Sport Sedan Suspension
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2005 C230 Sport Sedan
Sport Sedan Suspension
Pretty basic question. Do Sport Sedans come factory lowered compared to other stock 203's? I know SS come with the AMG body but I have know nothing about the stock suspension.
I only ask because the previous owner did a whole bunch of strange things to the car, which I'm trying to identify before summer comes and I do more work on it.
I only ask because the previous owner did a whole bunch of strange things to the car, which I'm trying to identify before summer comes and I do more work on it.
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06 C230 SS 6spd
they come lower hence the "sport" name on them.
The springs are lower than C32 and other models and have a shorter struts/shock as well if I remember right, plus the rear spring pads are #1 or 2 compared to the #3 or 4 most have.
The springs are lower than C32 and other models and have a shorter struts/shock as well if I remember right, plus the rear spring pads are #1 or 2 compared to the #3 or 4 most have.
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2005 c230 kompressor 2003 s500 94 wrangler
its almost the same suspension (u can use c230 parts on a c55 and vice versa) as the C55.
4 links in front. 5 links in back.
2 macphearson struts in front and only 2 shocks in back.
4 links in front. 5 links in back.
2 macphearson struts in front and only 2 shocks in back.
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2005 C230 Sport Sedan
Cool, thanks for the input guys. Can anyone identify what would cause my steering wheel to pull? Also my steering wheel wobbles at highway speeds. (I don't ever really go on the highway) I'm hoping it's just a bent wheel.
#7
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A slight pull to the right seems par for the course on the SS. My 2005 did it the whole time I owned it. As for a highway shake, like phister said, possibly need a tire balance. If that doesn't work, you may have a bent rim.
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#9
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I'm curious to know how bad your pull is. Find an empty road and drive on the left side of it. Does it still pull to the right? Is it now straight? Or now drifting to the left? My car has a slight drift to the right, but on level or left-banked roads it will drift just a bit to the left. When I drive on the freeway I have to keep a couple of fingers on a spoke of the left side of the steering wheel and apply a little pressure to keep the car straight. it's not much pressure -- almost just the weight of my hand and forearm as I rest my elbow on the door armrest.
Also, if your tires are getting worn, sometimes just bad wear patterns in the tread can make your alignment feel bad and your braking squirly. A new set of tires often solve the majority of what you thought were suspension problems ..
Last edited by jkowtko; 04-23-2013 at 06:29 PM.
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06 C230 SS 6spd
most shops should have MB specs for alignment. I know the caster and toe is different from the left to right side of the road to accommodate the roads here.
heres an old thread about the alignment specs
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ent-specs.html
heres an old thread about the alignment specs
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ent-specs.html
#12
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Actually you did drive a W203 with the problem.. mine. It's something about the suspension on them, they pull slightly to the right. It's normal from what I can tell. Actually "pulling" isn't the right term. If you let go of the wheel it would drift right. As long as you were actively driving with one or both hands on the wheel it wasn't noticeable to me.
#13
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I don't know that they necessarily pull to the right ... it may also be that they don't have very strong centering on them. This might be done for performance reasons, i.e. having the tires fight for center position = more drag?
I do know that the alignment is very sensitive. When I made my alignment adjustments a 1/4 turn on a tie rod end made a noticable difference in tracking.
I also have a slight amount of play in my steering rack, a slight "clunk" when I turn the wheel hard one way or another. I have noticed when the gear is "clunked" into one position the car pulls a bit to the right, and in the other position it tracks straight. From what I can tell the play in there is less than a millimeter. Very sensitive to geometry changes.
Also, check your sway bar bushings -- the ones that mount to the chassis. I just changed mine (i.e. changed the entire sway bar with the molded on bushings), the old bushings were compressed hard and were likely giving a bit ... can't say for sure but it seems like it made a difference on tracking.
I do know that the alignment is very sensitive. When I made my alignment adjustments a 1/4 turn on a tie rod end made a noticable difference in tracking.
I also have a slight amount of play in my steering rack, a slight "clunk" when I turn the wheel hard one way or another. I have noticed when the gear is "clunked" into one position the car pulls a bit to the right, and in the other position it tracks straight. From what I can tell the play in there is less than a millimeter. Very sensitive to geometry changes.
Also, check your sway bar bushings -- the ones that mount to the chassis. I just changed mine (i.e. changed the entire sway bar with the molded on bushings), the old bushings were compressed hard and were likely giving a bit ... can't say for sure but it seems like it made a difference on tracking.