Stuka Bomber

Planning to install a set of H&R lowering springs on my 07 c280 4matic soon and was doing all of my research now so there are no surprises.

I find many threads stating I'll need the the adjustable front camber/ caster bolts from MB (A 000 330 00 18) and that the DIY rear camber arms will also be needed. Is this in fact true for the 4matic drive-line? Or is this a RWD set of requirements?

For $85 to make the rear adjustable arms and the front adjustable camber bolts its reasonable to invest in these parts. If I need them.

Trying to make the post spring alignment as pain-free as possible.

Also, is a spring install something worth having the dealership perform? Are MB dealers open to these types of installs? I see here in the forums that many dealers out in cali actually will do the install and an alignment for $275. Considering the alignment is $150 at my dealer, I wouldn't mind spending the $125 for them to do the springs as well. Is it really a 1 hour job as some forum members claim? When I did a spring install on my last audi quattro it was a 4 hour job. I assumed the 4matic rear was just as painful as the audi. But on the audi the entire rear control arms/ hub/ axles had to be removed for the spring install. It appears as if the 4matic rear is different.

Thanks guys!

TruTaing

Springs will not lower you so much that you NEED the camber adjustments.

The reason a lot of people say you NEED it is, cuz their tires get eaten alive by poor alignment (particularly POSITIVE TOE settings via lowering). With just springs, your factory adjustments should be sufficient. GET AN ALIGNMENT after you change any suspension parts!

You dont need the dealer to do it. There are plenty of DIY's on these forums and you dont need to remove the axle to replace the springs/struts on w203s, but if you've installed suspension before, I feel like the w203 is very straight forward. Everything is held together w/ bolts (unlike VW/Audis) that use pinches to hold struts, etc..

If you live in the states, you can bring you car to firestone and purchase the lifetime alignment. This means, as long as you own the car and its the same VIN, they will realign your car whenever you want. It costs under 200 and is pretty accessible.

Note: I thought the rear suspension was easier to change than the front.

Search the DIY threads! Post up a DIY after you're done w/ the front for future 4matic owners also

Good luck!

Stuka Bomber

^ funny you mention firestone. I actually use them a lot for small stuff and tires as my local manager price matches tire rack for me.

I asked them about a lifetime warranty and they told me that the mercedes requires special tools to perform the alignment and that they can't do it. Is that bull****? Should I make them get under my car and point out all the "special" bolt heads that they can't adjust?

I have $165 lifetime warranties on all my cars from them, while it's on the rack i make them grease the suspension and then rotate all the tires for free as I have a credit card with them. I get the impression they just don't want to deal with me so they are telling me they cannot do an alignment on it.

I'll definetly do a DIY on the install, just didn't know is merc was any different than the other basic suspension setups I've encountered.

So there is zero to very little benefit to adjustable camber bolts up front and camber links in the rear with a 1.5" drop all around then?

Thanks!

K-Mac

OTHER ALTERNATIVE TO CONSTANT PREMATURE TIRE REPLACEMENT IS TO FIX IT RIGHT ONCE AND FOR ALL WITH K-MAC

*Special promotional offer free Fedex delivery (USA/Canada MB World Members) until 31st March 2014


Ex-factory there is only front and rear Toe adjustment for virtually all Mercedes 1968 to current models (and same with Chrysler Crossfire and 300C etc).

We saw the need for owners to be able to return vehicle to factory specs and were the very first company to manufacture precisely adjustable front Camber and Caster bushing kits with twice the adjustment range of the basic one setting offset bolts.

Then for the rear, K-MAC Camber adjuster kits, which have the advantage (unlike upper adjustable arms/DIY kits) of not moving the top of the tire outwards when adjusting to resolve premature inner edge wear - which is an important factor to prevent tires scuffing outer fenders if wide profile tires/rims fitted.

Another advantage with K-MAC rear kits (unlike spherical bearings used in these upper arm kits that prematurely pound out resulting in harsh metal to metal contact) - there's 20 years of proven design and certainly no squeaks.

Also all K-MAC rear Camber adjusters include extra Toe adjustment which is essential to compensate accurately for the new Camber facility! These specially designed Toe bushes also eliminate the unwanted flex of the soft composition and air voids of the OEM bushes further improving handling responsiveness when cornering or lane changing.

The K-MAC patented design front kits replace the 4 main suspension bushes - the unique 2 axis/self aligning design also doubles the load bearing area thereby increasing wear life and also steering and braking response.

Similar design is used for the 4 main rear K-MAC bushings.

Result is precise single wrench front and rear (ongoing) adjustment to importantly return vehicle to factory specs to improve traction, compensate for steering pull, costly inner edge tire wear through altering height, fitting wide profile tires, load carrying, curb-knock damage and/or the advantage of being able to alter specs, improve lap times on track days and with genuine K-MAC you also do not need to purchase special fitting tools.

Product confidence with K-MAC is further assured by our total, ongoing commitment to motor racing - all out 10/10th competition testing keeps K-MAC products always at the forefront re cutting edge technology, proven strength and durability.

Stuka Bomber

^But are the front and rear K-mac kits necessary for a 1.5" drop?

Also, I can't seem to find any prices for the front and rear kits for a 203 4matic. I see the shipping for the front and rear kits would run me $80 though.

TruTaing

Stuka,

Firestone can do you car. I have seen them pull up the w203 info on their networked computer system of how to adjust my car. So, they do have the info on how to adjust your car and no special tools were required at all.

As K-Mac posted, there is OEM front and rear toe adjustments. I believe these OEM adjusters are sufficient for a moderately lowered car on H&R springs. Lowering the car WILL create some negative camber, but it'll create unwanted toe that will DEVOUR your tires way faster than the induced camber. Just have the toe aligned out and you'll be fine.

I dont believe our cars benefit sufficiently from additional camber adjustments up front. I have -2 deg up front and my front tires last a good long while.

I dont believe you will need additional camber adjustments for the rear if you're just on H&R springs. If you decide to go lower, or you get off the alignment rack and find that your rear camber is pretty negative, then consider a camber solution for the rear.

K-Mac

Obvious best to await outcome re inner edge tire wear after the 1.5" drop!

Over the years many owners advise of costly, premature tire wear - and not lowered. But this would be because of curb knock damage or fitting wide profile tires.

As per our catalog front and rear kits 203 and 203 4matic are same.

Re freight - see our above thread re promotional offer for March where we offer free Fedex delivery!

xijonix

I've got a 2004 C240 4Matic chassis (non stock engine tranny), last summer I just got the H&R springs installed by a buddy of mine cost me $200 for the install and he did it quick in his garage.

Super simple to remove the rear coils, all we did was remove one bolt to drop the lower control arm from the inner side of the arm to the vehicle. The arm drops and the spring falls out simple. (Used a jack to allow less stress on bolt and easy drop of the arm).

Front was also super simple three bolts from top, remove sway bar link, and two bolts holding the strut to the hub. Remove the entire strut, only difficult part on the entire procedure is removing the top of the strut cap, make sure a spring compressor is used, it helps to losen the middle strut but a bit while its still attached to the vehicle.

All in all no camber or castor anything were needed, no wheel alignment was needed, I've driven the car since more than six months and its perfectly aligned.

I only installed rear camber arms to angle the rear wheel in for the track. Also because of rear fender rubbing due to the wide rims even with a fender roll and pull it still rubbed so solution is angling it in my case, however the inner wear with rear camber in use is very unnoticeable. Sadly with the drop I have less wear than stock with my winter tires than the year before w/o the drop and rear camber arms.

Tires Used Daily:
F: 225/40/18
R: 255/35/18

Good luck! It wouldn't take long. Attached is a image of my car after the drop with the H&R springs w/o rear camber arm.

Sorry about the bad grammar, I typed this up quick before a meeting.

mtnman82

I have the standard staggered setup with stock tire sizes (225 f, 245 r). My car is a 2003, so it sat higher than the next several years when stock. I put in the H&R springs which lowered a bit more than an inch. Had it aligned, but is still eating tires. Inside edges. My alignment guy is a personal friend I trust and says everything is in spec. I'm wondering if there's something wacky (and needs fixing) going on with the geometry when turning?? And maybe the K-Mac kit would help correct??

BTW, I HAD to put a rear kit on after lowering. No way around it without eating tires.

K-Mac

K-MAC Front kit for your C230K provides Camber and Caster adjustment. while rear kit Camber and extra Toe adjustment. Both for the first time. See pictures below of these Front (#502216 K) and Rear (#502026 H) kits.

The K-Mac patented design allows precise (single wrench) ongoing adjustment capability. Twice the load bearing area with improved brake and steering response.

Stuka Bomber

Looks great man!

Took the car to the alignment shop. All out of wack in the rear left and front right. The camber is so bad that the factory specs cannot be obtained with the factory camber equipment.

About to order the parts for the rear adjustable camber arms, was looking to definetly verify that the 4matics DO have the 12" factory rear arms. So you say that the w203 4matic positively does control the rear camber by those same 2wd rea camber arms?

Thanks!