Rnault5

I recently replaced the bouncy-feeling shocks on my 130k mile 02' E320 (US, RWD).


Now it looks like a monster truck, in terms of ride height.

Any ideas why this is? I'm pretty sure I don't have any fancy self-leveling hydraulic suspension because my old shocks look just like my new ones.

Help would be very much appreciated!


Also, when going over speed-bumps slowly, it feels like the shocks don't absorb the bumps/compress. There is also clunking noise coming from the area, as I go over the bump. For example, as my front wheels/tires go over the bump, there is some creaky noise that sounds like its coming from the shock area.


(shock bolts were tightened with car at ride height, NOT in air)


How it used to look:




How it looks after installing new shocks:



New shocks = Sachs-Boge "OE standard", shown in pic below:

renault12ts

Shocks should not affect ride height. Maybe your old one were the sports ones...which are shorter.

kyosuke

if you replaced just the shocks and not the springs ?

renault12ts

No...the weight of the car should compress the shocks so that the weight is taken by the springs.

Duc1098E500

You could touch the clouds at that altitude. lol

+1 on the perhaps there are two different types available shocks for that car?

Hirnbeiss

Can you post a picture of the same car with the same wheels?

FlatlineEF9

Damn, went up so high your rims changed too

Rnault5

I would upload a "before" picture but unfortunately I do not have one of the car prior to installing the new shocks. However, the before/after pictures I have uploaded very accurately depict my ride height change.

It seems to me that the pressure in these new shocks is so high, that they lift the car up a few inches, and make it ride like crap - even though they are supposedly correctly matched to the car.

I will try to return them and install OEM MBZ parts and will post updates.

I called the dealer with my VIN and was told that my car is not equipped with "Avantgarde" suspension, so I assume it is the only other option, which is "Elegance", meaning a softer ride.

These new shocks are shorter than my originals, so I don't see how they could raise ride height other than by having too much pressure.

I have replaced/handled many shock absorbers, and one thing they all have in common is that they can be compressed or extended by hand, with some force.

However, it felt like with these new Sachs-Boge "OEM replacements", they won't compress with my entire body weight on top of them, nor do I think they would if I was an elephant.

There is zero suspension compression over speed bumps at slow speed, and there is a ton of creaking noises. In my opinion, because the shock is not compressing and is holding the car up instead of the spring, the spring does not absorb road irregularities like it should. Instead, that force is being transferred to other, and wrong, places of the car (such as suspension bushings maybe?) and causing these noises.

renault12ts

It does sound like the shocks are either wrongly labelled, or have a manufacture fault.

Hirnbeiss

I don't think the ride height is that far off the stock new height:
http://www.theautochannel.com/vehicl.../solo9839.html

The issue of no compression and the noises are problems, though. Does it move like normal when you push down on the front end? I'd probably try to swap them in any case - then you'll know.

vitovabo

not only the rims, but his plate, and hood ornament got jacked... i dont know if i want to change mine anymore... OP is there anything else that got jacked?

Richard / E320

I guess I don't see how accurate the change can be, since the vehicle with OEM wheels also is running stock profile tires compared to your vehicle. I had the same look when I first installed 18" tires and wheels, replacing the standard 16"s, and had to install a lowering kit.

Before lowering kit:


Doesn't seem that you'd get much 'lift' to only installing new shocks (assuming that you are using the exact same model-shocks before & after) and running the same low-profile tires and wheels, though I could see that you would have vehicle 'sag' as people loaded into the vehicle with the OLD shocks.

cediman

I noticed the two pics have different sets of rims. Are you sure its not the rims that are causing a difference ?

SerbNerd

I replaced my shocks with Koni's and one seized up (won't compress) and other is leaking. Ride is horribly stiff so perhaps you experiencing what I am.

Test the shocks yourself as they're not too hard to remove. Should compress and rebound with reasonable pace.

If they're not doing the job (like mine), contact the manufacture and get stuff squared away! My RMA has taken forever (and still is) due to back order, bla bla bla.

renault12ts

Whether you have 18s or 16s the ride height will remain the same...assuming you use the correct size tyres.

230TErry

Avantgarde comes with lower suspension than the Elegance I keep hitting the front of mine off kerbs when parking

J spaulding

My totally stock 1999 E430 with correct tires has exact 2.195 inches between the very top of the tire and the beginning of the sheet metal of the outside of the wheel well. I think that you have some incorrect parts with the new shocks.

SuperChargerE55

Sounds weird, I got H&R Lowering springs and Koni STR Dampers, but do also of course got big *** rims on it to, CLK tough but still.. sounds strange Koni is one of the top manufacure only people tend to install one thing but not the other.. if installing Koni dampers pls do also replace the springs..

Im super happy for my ride how it is with H&R spring + the Koni STR-Adjustable Dampers. stiff but not to stiff and drives super nice very sporty...

OJ's DNA

Man that's funny...okay well if we've learned nothing from all the suspension stories from owners its that many different outcomes seem to exists on these cars even when one owner appears to put the same parts as another owner does - but results in a different outcome. It does look pretty high but could be angle of camera? Before my recent suspension work I measure the height from the ground to the middle of the wheel arch at 27" both front and back, and that's with worn out shocks and OE 16" wheels, could you measure yours and post? Curious what the height is front and back. Your car looked awesome in the first pick by the way...

OJ's DNA

Here is my car with old OE set up but it looks high as well so maybe what your experiencing isn't to out of bounds...