C230SportsCoupe

I've heard a few C32 owners have installed these - yet a search of this forum revealed little.

Could anyone that has installed these please comment. I know the ride will stiffen up, yet I have heard the durability and adjustability of these more than makes up for the loss of ride quality.

spr

I would also like to know if these fit a c55 and what the "kit" exactly is, whether different upper mounts or lower adjustable track bars etc. Thanks Sean

Fifth Ring

Google is your friend. (See link below.)

If you search this forum, I think there is some discussion of the product. You could also search AudiWorld. My recollection is that they perform as promised, but there are stories of premature failure of the KMac unit. Also, users reported that the top of the front tire would rub on the strut housing if you put in significant negative camber. It might require spacers if you want serious negative camber.

http://kmac.3x3des********/cms/cat.pdf

spr

It appears they are just eccentric bushings for the front and rear:

http://www.kmac.3x3des********/cms/in...d=30&Itemid=40

They're extremely pricy for what they are as well!!!

Fifth Ring

Haven't a few folks simply used washers to bump out the lower strut control arm? (I can't say I understand it, but I'm told it works).

C230SportsCoupe

I've gone very low, to the point camber bolts in the front don't help much. The rear wasn't so bad this year cause I left the car "raked" yet next year I want to slam it so I am starting off by trying to correct the camber as much as possible.

I wish there was a better way to fix the front camber since the K-mas front kit supposively sucks.

MARK CUMMINS

The REAR K Mac kit requires that the OE Rear LOWER control Arm bushings be pressed out and The Kmac Bushings Pressed in ..It Will NOT Affect the ride..
the rear springs must be removed to remove the lower a arms AND One Must have a press or Use a Bushing Press tool ..One comes with the kit...

Or Another option is to Install a set of Adjustable Camber bars..That replace the upper Arms on the Rear Suspension..this takes about 10 min
I have the Adjustable arms on my W210 and had them on my W203..they work Sweet..NO More rear camber problems!


For The front MB makes a OE Bolt (X4) aka Repair Bolt for front adjustment

MARK CUMMINS

Do a search on Upper adjustable Spring mounts..That will solve the problem

spr

Does someone make adjustable upper mounts then? As long as they don't wear out then that would be the ideal way to change the alignment in the front. It's insteresting that the KXXX just uses eccentric bushings that you press in and out. I wonder how they stay in that position however? I guess the sleeve is grooved to lock them in or something.

C230SportsCoupe

Searched this site - no luck. Care to point me in the right direction? Thanks!

C230SportsCoupe

Point taken. I would've gone with SpeedyBenz yet the lack of customer service, plus I need new rear bushings, plus I picked up the K-mas for virtuallt the same price as the SpeedyBenz arms (install will be 2-4x the cost, yet I need new bushings anyways) made my decision easy.

I'll write up a review when I get them. AFAIK the ride quality should change as the K-mas bushings have less give then the OEM MB bushings.

Zeppelin

Is this from experience? I heard from a member here that they shake your teeth loose. You are removing liquid filled bushings and replacing them with poly.

spr

Liquid filled?? Wierd!

speedybenz

Mark,

Did you get a package today? If not today you will have it Monday.

Jeff

CynCarvin32

The car I use at with a forum member at the track had front and rear k-mac bushings installed before our last track event. The car is more stable, has better tire wear for track use, feels more connected, and rides like a lumber wagon.

The factory parts are very soft (the two thrust arm bushigns from the factory up front are liquid filled) and allow for tons of bushing deflection. The k-mac parts are far firmer and work very well for those looking for added performance and road feel. If you just want to go back to stock camber in the rear after lowering the car and not mess with ride get a camber link from speedybenz and be happy. The K-mac parts are just to firm for some but perfect for what I like.

The front kit allows you to have up to 2.2 degrees of negative camber (up to 3 if you add washers to shim out the hub at the strut tube). This is what we wanted for the car as it has a life at the track but most do not want -3 degrees of camber. It may be slightly to much but we need to change the caster down from 12 degrees before we change the camber down to 2.2 again).

Pretty much just wanted to say that the front and rear kits DO firm the ride up and some would not like the car with the kit installed. Just a warning to people who like ride quality.

Zepplin was 100% correct.

CynCarvin32

THere are none for a W203 but I am working to change that. Still months away however.

Zeppelin

Carvin,

I now have perfect tire wear in the front with the 1 washer and the crash bolts. I'm not sure anything more than 1.5 - 2 degrees in the front is necessary. I actually had more wear on the inside of my right front at the last track event even though it was mostly right turns.. The left front showed perfect wear

Fifth Ring

I think we're talking about 2 different objectives. For a lowered car, the change in suspension geometry can make tires wear unevenly in street use, and you can correct it with washers/kmac. But if you're looking for balanced handling (less understeer) then you are using the same hardware to change geometry for track handling it might prolong tire life at the track, but not for the street.

Zeppelin

Actually at 1.5 degrees you will have no excessive tire wear on the street on the tires inside edges and on the track it is about perfect as well. Anyone trying to add more positive camber to the front because they lowered the car is just wasting their money. Maybe the rear could use some additional positive camber if the car is really slammed but in general the rear will wear just fine with no changes.

spr

what size tires and rims do you have with the 1 washer and crash bolts? I ask because I want to know how much it dialed out the understeer as I plan on doing the bolts. Thanks Sean

CynCarvin32

Thats true zepp but we drive the car a bit harder than you might. We use ESP off 100% of the time and flog the car around the corners from what looks to be a tad bit more speed. Every few miles an hour at the track in such a heavy car puts a lot more load on front tires. The BMW runs 3.5 degrees of neg camber but has less toe and less caster. 3 degrees normally is not to much for track use but I cant speak for sure since we have not solved the tire wear issue. Two track days from now we will know what the best solution is.

With less caster and a bit more body roll (to actually transfer load) the tires may have better wear. We shall see! Testing is part of the game =)

Streets of willow is a must soon. Bring the CRX!

CynCarvin32

The bolts alone do almost nothing for the driving dynamic. I had horrible tire wear on my C230k I just got rid of (daily Driver) and I never drove it very hard and it never went to the track. That car had bald outer tread blocks and great tire life everywhere else. That car had say 1.6 degrees of neg camber and no washter.

Ideal likely is what Zepp has for most track driving and anything you can do on the streets.

Good luck!

Zeppelin

Niether one will affect understeer to a degree that you will notice it. They are mainly to help with tire wear. If you do not have any tire wear on the outside edges of the fronts then don't bother with either.

Zeppelin

I fully agree that you guys push your car harder but mainly in the brake zones. I push mine through the corners as fast as it will go with the tires squeeling the whole way. When my C32 was stock I nearly corded a Pilot Sport on the outside left edge at WSIR. I now have 3 track days and 7k miles on this set and the front left has perfect wear and has nearly half the tread left. My custom rear swaybar is mostly to thank for that

AMGV6K

the focus on this topic seemed to be mainly on camber/caster

has anyone played with toe settings? is it negligible as far handling is concerned?