ronnie0738

Any have the installation guide for the carlsson coilovers for w203? I called carlsson usa, but they dont have them electronically.

Prasith32

Hey ronnie,

My dealer has my instructions and I am supposed to pick it up from him next week.

I will fax it to you if you no-one else can help you by then.

PM me your fax number and I can fax you next weekend.

Otherwise you may want to ask Harris or smgc32. I know they both have the same suspension.

Prasith

ronnie0738

Thanks a bunch. I need to check my installer's install. The front is making some noise when I go up driveways. I think I need a washer between my spring and collar. As for the rear installation procedure, how do you attach the threaded collar to the lower suspension arm? If you just sit it in there, I would think it would slide around. He installed it upside down (although he's not convinced) so it makes lots of noise in the rear.

smgC32

Who did your install? Any competent mechanic or owner who is handy with tools can install the suspension without the instruciton. The rear threaded stalk is supplied with a bolt, two washers, and a nut to secure it to the rear lower control arm. Since you bought this used, maybe the previous owner did not supply you with the required parts and that is what is confusing your installer. Just use your own parts to secure it to the lower arm. The noise in front is a little strange and is no way associated with the lack of the little blue plastic washer that sits between the collar and the spring at the bottom. Maybe your installer did not seat the front spring properly into the upper bearing assembly. It must be rotated correctly, just as the stock components to fit properly as there is an asymetrical molding to fit the coil of the spring at the top. good luck.

ronnie0738

How does the bolt/nut attach to the stalk? I'm just trying to visualize how it would be placed.

As for the fronts, I'll have him check the fit. It only happens when I turn slowly (i.e. into a parking space) or going up driveways.

smgC32

The washer on the inside is the same ID as the threaded stalk, thereby securing it tightly to the control arm. Do you have washers, bolts, nuts that were provided? Do a search. Once of us has posted a picture of the rear. I will try to look one up.

smgC32

Here are the parts for the rear adjusters:

smgC32

Here is the stock rear and the Carlsson rear view:

smgC32

Here is the stock front and Carlsson front view:

ronnie0738

Thank you so much for your help and for the pics, this clears up my confusion. I did NOT get all the parts necessary from the person I bought it from. I have the threaded collar only (the two black pieces) - no bolts, washers, etc. That is why there's no way to secure it on the lower arm!!!!

BlackC230Coupe

Missing parts? i am glad you kept offering more so i was not stuck with them! That really sucks! i would be pissed if it had missing parts!

rrf

Aren't these the rare, old-school "non"-adjustable Carlssons that have been bought and sold a few times over the last year or so?

Carlsson blowout at Tire Rack > Kwik > Tom Incredible > you?

BlackC230Coupe

These were from Tom.

tom incredibie

these were from me. i did not get them from kwik. it was another owner. i myself never got around to installing these on my car. i sent him everything that i recieved from the original owner, so its news to me. hopefully we can resolve this. i'll call carlsson first thing monday to confirm. and yes it is the first version.

KWiK

Those look like the current model to me... notice the adjusting knob on the rear shock... also, the front spring has fewer coils than the "old-school" model...

rrf

Kwik, thx, that is what I was trying to clarify, Steve, (SMGC32) posted pics of the new version, but the units with the mounting problem are the older style ones. Maybe you can say if the rear mounting is the same for the old as Steve's pics show.

smgC32

All the pics are from my Carlsson RS kit that is the current offering from Carlsson NA based on the Bilstein PSS-9's. I was the first USA customer to order a set from Germany in October of 2003. I am unaware that Carlsson made a first generation of coilovers based on the Bilstein platform. I am aware of a previous spring/shock combo titled "RS" suspension that can be found on their website or Oberklasse's, but don't believe there were any provisions for coilover adjustment in that kit.

You need the custom CNC center "washer" to secure the unit properly. This cannot be bought anywhere but must be supplied by Carlsson. As these are not stocked parts, they will need to come from Germany. As the kit was not sold new, you are at their mercy. Fortunately, Richard is a very nice guy and should try to help you out through the USA channel. Expect to pay a nice price for this piece.

If you want to return your incomplete kit, I will sell you mine with all the proper pieces for only $1,500.00. My race Koni's are in the works...

Good luck. Forums like this exist to help out other enthusiasts in need of information.

ronnie0738

yes, it is the first generation "non-adjustable" kind.

Thanks for the support guys. Hopefully, Tom & I can solve this issue quickly.

Thanks for the offer smgc32, I will keep that in mind. Do have a phone number for Richard?

smgC32

All the contacts you need are listed on the web site for Carlsson.

What do we know about these first generation coilovers? Who made the struts/shocks? Are there manufacturer markings on the body? The springs? What is the valving? The spring rates? Are the rear adjusters the same style? Are the front springs progressively wound? Are the threads on the front strut turned directly on the body or are they a sleeve over design?

I don't know what is on the rear of the car, but until you get the proper parts, just run the rear Carlsson spring like the stock spring with pads and delete the adjustable stalk for now. The ride height will be close enough for now.

The prior pictures and description of the Carlsson RS suspension that I saw indicated that this system was a stock strut body and rear shock revalved with different spring rates applied to stock spring shapes. I was not aware of a first generation coilover design as it was never shown on Carlsson's website.

smgC32

Now I know what you are talking about. These are the first run units based on their prototype development units. Go to carlsson.de website and they have a picture. They have not redone their web pics yet to show the Bilsteins, but they do have private pics of the kit which I have seen and look just like my kit. There is a difference in the front spring coil count. My system has two less coils in front, and it appears that the rear spring coil count is the same. The adjusters in that pic show a much different spring perch design than what I have. I do not know how to attach them since the picture does not show all the components, but it is definately a shorter stalk than what I have. It is quite possible that you install it in the upper position. Check with someone who has the H&R coilovers. I have read that people have put them in both the upper and lower locations. The pictured strut bodies look like they are custom made and not out of a Bilstein, Koni, or Sachs catologue. They may have bought inserts for their own strut body, and there is nothing wrong with that. I did not know that you could purchase the first generation coilover kit. What did it cost new? Same thing happened when I bought my Racing Dynamics coilover kit for the E36. The prototype design was used for the pictures, but never sold retail. They developed they own in house design for fitment and tuning work, then when out to market to produce them in quantity from Bilstein. Are there part numbers etched on the strut and shock bodies? I am very interested in this story.

KWiK

No, the adjustable rear mounts for the "old-school" kits went on top of the spring and could not be adjusted while in place. They had to be removed to be adjusted...

The "old-school" struts/shocks were marked "KW" and "Al-Ko"

The "old-school" front springs had a few more coils

smgC32

Great pics! What a find. Well, now the mystery is revealed. It would make perfect sense for Carlsson who was entering the coilover market to look towards KW down the road in Germany to joint venture the design. I wonder if this first run RS suspension is very similar to KW's own V1 system? It sure does explain the variation in strut body design. I would bet that KW could even supply additional information on this special kit. It may even become a collector piece! These were never sold in the USA would be my bet, as the Bilstein units were the first coilovers for Carlsson North America to import in December of 2003. Any other units found here were brought in through other indirect channels. This thread is kind of like finding a lost treasure!

KWiK

Actually, you could buy these through TireRack back when they were the Carlsson importer.

smgC32

You learn something new every day.

ronnie0738

wow, thanks for all the information guys & nice pics kwik. You guys awesome!

I had my installer take a look at the rear and we took the adjustable collar out and put the stock spring pads in. Not much difference in height. We put some plastic tubing in the front springs and that removed the noise coming from the front.

However, we spent hours on the rear trying to figure out where the noise is coming from. It sounds like metal-metal contact, as if the shock rod isn't tightly bolted down on the rubber bushing. We took it out, re-assembled it and tightened it repeatedly, but the noise still persists. Is this a known issue with the rear KW struts? Is a washer hiting something?