height. Now, finally got to a point that I think is perfect for road use and spirited driving on the road.
I have used the famous setting in the forum, https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...-b63-tune.html.
Enjoyed it a bit, but was having squatting motion when braking and accelerating. When braking for red light, the car would rock back and forth. And generally the car was too soft on the road, was not well supported during fast cornering.
To fix that, I have tried many different settings with harder front compression and rebound, different ratios of compression and rebound. Harder rear compression. The rear rebound was not touched after installing the V3, due to hard to reach it. I started to keep the logs of what I did for each change, but still I was not happy with what I can get out of the V3.
Finally I decided to look into the strut bar, and changing the rear rebound. While the strut bar was on back order, I had drilled the a hole on top of the rear suspension mount, to get access to rear rebound. At this point, I wanted to try the factory setting, which was 5 clicks back from full hard for compression, 6 clicks back from full hard for rebound. This is the same for front and rear. Also, during the time I was reading the manual, I found this line:"In no case you should drive with one axle hard and one axle soft." Which could explain the squatting motion I was having.
When I got the factory setting done, man did it make a difference. No more squatting motion, car feels planted. But, it was too harsh on the road. With small bumps on the road, I feel it with every part of my body. Also, I could feel a lot of car body flexes, and the front was not stable.
Today, I just got the strut bar, installed it myself, and boy the car is alive. I still have no idea how it made such a difference. I still have the factory setting, and it is no longer harsh on the road, feels even softer than C63 PP suspension. The reason I can come up with this is the strut bar helped a lot with body flexes, and now all bumps are absorbed by the suspension, instead of the car body. I went on a lengthy test drive, went over a rail way that I used to go often. Man, I can hear the tires passing the rail road, but I don't feel it in my butt! Front is stable and planted.
So, the conclusion is that try to use the same setting for compression and rebound front and rear, or maybe make sure your compression and rebound ratio is the same. (for example, if you want softer, go with 6 and 7 backs, keep them 1 off). Finally, if you want the most of the V3, get a strut bar! The one I got was only 200 bucks, and with my research I think this steel one, without a pivot point will work the best. I am not saying the other ones don't work, simply because I have not tried them. And by no means I am any expert on suspension or expert on any car engineering related subject, I am just sharing with you my own experience with KW V3.
Here is the log of all the settings I have played with:
Front
comp 7 clicks back
rebound 10 clicks back
Rear
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
6.27
Front
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
Rear
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
was comp 6 back front comp 7 back back
now como 7 back front and comp 6 back back
Front
comp 8 clicks back
rebound 10 clicks back
Rear
comp 8 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.8
front comp, +1 rebound +2
rear comp +1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.15
front comp +3, reboubd -2
front comp 2 clicks back
reboubd 9 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.16
front rebound + 1
front comp 2 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.9.15
front comp -1
front comp 3 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.9.28
left rear was 4 backs, and right rear was only 2 backs.
front comp -1
fix rear comp to 5 backs
front comp 4 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.10.16
all comp -1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.11.18
front rebound +2
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 6 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.12.?
front rebound -1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.12.28
all comp -1, and front rebound -1 for snow driving
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 7 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.2.1
all comp +1, and front rebound +1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.2.9
all comp -1, was too hard. rebound stay the same. no head nod when braking. could be better if could increase rear rebound
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 7 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.3.13
drilled holes to adjust rear rebound. Now drives like a dream
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 7 clicks back
I have used the famous setting in the forum, https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...-b63-tune.html.
Enjoyed it a bit, but was having squatting motion when braking and accelerating. When braking for red light, the car would rock back and forth. And generally the car was too soft on the road, was not well supported during fast cornering.
To fix that, I have tried many different settings with harder front compression and rebound, different ratios of compression and rebound. Harder rear compression. The rear rebound was not touched after installing the V3, due to hard to reach it. I started to keep the logs of what I did for each change, but still I was not happy with what I can get out of the V3.
Finally I decided to look into the strut bar, and changing the rear rebound. While the strut bar was on back order, I had drilled the a hole on top of the rear suspension mount, to get access to rear rebound. At this point, I wanted to try the factory setting, which was 5 clicks back from full hard for compression, 6 clicks back from full hard for rebound. This is the same for front and rear. Also, during the time I was reading the manual, I found this line:"In no case you should drive with one axle hard and one axle soft." Which could explain the squatting motion I was having.
When I got the factory setting done, man did it make a difference. No more squatting motion, car feels planted. But, it was too harsh on the road. With small bumps on the road, I feel it with every part of my body. Also, I could feel a lot of car body flexes, and the front was not stable.
Today, I just got the strut bar, installed it myself, and boy the car is alive. I still have no idea how it made such a difference. I still have the factory setting, and it is no longer harsh on the road, feels even softer than C63 PP suspension. The reason I can come up with this is the strut bar helped a lot with body flexes, and now all bumps are absorbed by the suspension, instead of the car body. I went on a lengthy test drive, went over a rail way that I used to go often. Man, I can hear the tires passing the rail road, but I don't feel it in my butt! Front is stable and planted.
So, the conclusion is that try to use the same setting for compression and rebound front and rear, or maybe make sure your compression and rebound ratio is the same. (for example, if you want softer, go with 6 and 7 backs, keep them 1 off). Finally, if you want the most of the V3, get a strut bar! The one I got was only 200 bucks, and with my research I think this steel one, without a pivot point will work the best. I am not saying the other ones don't work, simply because I have not tried them. And by no means I am any expert on suspension or expert on any car engineering related subject, I am just sharing with you my own experience with KW V3.
Here is the log of all the settings I have played with:
Front
comp 7 clicks back
rebound 10 clicks back
Rear
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
6.27
Front
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
Rear
comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
was comp 6 back front comp 7 back back
now como 7 back front and comp 6 back back
Front
comp 8 clicks back
rebound 10 clicks back
Rear
comp 8 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.8
front comp, +1 rebound +2
rear comp +1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.15
front comp +3, reboubd -2
front comp 2 clicks back
reboubd 9 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.8.16
front rebound + 1
front comp 2 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.9.15
front comp -1
front comp 3 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.9.28
left rear was 4 backs, and right rear was only 2 backs.
front comp -1
fix rear comp to 5 backs
front comp 4 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 5 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.10.16
all comp -1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.11.18
front rebound +2
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 6 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.12.?
front rebound -1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2015.12.28
all comp -1, and front rebound -1 for snow driving
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 8 clicks back
rear comp 7 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.2.1
all comp +1, and front rebound +1
front comp 5 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.2.9
all comp -1, was too hard. rebound stay the same. no head nod when braking. could be better if could increase rear rebound
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 7 clicks back
rebound 9 clicks back
2016.3.13
drilled holes to adjust rear rebound. Now drives like a dream
front comp 6 clicks back
reboubd 7 clicks back
rear comp 6 clicks back
rebound 7 clicks back
Last edited by BWxDevin; 04-09-2016 at 04:34 AM.
The following users liked this post:
PP-PRO_C63 (08-07-2023)
The following users liked this post:
///Bruce (05-22-2023)
05-21-2023, 09:08 PM
#4
05-21-2023, 10:45 PM
#5
Super Member
05-21-2023, 11:09 PM
#6
We're gonna find out if it comes alive when I install this used bar I just ordered from ebay.
If it works, and I come back here and post that it's great, nobody will believe me.
