KW V3 w204 4matic Rear doesn't lower much

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May 25, 2013 | 02:14 PM
  #1  
Just recently installed KW v3 on a c350 4matic sedan, and noticed that the rear coils don't lower the car as much as I expected. The coils are bottomed out on the rear and it doesn't look much lower than stock. Has anyone experienced the same problem?
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May 26, 2013 | 07:37 PM
  #2  
Did you remember to remove the spring pads before installing the new spring and perch?
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May 27, 2013 | 12:18 AM
  #3  
I didn't do the install myself the shop did it for me. I thought the spring pads come out with the factory suspension since it was a full suspension swap....Am i right or could that be the problem? This wasn't just a spring swap. it was a full suspension swap.
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May 27, 2013 | 01:16 AM
  #4  
In a coiloverkit to the W204 you still use a traditional spring in the rear but the usually comes with a adjustable pad between body and spring.
If the stock spring pads arnt removed you will not get the low car your looking for. They dont always fall out when removing the stock spring.
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May 27, 2013 | 03:55 AM
  #5  
post pics!
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May 27, 2013 | 09:45 PM
  #6  
KW-V3 Instructions
Quote: In a coiloverkit to the W204 you still use a traditional spring in the rear but the usually comes with a adjustable pad between body and spring.
If the stock spring pads arnt removed you will not get the low car your looking for. They dont always fall out when removing the stock spring.
Correct. Do you know the spring rates? Some useful links:

General V3 info for W204:

http://www.kw-store.com/products/kw-...it-v3-101.html

Install Instructions:

http://www.kw-store.com/extras/docs/...ah68625028.pdf

Instructs to remove the rear pad.
.
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May 27, 2013 | 11:37 PM
  #7  
here's a side picture to show the car height. The rear suspensions are literally bottomed out and only at this height. The front can be dropped another 1-1.5cm from what the garage said. I'm gonna go through the factory parts and see if the spring pads were removed. Anything else that you guys can inform me of

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May 28, 2013 | 01:31 PM
  #8  
These CO's should NOT fit up front !!!
Quote: here's a side picture to show the car height. The rear suspensions are literally bottomed out and only at this height. The front can be dropped another 1-1.5cm from what the garage said. I'm gonna go through the factory parts and see if the spring pads were removed. Anything else that you guys can inform me of
Check the install instructions link I provided. They provide the minimum possible drops, based on a front and rear "B" dimension, measured from the center of the wheel to the fender edge. Check it vs yours.

Setting the drop on the rear is straight forward. The top of the rear spring is captured in a recessed seat that keeps the top of the spring centered. So the springs don't get loose at full droop when height is set to minimum.

Setting the front height requires tightening the spanner nut until there is just a little preload on the flat coiled helper spring.


What BUGS me is that you have a 4MATIC and KW-V3 does not list 4MATIC springs for your car. Do you have any part numbers?
.

.
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May 28, 2013 | 03:55 PM
  #9  
3k down the drain bro.... send them back theres no noticeable drop.
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May 29, 2013 | 01:53 AM
  #10  
likely not KW's
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May 29, 2013 | 02:24 AM
  #11  
wow.. (((( it barely looks dropped (((v
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May 29, 2013 | 11:45 AM
  #12  
Quote: Check the install instructions link I provided. They provide the minimum possible drops, based on a front and rear "B" dimension, measured from the center of the wheel to the fender edge. Check it vs yours.

Setting the drop on the rear is straight forward. The top of the rear spring is captured in a recessed seat that keeps the top of the spring centered. So the springs don't get loose at full droop when height is set to minimum.

Setting the front height requires tightening the spanner nut until there is just a little preload on the flat coiled helper spring.


What BUGS me is that you have a 4MATIC and KW-V3 does not list 4MATIC springs for your car. Do you have any part numbers?
.

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Should of hooked him up with your setup
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May 29, 2013 | 12:43 PM
  #13  
Unfortunately, he did not generally seek advice, from what I saw. He still needs to check if the top spacer was removed. Based on the rear Motion Ratio, that could be his problem, but I still doubt he has V3's up front.

Perhaps you could have figured out the proper "B" dimension for the rear, that was in the instructions I found for the OP?

.
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Jul 23, 2013 | 09:07 AM
  #14  
Hey guys sorry for the late reply been busy with work...So here's the update so far.

The car has settled a noticeable amount and kevink2 they are the KW V3s I looked over all the parts prior to installation. The KW V3 website doesn't show the v3s for the c350 but the c300 4matic is there online. That's the one that was ordered. Heres the details from KW website.

KW Coilover Kit V3
KW Coilover Kit V3 Mercedes W204 4matic
Part #: 35225036
Front Lowering: 0.8" to 1.5"
Rear Lowering: 0.2" to 1.4"

I've taken it by some garages to see if the coils can be lowered anymore but they say that the front is bottomed out and the back they can't see unless they can't really tell unless they pull out the suspension. Slowc definitely right 3k down the drain if this is the lowest i can go!!

Kevink2 I know you've been telling me to check the top spacers but how do i check that, all the shops are saying that everything has been installed correctly. My last resort might just be to take it to a shop and pull the suspension out and re install them fresh again. Any other ideas?? I'll post updated pictures soon.
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Jul 23, 2013 | 09:28 AM
  #15  
Unfortunately I think you need a shop to pull the rear suspension to make sure the spring pads were removed. As for the front, if they are spun all the way down then there's no fixing that unless you buy a shorter spring set which will most likely make the ride too stiff for your liking. If it were me I would take everything out and get a refund.
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Jul 23, 2013 | 09:30 AM
  #16  
Are you sure the idiots that installed those don't have the lock collars spun the wrong way? It looks like that's max high not max low. Stranger things have happened! Jack up the front and take a look at where the collar is.
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Jul 23, 2013 | 09:36 AM
  #17  
Any shops you guys can recommend in toronto/markham/scarborough ontario area? I got these installed at speedstar in markham.
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Jul 23, 2013 | 10:54 AM
  #18  
Just called speedstar, and the guy i was dealing with says the coil overs can only be installed one way, if they were installed incorrectly they wouldn't be seated correctly. I told him I wanted to return it and because of the time that I've had it unfortunately I can't. So i guess my only other option is to go with shorter springs....But I will take it to another shop and get them re installed to see if anything changes. Any suggestions on shops??
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Jul 23, 2013 | 11:36 AM
  #19  








Hey guys heres the pictures of the stock suspensions that were taken out of the car..maybe this will help get more information
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