Suspension/Engine
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From: Germany
2011 C 350/ 2006 MKV GTI
Suspension/Engine
Is anyone running a good suspension setup?. i continue to see posts about rear diffusers and rims but no suspension mods. i also havent seen many post about engine mods either. i havent seen any post about intakes, pulley, manifolds or anything. i dont want to be a black sheep in the Mercedes world, i would really like to know what these engines can do.
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Sportstick has some new Enkei sway bars installed and it sounds like he is pretty well in love with them. Admittedly, there are not many posts about suspension work other than drops and larger wheel/tire combos so try a search and see what you can dig up.
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From: California
MB W204/W212, BMW E66, Porsche 958, VW MK6 TDI, Maserati Ghibli SQ4
I'm running Eibach sway bars, MB Arts strut brace, and H&R coilovers for my suspension setup. Makes doing mountain twisties run feel like I'm riding on rails. 
I was thinking of getting the MB Arts adjustable camber arms put on, but after some testing, I'm putting good rubber to road with no cambering.
Regarding intake, some are running those short ram setup, but without the proper heat shielding (and putting a metal case over the cone filter I don't consider proper), waste in effort. Best option right now is to run high flow filters like BMC F1 or even K&N.
I was thinking of getting the MB Arts adjustable camber arms put on, but after some testing, I'm putting good rubber to road with no cambering. Regarding intake, some are running those short ram setup, but without the proper heat shielding (and putting a metal case over the cone filter I don't consider proper), waste in effort. Best option right now is to run high flow filters like BMC F1 or even K&N.
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2008 E350
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Another round of ICE
I say "noticeably" as the thicker bar will want to get a wheel through jounce/rebound faster, which could cause more harshness, but I do not detect it. I did this mod purely for dynamic improvement...no drop on my car, and I don't intend to do one. I recommend the Eibach bars without reservation once they are installed, but the rear bar install is about 3 hours, with exhaust, brake, and rear subframe drop. Front bar is quick and easy.
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'20 Targa 4 DD, ' 18 Volvo S60 T6
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'17 GTR, '17 GLC43, '14 Panigale 899, '20 V4
Actually, I have front and rear Eibach bars, and, yeah, it's love. Significantly improved roll resistance, handling, and steering response without noticeably deteriorating ride comfort. This bar spec could/should have been OE.
I say "noticeably" as the thicker bar will want to get a wheel through jounce/rebound faster, which could cause more harshness, but I do not detect it. I did this mod purely for dynamic improvement...no drop on my car, and I don't intend to do one. I recommend the Eibach bars without reservation once they are installed, but the rear bar install is about 3 hours, with exhaust, brake, and rear subframe drop. Front bar is quick and easy.
I say "noticeably" as the thicker bar will want to get a wheel through jounce/rebound faster, which could cause more harshness, but I do not detect it. I did this mod purely for dynamic improvement...no drop on my car, and I don't intend to do one. I recommend the Eibach bars without reservation once they are installed, but the rear bar install is about 3 hours, with exhaust, brake, and rear subframe drop. Front bar is quick and easy.
Last edited by mr inkredibul; Nov 12, 2010 at 05:20 PM.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
I hear you, but would personally, as I have done, do the reverse. The antisway bars provide a better ratio of handling improvement-to-ride quality maintenance than does changing the springs. Your point about reduced suspension motion is correct, but with OE springs and Eibach bars, the deterioration is not apparent, based on my scientific research of one butt in one seat! Given the significant degree of improvement from the bars, I am not going to do the springs.
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From: Midwest, US
'17 GTR, '17 GLC43, '14 Panigale 899, '20 V4
I hear you, but would personally, as I have done, do the reverse. The antisway bars provide a better ratio of handling improvement-to-ride quality maintenance than does changing the springs. Your point about reduced suspension motion is correct, but with OE springs and Eibach bars, the deterioration is not apparent, based on my scientific research of one butt in one seat! Given the significant degree of improvement from the bars, I am not going to do the springs.
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From: Germany
2011 C 350/ 2006 MKV GTI
sweet! thanks for the info guys, well i guess i will convert my car into all show then which is ok!!. thanks guys for sharing such great and detailed info, mercedes owners are a force of their own.
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From: Acapulco Mexico
2010 C300 Sport
@Samieee: Thank you for your INFANTILE answer. My exotic 200 MPH V12 has a fantastic suspension which is firm, but absorbs road surface irregularities, is calm and stable in high speed curves, and the Luxury W204 suspension is more similar to this ideal setup in its feel and character.
This is a thread about suspensions and engines, so repeating the previous post in the hopes of a more MATURE response from a more knowledgeable contributor:
Wonder if anyone has ever changed the stock MB Sport setup for Luxury?
This is a thread about suspensions and engines, so repeating the previous post in the hopes of a more MATURE response from a more knowledgeable contributor:
Wonder if anyone has ever changed the stock MB Sport setup for Luxury?
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From: SFV CA
2008 Black Out C350 Saks Edition / 87 VW GTI
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From: Acapulco Mexico
2010 C300 Sport
@tanktube67: Yes, they are the 17" AMG 6-spoke rims and Michelin Primacy tires (which according to TireRack, are about as good as they get for the W204). One wonders if I should get 16" rims? The Luxury setup is distinct from the Sport, maybe there is a way to change the software on the ESP? I had driven the Luxury in the US, and was the only test drive before purchasing the Sport in Mexico. Very different. Thanks for your post.
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From: Southeast
2008 C300 Sport, RWD, US
[QUOTE=Acapulco Bill;4349867
Wonder if anyone has ever changed the stock MB Sport setup for Luxury?[/QUOTE]
I looked into it and was told that it wasn't doable...which loosely translates that they don't want to take the risk of buying all these parts and still not working out.
I was able to improve my ride a little bit by running my tire pressure at 27.5 fronts and 31.5 rears. This is with one person and an empty trunk. Heavier loads would require higher tire pressure especially in the rear.
I also found that when I replaced the rear tires with the same model, the car road better. Later learned from this forum that the OEM tires actually have a harder rubber compound to get betting gas milage figures. The replacements of the same model aren't as hard.
Now I'm not telling you that its going to have a luxury ride...but it is tolerable. On some days the ride was so hard that I seriously considered replacing it. This is on a 2008 C300. I think the ride was improved on the 2009 on up.
Wonder if anyone has ever changed the stock MB Sport setup for Luxury?[/QUOTE]
I looked into it and was told that it wasn't doable...which loosely translates that they don't want to take the risk of buying all these parts and still not working out.
I was able to improve my ride a little bit by running my tire pressure at 27.5 fronts and 31.5 rears. This is with one person and an empty trunk. Heavier loads would require higher tire pressure especially in the rear.
I also found that when I replaced the rear tires with the same model, the car road better. Later learned from this forum that the OEM tires actually have a harder rubber compound to get betting gas milage figures. The replacements of the same model aren't as hard.
Now I'm not telling you that its going to have a luxury ride...but it is tolerable. On some days the ride was so hard that I seriously considered replacing it. This is on a 2008 C300. I think the ride was improved on the 2009 on up.
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From: Acapulco Mexico
2010 C300 Sport
@JimPap: Thanks for your post. Unfortunately about half of the expense of maintaining automobiles with large rims are the constant tire replacements from running into tremendous potholes, rocks on the toll road (where there is a death per day just on a 100 mile stretch, either running into a rock and going over the cliff, or running into the cliff), stolen manhole covers, and junk in the street in general. Reducing tire pressure, a great suggestion in the US and especially in the Southeast where the highways dont receive a lot of frost damage, is not an option. All of my (so far) 30 cars in Mexico have always been run at 4 psi above normal, just to prevent the offending obstacle from reaching the rim. The C300 is the first car with tires infalated strictly the book. A friend had to replace 6 run-flat tires on his BMW in 10 weeks.
It is true about hard rubber for better initial MPG. Fortunately Mercedes Benz of Mexico specifies to a single standard (no winters here, not since the last Ice Age anyway). This is a good thing - a similar equipped C class in the US costs far more. The downside are NO USER SELECTABLE OPTIONS, the car comes as ordered in bulk and they are all the same for a model and style.
The W204 Sport isnt a bad ride, it just never lets you relax like a Merc supposedly should.
It is true about hard rubber for better initial MPG. Fortunately Mercedes Benz of Mexico specifies to a single standard (no winters here, not since the last Ice Age anyway). This is a good thing - a similar equipped C class in the US costs far more. The downside are NO USER SELECTABLE OPTIONS, the car comes as ordered in bulk and they are all the same for a model and style.
The W204 Sport isnt a bad ride, it just never lets you relax like a Merc supposedly should.
