Thinking bout doing sways now
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From: Long Island, NY
C3Twon AWD Jumpofffff
Thinking bout doing sways now
tirerack.com doesnt have any sway bars for my car but on the evosport.com website they have front and rear sway bars that will fit any W203. They are H&R brand.
H&R - Sway Bar - Mercedes-Benz w203 C-Class (not C32 AMG); w209 CLK320 (All) - Front 26mm, Adjustable (for cars with 10mm end link hole) - 70392 - [HRS.SUS.M03.W03]
$239.00
H&R - Sway Bar - Mercedes-Benz w203 C-Class; w209 CLK320/500/55 AMG - Rear 19mm, Adjustable (2) - 71392 - [HRS.SUS.M03.W02]
$159.00
Anyone tried these yet??? Does anyone know if these will fit my 4matic even though it says that they fit all W203 cept AMG for the fronts. Does it improve handling a lot???
H&R - Sway Bar - Mercedes-Benz w203 C-Class (not C32 AMG); w209 CLK320 (All) - Front 26mm, Adjustable (for cars with 10mm end link hole) - 70392 - [HRS.SUS.M03.W03]
$239.00
H&R - Sway Bar - Mercedes-Benz w203 C-Class; w209 CLK320/500/55 AMG - Rear 19mm, Adjustable (2) - 71392 - [HRS.SUS.M03.W02]
$159.00
Anyone tried these yet??? Does anyone know if these will fit my 4matic even though it says that they fit all W203 cept AMG for the fronts. Does it improve handling a lot???
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Ford Pinto
You can do one now and one later but depending on the bar and bushing stiffness compared to stock you may experience unwanted or wanted over or under steer.
I can't comment on the W203 because I have not done sway bars.
But on my '99 Z28, I upgraded the front and went for a ride and I had a lot of over steer. Mind you, this is sometimes wanted by some for different types of driving (autocross, etc.) I didn't like it. Of course, I went up in bar diameter a bit and had some stiff bushings and endlinks installed too.
When I installed the rear sway bar, every thing seemed almost perfect.
But yeah, you can do one and not the other but you may or may not like the driving style when you are really hauling a$$ through the curves. This is when you are going to notice it, not driving to the grocery store unless you cannon ball run everywhere you go.
I can't comment on the W203 because I have not done sway bars.
But on my '99 Z28, I upgraded the front and went for a ride and I had a lot of over steer. Mind you, this is sometimes wanted by some for different types of driving (autocross, etc.) I didn't like it. Of course, I went up in bar diameter a bit and had some stiff bushings and endlinks installed too.
When I installed the rear sway bar, every thing seemed almost perfect.
But yeah, you can do one and not the other but you may or may not like the driving style when you are really hauling a$$ through the curves. This is when you are going to notice it, not driving to the grocery store unless you cannon ball run everywhere you go.
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From: Long Island, NY
C3Twon AWD Jumpofffff
i am kinda on a budget as i am a college student so i prolly cant do both at the same time so do u guys suggest front ones first or back? tho i'll prolly go with the back ones first b/c i think the rear ones are cheaper than the fronts and than later on do the fronts also
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From: Socal
EVE
i am kinda on a budget as i am a college student so i prolly cant do both at the same time so do u guys suggest front ones first or back? tho i'll prolly go with the back ones first b/c i think the rear ones are cheaper than the fronts and than later on do the fronts also
. I'd probably go with fronts first? But if you'll eventually be going with both, guess it doesn't matter. Should be able to install these yourself, there are DIY guides both here and on MBKlasse.edit: I take it back, forgot you had 4-matic... choose wisely :\. Now you're really going to want to find some affordable labor.
Last edited by mig888; Jan 11, 2007 at 10:24 AM.
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From: NJ
'08 E550 4Matic
If you end up getting sways, you'll need to get them professionally installed. I have a set of C32 sway bars that I bought for my car but I couldn’t install the front bar. The 4-matics are completely different than the rwd c class. It is impossible to remove the stock sway bar. According to the Mercedes WIS program, you’ll need to unbolt the motor and lift it, this will give you enough room to remove the sway bar. The only other thing that I could think of is to remove the front drive shaft. This may give you some more room to work with, if not you may need to drop the suspension. Since lifting the motor isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do and dropping the suspension is a PITA I’m going to wait to install the sway till I get my lowering springs. That way I’ll kill two birds with one stone.
The rear sway is real easy, took me 20 min.
The rear sway is real easy, took me 20 min.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Long Island, NY
C3Twon AWD Jumpofffff
If you end up getting sways, you'll need to get them professionally installed. I have a set of C32 sway bars that I bought for my car but I couldn’t install the front bar. The 4-matics are completely different than the rwd c class. It is impossible to remove the stock sway bar. According to the Mercedes WIS program, you’ll need to unbolt the motor and lift it, this will give you enough room to remove the sway bar. The only other thing that I could think of is to remove the front drive shaft. This may give you some more room to work with, if not you may need to drop the suspension. Since lifting the motor isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do and dropping the suspension is a PITA I’m going to wait to install the sway till I get my lowering springs. That way I’ll kill two birds with one stone.
The rear sway is real easy, took me 20 min.
The rear sway is real easy, took me 20 min.
damn y are the 4matics such a pain in the ***.... so the front ones are gonna be a ***** to do but the rears are gonna be easy
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
But on my '99 Z28, I upgraded the front and went for a ride and I had a lot of over steer. Mind you, this is sometimes wanted by some for different types of driving (autocross, etc.) I didn't like it. Of course, I went up in bar diameter a bit and had some stiff bushings and endlinks installed too.
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Ford Pinto
Well, you could be right. It has been 7 years since I don the installation and I seem to remember the experience of the front bar was opposite of conventional wisdom with that car.
I think it was over steer beacuase the Camaro/Trans Am tires have no camber or tilt on the wheels like the euro car makers put in their wheels which has a different effect, but that may be a line of
too. I am trying to go off memory.
I just checked my notes and I didn't comment on it in the install doc's so you may very well be correct.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins..._documents.htm
Toward the bottom.
I think it was over steer beacuase the Camaro/Trans Am tires have no camber or tilt on the wheels like the euro car makers put in their wheels which has a different effect, but that may be a line of
too. I am trying to go off memory.I just checked my notes and I didn't comment on it in the install doc's so you may very well be correct.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins..._documents.htm
Toward the bottom.
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From: STL
W203 C230SS
that's correct. i was thinking the same thing when i read he post. when i installed the eibach sways on my focus- i had to drive around for a few days with just the rear bar installed since i ran out of time to do the front also. it was a handfull- especially in the rain. after i was able to get the front installed, it all seemed to come together.
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
Just be careful of the consequences. Thicker front = more understeer, rear = more oversteer. Yes our cars can definitely use a lot less understeer (read: upgrading the rear bar does a lot more for our cars than doing the front) but don't just go and push your car to the limit without knowing how it'll behave.
Buddy installed a rear sway (stock setup had NO sway bar so use your imagination) on his VW GTI Mark IV, stuffed it into a mountain when it snap oversteered.
If you're going to do ONLY the rear bar, you might want to consider the C32AMG one, as that has the least % increase out of all the rear upgrades.
Buddy installed a rear sway (stock setup had NO sway bar so use your imagination) on his VW GTI Mark IV, stuffed it into a mountain when it snap oversteered.
If you're going to do ONLY the rear bar, you might want to consider the C32AMG one, as that has the least % increase out of all the rear upgrades.
Last edited by slammer111; Feb 3, 2008 at 05:33 AM.
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From: Sacramento/San Gabriel/Riverside
01' C32o
Just be careful of the consequences. Thicker front = more understeer, rear = more oversteer. Yes our cars can definitely use a lot less understeer (read: upgrading the rear bar does a lot more for our cars than doing the front) but don't just go and push your car to the limit without knowing how it'll behave.
Buddy installed a rear sway (stock setup had NO sway bar so use your imagination) on his VW GTI Mark IV, stuffed it into a mountain when it snap oversteered.
If you're going to do ONLY the rear bar, you might want to consider the C32AMG one, as that has the least % increase out of all the rear upgrades.
Buddy installed a rear sway (stock setup had NO sway bar so use your imagination) on his VW GTI Mark IV, stuffed it into a mountain when it snap oversteered.
If you're going to do ONLY the rear bar, you might want to consider the C32AMG one, as that has the least % increase out of all the rear upgrades.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 236
From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
^ Yeah he walked away, with a bruised ego. That car was his baby 
The good news is he got himself a '91 BMW now with the ins payout. Beautiful machine.
Thanks for asking though
The good news is he got himself a '91 BMW now with the ins payout. Beautiful machine.
Thanks for asking though
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From: Charlotte, NC
Had: 1987 300TD, Had: 2004 C230 Sport Sedan, Have: 2014 E350 Sport, Have: 2019 S450
Well, you could be right. It has been 7 years since I don the installation and I seem to remember the experience of the front bar was opposite of conventional wisdom with that car.
I think it was over steer beacuase the Camaro/Trans Am tires have no camber or tilt on the wheels like the euro car makers put in their wheels which has a different effect, but that may be a line of too. I am trying to go off memory.
I just checked my notes and I didn't comment on it in the install doc's so you may very well be correct.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins..._documents.htm
Toward the bottom.
I think it was over steer beacuase the Camaro/Trans Am tires have no camber or tilt on the wheels like the euro car makers put in their wheels which has a different effect, but that may be a line of
too. I am trying to go off memory.I just checked my notes and I didn't comment on it in the install doc's so you may very well be correct.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins..._documents.htm
Toward the bottom.
The thicker front bar made the front react much quicker in transients (left/right), thus it oversteered into tight corners and through slaloms . . . BUT, it plowed like a pig when moving to a road course like Road Atlanta - where steady-state balance was definitely tilted toward understeer.
For this reason, the I would run the front bar when autocrossing, but remove one end-link for track events (disconnecting the front bar, and leaving a nicely balanced car for high-speed work).
