AMG_C36

so i have decided to go with billstien sports with the H&R sport springs for an upgraded suspension, but while at it, i figured i would upgrade some other stuff.

here is what i am thinking (in addition to the springs/shocks)

new polyurethane lower control arm bushings
new steering damper
new tie-rod ends
new (aftermarket) sway bars...(eibach, H&R??)

is there anything else i need to get/replace? does anyone have any good sources for the above suspension parts at a good price, especially the sway bars?

my car is a 97 C36 with just over 100k on it BTW...

thanks guys!

appatula

What LCA polyurethane bushings are you talking about, link?

Seems like you have done your research, you covered all the bases, aftermarket sways are harder to source. Try E-mailing some vendors that carry H&R and eibach products they will be able to get them for you, let us know what the quote you at as well. Welcome to the forum!

AMG_C36

hey man

not sure about which bushings or where to get them, i just figured they could stand to be replaced based on the research i have done here. its tough to find exactly what i need though. do u think just replacing the LCA bushings with another set of the factory bushings will be sufficient? if i can find some, i would like to get something a little beefer than that stock ones. help me out with any sites for the srprings and sways if you know of some.

i have been a member here for a while now, just don't post much.....i do a lot of reading tho

AMGC

use W208 bushings, they arent hallow like the 202 ones. dont remember if I used them in the front or rear, but I think it was the front.

appatula

Or you could go KMAC They offer aftermarket bushings (I think polyurethane as a matter of a fact...) that will give you a much more extreme adjustment window to correct negative camber when lowering, or even add camber for serious track use. They also have various other custom suspension products for shock mount tower adjustment and they even offer sway bars now, email them about sway bats for the W202 and I bet you they can make them. Let us know how it goes.

AMG_C36

thanks for the info. i will check out KMAC today and see what i can come up with

AMG_C36

hey guys, i need some info.

i just heard from someone that the H&R sport springs will NOT fit my 1997 C36 since it has a production date after 1/1/1995. is this true?? i have had great success with H&R oproducts in the past and would like to continue to use them. i have heard the drop from the eibach springs is not as great as the H&R's and that the ride isn't quite as stiff.....

if anyone with a 1997 C36 thats is lowered could post up what you are lowered on where you got your parts, that would be greatly appreciated!!!

thanks

Saaboteur

I have the KMAC front kit, but have not yet installed it. Got a bit of a runaround from Import Auto Performance when I bought them. They make it sound like they have them in stock, but they weren't. In fact, they were made to order by KMAC directly in Oz. Bit of a pain getting them here. If I had known they were made to order, I just would have ordered direct from KMAC, and were even drop shipped direct from Oz too. I did lots of poking around, and it appears they are the only source for aftermarket adjustibility on the front, for camber and caster.

They have a metal sleeve on the outside, then inside that there is a poly bushing. The inside that, there is another metal sleeve with the adjusting bolt. The 'bush removal tools' are very rudimentary pieces, three cut pieces of steel piping and a small, solid piece of steel rod. Bit of a euphamism for tools there I think! I will likely need to get the lower control arm off the car completely, press the old stuff out and press the KMAC stuff back in.

AMG_C36

so i actually talked to someone at H&R and they confirmed that they do not have an application for the 1997 C36. it seems as if something changed within the suspension when the 97's were produced. the only application they have is for 95 and 96's.

so now i need to consider other springs. anyone have anything positive or negative about any brand? right now i am considering going with eibach. i am just bummed that H&R doesn't appear to have an application for my 97. any help on this would be great!

johnhef

So did you ever figure that little problem out?

Here are the Eibachs:
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/S...lar=&brand=all

and when you deselect the C36 model and go with its base unit a lot more options are available including Eibach, Koni, H&R, cup kits, sway bars(28mm F, 18mm R) etc:
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/S...lar=&brand=all

This is what I used for my C36 and they fit fine. It appears they are having a sale on all Koni stuff at the moment, the spring kit is cheap!

www.mbpartswarehouse.com also sells the Eibach sway bar kits which seem to be the same size as the H&R ones and they are 'adjustable'
http://www.mbpartswarehouse.com/part...94962347&Nty=1

AMG_C36

thanks for the info. i haven't fully decided on what direction i want to go in....either go with the eibachs or the h&r's that are meant for he c280. the koni kit does look good too.....so i just need to make a damn decision and stick with it. keep me posted on the ride quality of your setup. that could help me make my decision.

johnhef

as for ride quality, I fully expect it to jar my teeth out

AMGC

From experience- I hate anything Koni makes. Billy sports and Eibachs I was pleased with in the cornerns

johnhef

Yeah my disclaimer is I'm kinda partial to Bilstein and H&R. Track car #1, 87 300D had Bil sports and 300E H&R springs and was great. #2 the 83 500SEC has Bil HD (no sports available) and H&R springs and did fairly well for a boat. C36 is going to be #3 so I have yet to test it fully but I know what to expect.

KJI3jflarryfe93

Hey buddy!
So what are you're saying, Koni's no good for a Merc?

I was interested in buying the chicken yello Koni's with adjustble stiffening settings!
These Koni's are cheaper to buy than the OEM BILSTEIN/AMG shox at the stealership!

So would it be a bad combination to use Koni and euro version AMG springs?
Maybe changing to H&R lowering springs together with Koni's would be a better combination on a Benz?
Do you have any good or bad experiance for this set up?
Let me know!
Thanks

appatula

Did you happen to get a qoute for the H&R's that fit the 95's and 96's? Or were you just calling for fitment specs?

AMGC

I have the Koni adjustables and at their stiffest setting they arent nearly as stiff as bilstein sports. Best place to buy Bilsteins is from partsgeek.com. They usually have them for the cheapest and ship surprisingly fast. C36s just came with Bilstein HDs, nothing to do with AMG. Using konis or billy sports with stock springs is going to be stiffer than stock, so better handling. H&Rs and either konis or billy sports will make the car handle much better.

johnhef

Actually, while partsgeek has them for a few bucks less, www.mbpartswarehouse.com has free shipping so it costs less in the end for them.

KJI3jflarryfe93

I heard that yello KONI's are real stiff and if they are on a car the ride comfort will be gone bye bye!
Is this true?
I was told that when they are at their softest settings they are still STIFF as hell like Ron Jeremy in action!

I was thinking to replace my shox with 4 KONI's when the day comes, they are much cheaper to buy, so money is an object when buying performance shox, much cheaper than what stealership sells them!

Is this still a good combination to use my EURO springs on my C43 with KONI's?
Or not?
AMG/Bilstein OEM shox are specially designed for our cars!
Therefore it might be or not be a good combination?
Maybe the special synergi will only be noticed with H&R springs and the Koni set up?
Euro C43's are lower than US versions of the same car!

w2_oh_2

I just bought some KW coilovers for my C36 il post pics when I install them

AMG_C36

i was just calling them for fitment specs......didn't get any price quotes. i am still unsure about which direction i am gonna go. i know for sure i am gonna go with the billy sports, but i am on the fence as far as srpings: eibachs with a specific 1997 c36 fitment, or H&R that are for the same year c280 sport......i have had nothing but good things to say about H&R in the past. on the other hand i have never used a set of eibah springs, so i just to make a decision and go with it

siideways

So what did you ultimately end up going with? Results/reviews/pics??

siideways

BINGO! I just called them myself, and they told me the same thing! So how is it you ended up with H&R springs??

RANDY_P

IIRC they use European years. I believe the C43 application is what is used.

rjp

Darth Speed

I have W208 LCA Bushings. The handling is so much better. I also installed Sport Bilstiens with the stock springs. (95 C36)

On my customers 97 C36 we used the H&R 97 C280 Lowering Springs with no problems. Drop was 1.5" from stock.