Glyn M Ruck

Thanks, I'll do lines first - man your car looks good!

splinter

Excellent upgrades, j0hn!

Your car has really come into its sweet spot. Well done.

TruTaing

I got an email from Tom at K1Motorsport about my camber arms shipping out on Monday and IIRC, they ship from LV - meaning I should be able to install them the following weekend! I need to really fix my camber wear in the back so I'm eager to get this done and over with.

Will probably do a service A + clean off my MAF also when I install the camber arms. The install seems straight forward, so I'm hoping it'll go quickly. Ill take pix! I totally forgot to take pictures of the brake swap / SS line installation, but they are pretty dang straight forward.

Current Mileage: 97,7xx - quickly approaching that 100k mark!

Pix: If you've got a modded car and hawt girl you want shot w/ the car in Seattle - Hit me up... okay, j/k don't need the girl - I'm trying to practice w/ my photography and will shoot your modded car if you'd like.

Latest purchase:

(drum roll)

OCT 08 - SEP 09 $4.75 Flex Pass - the bus pass of all bus passes in the Puget sound!

(too much traffic, more time to read, less abuse for my baby!, green?, free wifi!)

Thanks for all of the great comments - w/o these boards ( or my pop's garage ) none of my would have happened!

TruTaing

My camber arms arrived Wednesday:

(Thanks to K1MotorSport)

- and -

My IMS stuff arrived on Thursday:

(Thanks to Mercedes Garage)

Part numbers:
A 203 821 95 51 - Sensor
A 203 540 82 06 - Harness
A 203 822 02 14 - Mounting Bracket

Hoping to change the oil + clean the filters / MAF on sunday along with installing the camber arms. If Ive got the energy (or sufficient help), I'll also install the IMS + take pix + write up a short lil DIY!

Picture whoring:

Check out the shield in the projector!




Thinkin about:

Ive been inspired to black out my roof w/ black vinyl. It seems like a relatively affordable (< $70) lil mod that can make a big visual impact on my car. What do ya guys think? If I were to do it, I would probably also wrap the vertical and four center slats on my grill also.

Anyone have anything BAD to say about Philips 6000k ultinon before I go out and snag a pair?

In the mail:
3mm Spacers - My brakes are way too close IMO - 3mm out would put me at ET 25 - and I will have to push back my plastic wheel well linings a bit more, BUT i could probably lower the front some more

Mu9enx

i'm so jealous! i wanted them calipers but you hopped on it asap! LOL.

looking good dude! i really want to get sways and brakes asap

PA_Pete

I've got to comment, coming from someone who has a totally stock C320, your car is HOT! I absolutely love the mods you have done to your car, very classy, they all go together great, and it's not overdone. Props to your creativity on your car! Also, got a question for ya, did you paint your side marker lights silver like that to match the car, or do you have the Euro Impact strips (or whatever they're called)? I was thinking of doing this with my ride, OR, going with the clear side markers.

EDIT: I really like the idea you mentioned for your grill, blacking out the center and the other horizontal grill pieces, can I steal this idea from you??? I don't want to be an @$$ and steal your idea's, but it sounds like it would look great on a silver car (which is the color of my car as well). I really wanted to change up the look of the grill without buying another one, that's why I think that your idea is a great one!

FrankW

more stuff!!!!!

TruTaing

Thanks. I painted my side markers. I have another set of them painted in 744 sitting around if you're interested - just PM me.

The impact strips w/o bumper lights are called euro impact strips. If I went that route, I'd personally wanna go all the way and get the no chrome impact strips all around the car :x But its a bit expensive and not really important to me ATM.

The grill idea was not mine. I first saw it done by C24Owner :P

Yea... I need to stop. Soon.

TruTaing

Current Miles: 97001

Changed the oil + cleaned the air filters + cleaned the MAF + MAF wires + repainted my side markers cuz I chipped one while removing the bumper/installing bix + painted an 040 also to send out.

[SHAMELESS PLUG]
If anyone's interested in a set of color matched side markers just hit me up :P
[/SHAMELESS PLUG]

Usually I enjoy most of my installation processes, but I have to say, IMS was just a pain in the .....

A few hours work and here it is:



Not too exciting, huh? Didnt get a chance to throw on the camber arms, but I think I will tackle that during the week.

Oddly, After having installed the brakes for a good few weeks now and put some good miles on them. I noticed that my front suspension is making a noise. It started out with just the passenger side, but now its happening on both sides. I took the passenger side wheel off and gave the rotor a good shaking and the whole wheel hub seemed to shift and make the noise. My dad insists that the wheel bearing (or whatever is hidden under the cap on the end of the wheel hub) needs to be tightened, but does anyone have any suggests as to HOW to get that cap off OR what the noise could be? Only started AFTER I installed the brakes and occurs when I turn, hit bumps, or when I brake for the first time.

Things in the mail: 3mm hub centric spacers - eager to get these so I can go a bit lower...

Soon in the mail: Black vinyl for the roof and grill

STILL need to install my LET UDPS. (lol)

Comments/suggestions w/ the suspension noises would be great!

Thanks!

B189s

Yeah that's probably the wheel bearing. My shop actually tightened my right front wheel's wheel bearing months ago, but now it's all coming back, even both sides are making knocking noises now.

Where are you getting your vinyl from?

TruTaing

Im gonna have to talk to my shop to see how they get those caps on the ends of the hubs to come off so I can gain access to those bearings... Its weird that the noise only started AFTER I installed the brakes. Must have been 97k Miles gift. I cant wait for my 100k gift

StickerCity is where Im probably gonna order my vinyl from. Ive seen a few guys on here do it and it looks great

TruTaing

The clunking has not gone away, but the tech was under my car checkin everything out and he told me my thrust arm bushings were busted. I swear, I was reading through this thread a few weeks ago thinking that I should replace these things before the go. And there they go. I have a new set of arms (got them for 120 each - lack of a hydraulic press ) sitting in the garage ready for this weekend.

Still couldnt get my IMS to fire up I dunno whats up because I checked all of the wires and they were good, while the rear SAM was set to Mexico w/ IMS, but that didn't activate it. Any suggestions here would be great. Meanwhile, I tested the sanity of my rear SAM and set it to netherlands and its chirpin' away.

Hopefully, I will get some time on my back this weekend and get those K1MS camber arms + front thrusts arms on the car.

3MM spacers arrive on Monday.
I almost forgot, but the TVT Phelonic spacers are also in the mail!
Measured my roof for some vinyl

I parked next to this this morning:



Anyone care to guess what it is?

spyderpig

I'm not sure what you're trying to show, but to me, it looks like a pillar wrpped in cf vinyl ?

oh and go wheel lock. People tried also to steal my cheap rims but I have 20 wheel locks on them LOL. I ended having scratch around where the bolts are.

FrankW

too easy...Audi R8

clunking from the front or the rear? I had the clunking in the rear before and turned out it was just the sway-bar bracket wasn't tighten.

TruTaing

Haha... Indeed, I parked next to an R8. Only the third I've seen in person and the only one I've been able to touch (but didn't, lol). Here are a few other pix.





Frank, my clunk is up front. I thought it was the wheel bearings, but I had those tightened and while my tech was workin on it, he noticed my thrust arm bushings were worn and leaking. Hopefully, Its the thrust arms and I'll be done w/ working on the suspension stuff this weekend The sound is very similar to what RussellStevens describes here

In terms of rear clunking noises - I swear, its usually from the rear sway bar bushings (around the brackets) and not so much the end links. The bushings are incredible at making different noises under different circumstances. I read it someone here one say to use lots of silicone grease on the bushings when installing them and after experiencing a ridiculous array of noises from the rear, I have to say I should have taken that advice right when I changed out my rear sway...

I will take your advice and check the sway bar brackets while I'm under the car just in case

On a random note, I got my hands on a "Model 203 C-Class 2001: Education for Excellence" CD. Its the CD apparently distributed to techs about the key highlights and important inter-relating systems in the w203. It has videos on how to dismantle ALOT of stuff Kinda cool. It even has a little quiz at the end of it for those who go through the disc to see how prepared the techs are. Its funny actually - some folks on here could easily pass as a tech

shivi1345

I'm not sure how well you will be able to wrap the grill. I think that it would come out a lot better of you just paint it (thats what I did)

You can pop off the chrome part and just paint that like flat black, then when you put it back the fins on the grill are glossy still and the chrome is gone. I think its they best way to do it


good call



I see a ton of S5's and A5's now (seen like 5 R8's) btw.......anyone else?

PA_Pete

How and where did you get that CD? I would LOVE to get something like that! Any chance of you maybe making a copy for me? I'll pay for the CD and the postage and whatever else (within reason) you would want for it. Let me know!

TruTaing

Honestly... the CD is NOT that useful... Basically every video procedure I've seen on there has been documented on here. The other Mercedes CD (that I've been told is SOLD OUT?!) seems to be much more helpful w/ very accurate diagrams and part number information.

Its Friday night and all I wanted to do was rip off my front thrust arms, but I got under the car only to discover that I needed two BIG wrenches to take the bolt that attaches the thrust arms onto the body and I've only got one. Now I understand why mechanics have multiple sets of tools...

Undeterred, I went on to check out if I could install my K1MS camber arms. I found some crazy 16 (or 12) sided bit that I didn't have. (anyone have the part number on this?)

So, 0/2 tonight... I feel like I should just buy more tools and DIY, but at the same time I swear, the clunk up front is getting worse and needs to be dealt with asap

Best part of the night: I found a nice nail lodged in my rear driver side tire!

TruTaing

Finally got the front thrust arms installed and the noise was still there. But there was less of a noise and the noise was much more distinguishable. I went and had a look w/ the suspension and found that my sway bar end links were a bit loose - gave em a quick tightening and wallah, No more noises up front *happy*

The rear K1MS camber arms also got installed with the thrust arms. I got an alignment the morning after I got the suspension parts installed and it was awesome to see the guy cranking on my rear camber arms and to be able to see the top of the wheel move out. My front camber is at -1.7 and the rear camber is at -0.8. The new camber adjustments have really filled out my rear wheel wells, no more fender or wheel gap what so ever in the rear. Now I'm just a bit worried I'm too low and might rub the fender w/ a full load. :x Pix to come soon.

Also installed a set 3mm hub centric spacer upfront because I am pretty sure the spokes of the wheels were rubbing against ONLY the passenger side brake caliper every now and then. Its weird - same wheels and calipers on both front corners, but the passenger seems had just a tiny bit less clearance....

lots of happy

B189s

I loved that feeling when all problems with my car were gone LOL. I have some problems I have to fix myself

So, no more mods?

FrankW

glad everything is installed and fixed

TruTaing

Pix of proper alignment w/o fender gap!





I like how the rear looks much more now that the wheels are not tucked so much and are poking out of the fender a bit. It makes me want to get a camber kit for the front suspension, but these seem to be much more expensive. Only Kmac makes a kit for the front. Does anyone know exactly what the kit comes with or if there are any other kits out there? Their descriptions make it sound like there are camber plates for the strut mounts, but I dont think I've ever seen anyone with it? I wouldnt mind to cut my front camber in half... or get it to zero. (that way I could go lower up front )

Got my TVT Intake spacers the other day. They do not look easy to install :x

Still cant get the IMS working even w/ s'more time w/ DAS and everything plugged in snugly. Any suggestions here?

FrankW

don't bother with the front camber kit. with camber and the car being lowered. you will actually have the most even wear on the tires due to MB's retarded caster angle and toe-in. mig888/jose has the front camber kit and his front tire is wearing on the outer edge.

B189s

I thought you car was lower than that by looking at your signature

Your car looks great..

Saprissa

Wish I could help you with IMS, but I don't even have a DAS.

I think Sunil has gone up to Seattle on occassion, and he may be able to help. Unless you can bring your car down to SoCal when Steve (MBenzNL) is here and sked an appointment to have him take a whack at it, I don't know who else has that kind of expertise locally.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com