best suspension setup?
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best suspension setup?
im comin from a M3 lowered 2.5inches w/ coilovers....... i want a set up where the 18/19in wheels fill up all the arch, what kinda setup am i looking for??? is there any available swaybars for this thing?
tia
tia
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: NorCal
'99 C43, '12 C63, '13 E350, '14 Sprinter
I'd say 2.5" is a bot extreme for a C43 unless you want the wheels tucked. In addition to the springs, of which there are numerous brands, there is the spring pad which adjusts ride height by up to 24mm if I recall correctly.
There's a ton of detail in here about lowering and spring/shock combos. The adjustable shocks are a great investment as is a good spring compressor if you are serious about finding the right combination for yourself
I'm tweaking the E430 right now and have been through three sets of spring pads just trying to fine tune the ride height. Without the compressor I'd have spent hundreds at the shop.
Here's a great thread with pics of some of the setups: https://mbworld.org/forums/c36-amg-c43-amg-w202/81893-c43-vogtland-springs-carlsson-1-5-a.html
There's a ton of detail in here about lowering and spring/shock combos. The adjustable shocks are a great investment as is a good spring compressor if you are serious about finding the right combination for yourself
I'm tweaking the E430 right now and have been through three sets of spring pads just trying to fine tune the ride height. Without the compressor I'd have spent hundreds at the shop.Here's a great thread with pics of some of the setups: https://mbworld.org/forums/c36-amg-c43-amg-w202/81893-c43-vogtland-springs-carlsson-1-5-a.html
Last edited by SDR; Mar 10, 2006 at 11:53 PM.
Super Member
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From: USA
1999 C43
Stock is waaay good enough, don't ruin your car with money you earn
Originally Posted by MBHustla858
im comin from a M3 lowered 2.5inches w/ coilovers....... i want a set up where the 18/19in wheels fill up all the arch, what kinda setup am i looking for??? is there any available swaybars for this thing?
tia
tia
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From: San Francisco, CA
1996 C36 AMG, 1995 Volvo 850 Turbowagon
Originally Posted by MBHustla858
im comin from a M3 lowered 2.5inches w/ coilovers....... i want a set up where the 18/19in wheels fill up all the arch, what kinda setup am i looking for??? is there any available swaybars for this thing?
tia
tia
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22,058
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
best setup for the W202 would be H&R/Bilstein sport for the. The stock AMG suspension is not that good. If you don't want to change the shocks, just by changing the springs would give you a better handling edge.
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From: 40*-55'-44" N / 73*-24'-07" W
'98 C43/55 AMG Speedybenz Susp. & MBenzNL On Board -- '88 560SL -- '09 JCW MINI -- '97 Jeep TJ Sport
Sorry, I'm biased... 
Clickie my link in my sig ... "Speedybenz Custom Suspension". There are pics of the install if you click the pic in my sig and go to the shop pix gallery. The Pensky 8100 shocks are extremely flexible; you might know of people with BMWs or other cars that run them as they could be run as coilovers with hardware (note the threaded body); every single part on and in the shock is customizable and field replaceable. Jeff (speedybenz) spent a long long time R&D'ing the right valving to work with the C43's suspension. Cost is around $5500 for the complete kit.
- A write-up from me after I flew to NorCal to drive with Jeff before buying the suspension: The Ultimate Canyon Carver - Handling Nirvana:
http://www.club202.com/forums/showth...&threadid=5953
- Article about Jeff: Who Is Speedybenz? :
http://www.club202.com/forums/showth...&threadid=6948
MBHustla858 , where you located.
Clickie my link in my sig ... "Speedybenz Custom Suspension". There are pics of the install if you click the pic in my sig and go to the shop pix gallery. The Pensky 8100 shocks are extremely flexible; you might know of people with BMWs or other cars that run them as they could be run as coilovers with hardware (note the threaded body); every single part on and in the shock is customizable and field replaceable. Jeff (speedybenz) spent a long long time R&D'ing the right valving to work with the C43's suspension. Cost is around $5500 for the complete kit.
- A write-up from me after I flew to NorCal to drive with Jeff before buying the suspension: The Ultimate Canyon Carver - Handling Nirvana:
http://www.club202.com/forums/showth...&threadid=5953
- Article about Jeff: Who Is Speedybenz? :
http://www.club202.com/forums/showth...&threadid=6948
MBHustla858 , where you located.
Last edited by c55m8o; Mar 11, 2006 at 07:42 PM.
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Super Member
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From: USA
1999 C43
Like I said; best suspension is stock. If what you said was better, AMG would have sold the cars with them. I personally am a stock person, can you tell?
If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.
If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.
Originally Posted by c55m8o
...well that shut everyone up... [???]
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From: USA
1999 C43
Honestly, you can argue about everything but taste. I drove regular cars like Saab 9-5, Jeep Cherokee, and etc.... This C43 is the best vahicle I owned so far. I don't race, I don't drive like maniac. Original AMG setup is absolutely perfect for me. So, what will happen if I spend $5000 for new suspension? What am I gonna gain? Take corners better? Handle better? What's wrong with what AMG factory came up with? You wanna lower the car? You want better handling? Than buy a used Porsche or Ferrari, so you don't have to spend xtra money on accessories like shocks..
That's the way I feel about mods. Just because I had xtra money in one of my credit cars, I wanted to give a Stage 1 shot for my Saab 9-5, I bought a $900 programmer that raised the HP by +65HP, and then what, when I traded in with ths C43, Dealer didn't give a crap. It sucked!
No offense to ANYONE! That was my 2 cents about shocks and lowering.....
That's the way I feel about mods. Just because I had xtra money in one of my credit cars, I wanted to give a Stage 1 shot for my Saab 9-5, I bought a $900 programmer that raised the HP by +65HP, and then what, when I traded in with ths C43, Dealer didn't give a crap. It sucked!
No offense to ANYONE! That was my 2 cents about shocks and lowering.....
Originally Posted by Teck
Actually Brabus makes good springs for the C43. The AMg setup is not bad but there are better ones 
Last edited by Vardar; Mar 14, 2006 at 10:16 AM.
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From: Portsmouth, NH
none
Not exactly, our cars would have been better with a manual or tiptronic option...they weren't(sub00'). They would have been better with two piece light weight crossdrilled rotors...they weren't. There are tons of things on which you could improve with AMG. Not saying they're crap but a company has to make $$ and set a certain price bracket for a model also. With that said, there is a reason some parts designs are only so so. So you can't simply say stock is best....it clearly isn't. It may be best for you, but maybe not for the task at hand(ex. track worthy suspension).
I purchased H&R's and Bilstein sports....gotta order some speedybenz camber arms before I start the install. Good luck.
I purchased H&R's and Bilstein sports....gotta order some speedybenz camber arms before I start the install. Good luck.
Originally Posted by Vardar
Like I said; best suspension is stock. If what you said was better, AMG would have sold the cars with them. I personally am a stock person, can you tell?
If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.
If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,627
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From: Switzerland
C 320 CDI 4M W204 / C43 AMG (W202) / C 220 CDI T (S203) / ZX-10R Ninja
Originally Posted by Vardar
Honestly, you can argue about everything but taste. I drove regular cars like Saab 9-5, Jeep Cherokee, and etc.... This C43 is the best vahicle I owned so far. I don't race, I don't drive like maniac. Original AMG setup is absolutely perfect for me? So, what will happen if I spend $5000 for new suspension? What am I gonna gain? Take corners better? Handle better? What's wrong with what AMG factory came up with? You wanna lower the car? You want better handling? Than buy a used Porsche or Ferrari, so you don't have to spend xtra money on accessories like shocks..
Originally Posted by Vardar
That's the way I feel about mods. Just because I had xtra money in one of my credit cars, I wanted to give a Stage 1 shot for my Saab 9-5, I bought a $900 programmer that raised the HP by +65HP, and then what, when I traded in with ths C43, Dealer didn't give a crap. It sucked!
Finally everyone should do whatever he/she wants b/c this is a hobby, a pashion which is individual
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From: 40*-55'-44" N / 73*-24'-07" W
'98 C43/55 AMG Speedybenz Susp. & MBenzNL On Board -- '88 560SL -- '09 JCW MINI -- '97 Jeep TJ Sport
Originally Posted by Vardar
Like I said; best suspension is stock. If what you said was better, AMG would have sold the cars with them. I personally am a stock person, can you tell? If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.
If you are a pro racer, than use the $10000 set up.You just have to be an enthusiest to appreciate it. Though this suspension is true racing parts, it amazingly is -=so=- much more drivable and pleasing on the roads then stock or any other aftermarket suspension kit. Anyone who thinks 'racing suspension' means 'beat you up in the seat' with rock hard suspension having no compliance could not be further from the trueth.
With the separately adjustable compression from rebound adjustment, we can run a low & compliant compression adjustment rate and very high rebound rate to allow for both great onroad manners to road irregularities, but control the springs like no other on rebound. [you would -never- know I'm running 950lb/in springs up front] Yet with quick response to road irregularities, the dual digressive/digressive valving does its thing like the stock AMG suspension too to counteract slow frequency motion of the suspension.
The stock suspension like all others is a compromise with its single valving rate; it's too stiff/hard on road irregularities, and not stiff enough on wheel rebound. Trust me, I know; the stock suspension beats you up more then this suspension. As Jeff had put it once about this kit. It's amazing how if you try to push down on the car to compress the suspension, you might bend the steel of the body before you move the car, but on the road it just soaks up the irregularities and keeps the wheels on the ground like no other.
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From: USA
1999 C43
LOL! Wow, everything you said is French to me. Good luck with your upgrades. Like I said, no offense to anyone, I like my car stock. I am already an enthusiast (sorry if I misspelled it)about this car. I will not ruin(my opinion) the wehicle by lowering it or adding supercharger, replacing with bigger engine. It's like having your lady getting fake **** to me while she has absolutely perfect ones......
Originally Posted by c55m8o
Lol... that's ok. You're entitled to your opinion. But I ran my car with the 'lift kit' stock suspension for 6 1/2 years [happy with a similar, though less unyielding, view as you for I'd say about four] and I'll offer mine.
You just have to be an enthusiest to appreciate it. Though this suspension is true racing parts, it amazingly is -=so=- much more drivable and pleasing on the roads then stock or any other aftermarket suspension kit. Anyone who thinks 'racing suspension' means 'beat you up in the seat' with rock hard suspension having no compliance could not be further from the trueth.
With the separately adjustable compression from rebound adjustment, we can run a low & compliant compression adjustment rate and very high rebound rate to allow for both great onroad manners to road irregularities, but control the springs like no other on rebound. [you would -never- know I'm running 950lb/in springs up front] Yet with quick response to road irregularities, the dual digressive/digressive valving does its thing like the stock AMG suspension too to counteract slow frequency motion of the suspension.
The stock suspension like all others is a compromise with its single valving rate; it's too stiff/hard on road irregularities, and not stiff enough on wheel rebound. Trust me, I know; the stock suspension beats you up more then this suspension. As Jeff had put it once about this kit. It's amazing how if you try to push down on the car to compress the suspension, you might bend the steel of the body before you move the car, but on the road it just soaks up the irregularities and keeps the wheels on the ground like no other.
You just have to be an enthusiest to appreciate it. Though this suspension is true racing parts, it amazingly is -=so=- much more drivable and pleasing on the roads then stock or any other aftermarket suspension kit. Anyone who thinks 'racing suspension' means 'beat you up in the seat' with rock hard suspension having no compliance could not be further from the trueth.
With the separately adjustable compression from rebound adjustment, we can run a low & compliant compression adjustment rate and very high rebound rate to allow for both great onroad manners to road irregularities, but control the springs like no other on rebound. [you would -never- know I'm running 950lb/in springs up front] Yet with quick response to road irregularities, the dual digressive/digressive valving does its thing like the stock AMG suspension too to counteract slow frequency motion of the suspension.
The stock suspension like all others is a compromise with its single valving rate; it's too stiff/hard on road irregularities, and not stiff enough on wheel rebound. Trust me, I know; the stock suspension beats you up more then this suspension. As Jeff had put it once about this kit. It's amazing how if you try to push down on the car to compress the suspension, you might bend the steel of the body before you move the car, but on the road it just soaks up the irregularities and keeps the wheels on the ground like no other.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Switzerland
C 320 CDI 4M W204 / C43 AMG (W202) / C 220 CDI T (S203) / ZX-10R Ninja
Originally Posted by Vardar
It's like having your lady getting fake **** to me while she has absolutely perfect ones......
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: New Jersey
1998 C43(gone, will be missed), Current car = CES Stage 2 Turbo M3
After driving a few other cars I would say the C43s Biggest downfall is the suspension. I can almost live with getting my *** handed to me by other newer cars, but ripping around turns is somthing I actualy enjoy by myself so if I keep the car suspension has to be changed.
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From: USA
1999 C43
Come on man! Drive a C280, and drive the C43AMG, you'll see the difference between suspensions. You guys are exaggerating a LITTLE BIT. How many times you race your 4 door sports sedan with other cars to see the difference on suspension without getting caught by a cop? Come On!
You guys might as well weld the shocks to the chassis or something and just drive a solid rock. Biggest downfall huh? I guess your other cars are Ferrari, and Lamborgini.
No offense hehehehehehehehe
You guys might as well weld the shocks to the chassis or something and just drive a solid rock. Biggest downfall huh? I guess your other cars are Ferrari, and Lamborgini.
No offense
hehehehehehehehe
Originally Posted by C43silver
After driving a few other cars I would say the C43s Biggest downfall is the suspension. I can almost live with getting my *** handed to me by other newer cars, but ripping around turns is somthing I actualy enjoy by myself so if I keep the car suspension has to be changed.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: New Jersey
1998 C43(gone, will be missed), Current car = CES Stage 2 Turbo M3
Originally Posted by Vardar
Come on man! Drive a C280, and drive the C43AMG, you'll see the difference between suspensions. You guys are exaggerating a LITTLE BIT. How many times you race your 4 door sports sedan with other cars to see the difference on suspension without getting caught by a cop? Come On!
You guys might as well weld the shocks to the chassis or something and just drive a solid rock. Biggest downfall huh? I guess your other cars are Ferrari, and Lamborgini.
No offense hehehehehehehehe
You guys might as well weld the shocks to the chassis or something and just drive a solid rock. Biggest downfall huh? I guess your other cars are Ferrari, and Lamborgini.
No offense
heheheheheheheheNo I cant see the dirrefnece because the c280 sport I have driven handles the same from what I could tell anyway. Also people with Ferraris and Lambos end up doing suspension work from time to time so i dont see that point either.
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From: CT
99 C43, 03 RS6, 00 RC51
Originally Posted by Vardar
You guys are exaggerating a LITTLE BIT. How many times you race your 4 door sports sedan with other cars to see the difference on suspension without getting caught by a cop? Come On!
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From: USA
1999 C43
Very well said! I don't drive my car hard at all(well, sometimes i floor of course), I am not rich. I will enjoy this gorgeous car as long as I can afford it. Before I bought this car I read a lot of professional reviews. Most reviews point out about the SLEEPER effect on this car. That's what I love. It looks like a cute family car until someone provokes you with their Corvette, or some sports car. The surprise effect is absolutely wonderful! I'll keep it that way.
Originally Posted by DB79
For the average person that does not push the limits of their car the stock AMG suspension should be fine, but for the rest of us a better performing suspension is needed. I'm not talking about just slamming the car to the ground like a ricer, but adding a specific combination of parts to acquire the perfect balance between ride height and handling.
Last edited by Vardar; Mar 14, 2006 at 03:06 PM.
Super Member
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From: USA
1999 C43
Great! You didn't respond to this, I cannot wait to read it: "How many times you race your 4 door sports sedan with other cars to see the difference on suspension without getting caught by a cop?"
Originally Posted by C43silver
No I cant see the dirrefnece because the c280 sport I have driven handles the same from what I could tell anyway. Also people with Ferraris and Lambos end up doing suspension work from time to time so i dont see that point either.
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From: CT
99 C43, 03 RS6, 00 RC51
Originally Posted by Vardar
Very well said! I don't drive my car hard at all(well, sometimes i floor of course), I am not rich. I will enjoy this gorgeous car as long as I can afford it.
, but the others know exactly where I'm coming from.
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
The roads in North Georgia beg for a quality sport suspension. I had two SLK55s following me for a good part of the twisty sections on the four-hour jaunt....we were only running 7/10 or 8/10ths. Anything more that that and the Speedybenz setup would be an asset.
