jkowtko

It looks like you are already lowered ...

Did you fit it with the sport sway bar links with M12 bolt size? The sway bar links are somewhat critical here, because sport sway bars will expect an M12 bolt, and the stock links have M10 bolts. You can always bore out a hole, but not advisable to fit a smaller bolt into a bigger hole.

I think there are other threads on sway bar upgrades, both front and back. Try measuring your bar's diameter. If you don't have a caliper, try different metric wrenches until you find the one that barely doesn't fit. It should be either 20mm (non-sport) or 22mm (sport).

If you have the non-sport then you may need to buy new brackets (I expect the bolt holes in the chassis are the same), and may have an issue with the connection to the sway bar links if you don't already have the sport links with the M12 bolts.

There are also upgrades well beyond the AMG factory ... you might just consider buying an aftermarket kit.

Crna Mechka

Thanks for the detailed post, jkowtko. Should make the process much easier.

I'm asking myself the same thing, a3, since I have a pre-facelift C240 4M.

Would it be the same part? Only way to find out is by research.

jkowtko

You can look it up on EPC-net and be absolutely sure of the part number. If you don't have access to EPC-net, send me your VIN# and I'll check it out for you.

Fyi, I just checked out a random C240 non-sport #A682250 ...
* front torsion bar A-203-323-42-65, 20mm, looks like they have the molded-on bushings as well because the bushing part is grayed out on the diagram (as it is for the sport suspension diagram)
* torsion bar links A-203-320-28-89, M10 bolt

Crna Mechka

I'll have a look on EPC when I get home.

I checked my three main sources for online parts and neither of them stock the "sway bar" - only sway bar links, and sway bar bushings.

I might actually have to go to the stealership for this

jkowtko

Of course if you have the 20mm non-sport sway bar and the bar itself is still good, you can probably just buy a pair of bushings cheap, e.g.:

http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._5C1313F8.aspx

... but re-read the beginning of this thread to understand potential fit issues (whether the bump on the rubber goes in or out.)

** UPDATE **

Just got off the phone with my buddy at the dealership parts dept ... looks like there is also a 23mm AMG sway bar, and it looks like the bushings are separate on that bar. Not that you need to go upgrade to 23mm now ... but be aware that Mercedes changed the sway bars on these cars quite a few times (the rear one too) within the C55 and C230 Sport families.

(Update deleted ... see later post)

Crna Mechka

Found this but there's no part #

http://www.parts.com/parts/2004/MERC...abilizer%20bar

Gotta get her on the ramp today and look at things a bit more closely. Might end up just ordering the bushings like you suggested.

jkowtko

That one says 4matic ...

If you take a look under your car, two things to determine:

1) diameter of bar

2) whether the bump on the rubber bushing is in or out. You'll have to take off one of the brackets to determine this. If you don't have inverted torx sockets, I believe you can work a torx bolt using a regular 12-point socket ... just apply lots of pressure onto the bolt head as you turn so you don't strip it. Torque is 30 ft-lbs.

Crna Mechka

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

jkowtko

** UPDATE on the historical progression and fitment options **

Using EPC-net, and looking up the VIN #s from at least on car in each model year, I was able to determine --

Front:
------

C32 was offered 2002-2004 with a 22mm bar with separate bushings, which for replacement purposes is superceded by the 23mm with molded in bushings. The C55 was offered in 2005-2006 and has only the 23mm bar with molded in bushings.

The 23mm bar with molded bushings is part #209-323-01-65. If you already have a bar with molded bushings and M12 sport end links this should be a direct replacement. If not, then you will need the newer brackets #203-323-27-40.

NOTE: The molded on bushings have a "innie" bump on the rubber. The separate bushings for the older bars have an "outie" bump on the rubber. This is how you can tell them apart.

NOTE: If you have a non-sport model with the M10 end links (#203-320-28-89) and a non-lowered suspension, I wouldn't chance this until you've figured out how to attach the sway bar with M12 holes to your M10 end links. The M12 end links (#203-320-29-89) are a different length (shorter?) than the M10 due to the lowered suspension, so putting M12 end links on a non-lowered suspension may not be the best idea ...

Rear:
------

All C32/C55 from 2002-2006 have the same rear bar, #203-326-20-65, and bushings #203-326-08-81.

The C230 from 2002-2007 has four rear bars with part #s 203-326-12-65, 13-65, 14-65, and 15-65, and two bushing options #203-326-02-81 and 03-81. No mention of diameter except for the 02-81 bushing notes "at torsion bar 14mm" ... the problem is, this is the bushing specified for my car, and my bar measures 16mm ... hmmm. I did notice when pulling up C320s that there are additional bushing options 01-81 "at torsion bar 15mm" and 00-81 "at torsion bar 16mm", and the C320 Sport has the AMG part #s listed as an option ... a lot of varying bar sizes used on the non-AMG models. I wonder if EPC-net has the incorrect parts listed for my VIN -- based on my bar diameter I should have 00-81 bushings.

The bracketing and end links for the rear are the same for AMG as for non-sport, so as long as you buy the bar and two bushings together, you should be able to upgrade any w203 to the AMG sway bar in the rear. I have no idea what the diameter of this bar is ... some sources say 16mm, but my 2005 C230 has a stock 16mm bar on it right now in which case it would not be much of an upgrade. So maybe the AMG bar is a 17mm ...?

VVF

Great job man!

I am tempted to upgrade to the 23mm bar... Mine creaks pretty loud.

Do you know anything about A2033270090 - dust protection boot for the bushings on the front?
I guess these boots allow bushings to last a little longer.

BTW, just found this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/569066-post8.html

jkowtko

My buddy at the dealership parts dept pulled one out for me to look at. They said they've never seen them used and are phasing them out of inventory. We're in the SF Bay Area though ... maybe if you live in an area with snow/slush and have the separate bushings, they might be useful. With the molded on bushings there is no place for dirt to get in between bar and bushing anymore, so these are not needed.

VVF

Ok... I guess it would be useful to figure out how long these molded-in bushings last.
Do you remember when you started hearing them creek?

My car was manufactured in last quarter of 2004. I am not sure if the swaybar was replaced before. But I started hearing some creeking in winter 2011. From then on, it was only getting worse.

jkowtko

I purchased my car in Feb 2005. Probably started hearing them a couple years ago as well. I would give them 5 years ... anything after that and your ride quality is starting to suffer. So if you DIY, for the price, why wait?

Unfortunately this also includes almost the entire front suspension ... struts, strut mounts, control arms, end links. All of which I changed last year. The suspension feels almost like new.

I have yet to do anything with the steering rack or tie rods. I just spent the last year getting rid of steering shudder due to what may have been incorrect fluid used by my indy mechanic (before I started DIY'ing). There is a slight clunk in the steering ... I still have to chase that down to either an inner tie rod or slack somewhere in the pinion gear assembly (which means a new rack).

I am also starting to look at replacing rubber in the rear suspension -- however so far the rear seems pretty tight, especially after replacing shocks. Rear sway bars are the easiest to do, so I'm starting with them. Of course, I first have to figure out which bushings fit on my car ...!

Boom vang

not sure if I quite agree, last year I swapped both bars and the rear was the hardest to get in, need an geometry degree to get it in with the tight space esp with the car on jackstands. Also tightening the links is fiddly do to lack of accessiblity . Dropping the exhaust does make it easier but I wanted to avoid that. Fronts are a piece of cake and the easiest to do HOWEVER i would strongly recommend that the bolts on the brackets are longer so that you can back the end with a nut as the alum sub frame will probably strip while tightening or loosening as Alum and steel do not get along over time (galvanic corrossion). It is really easy to get to the ends of the bolts to put an MB non-loosening nut on top of the structure and place a box wrench so that you can get an accurate torque setting

jkowtko

Sorry, I meant that of the rear components to replace, the sway bars and control arms, the sway bar seems the easiest to do.

Javvy

So i bought the c32 thicker rear bar and have previsously gotten the lemforder c230 rear end links...will this work or does the end links need to be from the C32 as well???

Also while trying to remove the bolt of the bracket on the rear bar it kid of stripped on me and now spinning in the nut, what should I do, juts cut the protruding end and pull it out and replace it with a nut and bolt w/washer setup.....??? any one face this problem???
Any help is highly appreciated.

Thank You
Javvy

jkowtko

(sorry ... was waiting to see if others would respond re: the stripped bolt ...)

According to EPC-net the end links are the same on all W203s, AMG or not. so whatever you have or whatever you buy should work.

I have no great advice on the bolt other than what you would do with standard hardware. Since it's just a bracket, as long as the new bolt doesn't have sideways slack and can be torqued down the same as the original, I would think you would be fine. The front strut top bolt uses a regular washer (no lock washer) so maybe one isn't needed here. I would use loc-tite just to be on the safe side. Worst case your new bolt gives out, this isn't of critical importance for your suspension safety if it were to fail.

VVF

How do you torque the front end link nuts since you need to hold the center of the shaft?
I think I read somewhere but forgot where...

jkowtko

I hand tighten with a box wrench, then put on the torque wrench and test the torque. If the nut and bolt start to slip, then it's not at torque. Go back and tighten it a bit more by hand, then retest. It's iterative but you'll get there pretty quickly after only 2-3 tries. It's not critical that you have the exact torque -- these bolts are probably designed to carry 2x or more of the specified torque ... but you should be able to end up within 5 ft-lbs pretty accurately.

VVF

OK, got you! Thanks.
I am kinda trying to decide whether to install aftermarket urethane bushings or to 'just' replace the whole bar...

jkowtko

I'm the first one to try to save a buck here and there -- but I have to keep telling myself: this is a $30,000 car, so why put quality or wear at risk to save even a couple hundred dollars on parts that I will need to buy only once every several years?

If you're looking to try urethane bushings because you want the firmer feel, by all means sounds like a good plan. But if you're trying to save by purchasing $15 bushings instead of an $80 bar, I would just get the new bar and be done with it. You're already saving way more than that on labor costs.

VVF

BTW, how much did they give you for the old bar at the recycler's?

Well, for me it's a $12,000 car
Just the bushings - would save some money, + time.
Seems like everybody on this forum is a super experienced mechanic
"15 minutes for this job, half an hour for that job"
Apparently I need to multiply those time estimates by 5 to get the time it will take me to do the job

But I hear you on the cost savings, 80 vs probably 40 shipped...

jkowtko

Nothing ... it's just a place you can drop stuff off without getting charged a dump fee Since there are no bushings for this bar anymore I don't think it would sell on the used car parts market.

True ... it's kind of a double-edged sword. Someone right now has a Maserati for sale on Craigslist for $2500 ... would you buy it? Sounds like a great price, but what about parts and maintenance? Ugh ... For Mercedes the labor costs are sky high. Saving that in DIY in my mind justifies buying better replacement parts or replacing larger items -- assuming I plan to keep the car for a while. And I don't mind spending the time if the end result is that I know what's in the car and feel it's in better shape because of it.

That's probably accurate. I am just starting to go round 2 on repairs. The first time around took 4-5x from a combination of learning curve, paranoia of breaking anything, and cleaning the parts excessively. Kind of like your first child vs your last ... after a while things just seem to take less effort and go much more quickly. I can almost pull the radio out of the dash with my eyes closed

The key here is read, read, read. There are lots of DIYs with pictures and youtube videos for most operations. Go over it 3-4 times and get under the car a few times with a flashlight to inspect, before you attempt the repair. The goal is to become as familiar as possible with what you are about to do, before you do it. And make sure you get the right tools. Most are very inexpensive and be found easily online or at your local Sears.

c_benz_240

Hi All,

I have a 2002 C240 (elegance) with the original rear sway bar and I'm looking for new bushings. Can someone confirm the diameter of the bar so i can accurately purchase the prothane bushings from Summit Racing.

Thank-you

emem

USE FOLLOWING PARTS FOR S203 C200K(203245)

209-320-04-10 FRONT TORSION BAR(24MM)
203-320-29-89 ROD(M12)x2
913023-012002 NUT(M12)x2
209-326-01-65 REAR TORSION BAR(18MM)
203-326-12-81 REAR BAR BUSHING(18MM)

203-323-27-40 FRONT BRACKET(2003MY)x2
910105-008037 FRONT BRACKET BOLT(2003MY)x4