Running with or without pads
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From: Bay Area, CA
W202 C43 AMG
Running with or without pads
Hey guys. So I have #1 pads front and rear right now but I was thinking of running no pads in the front for a better stance.
Anyone have any issues running without pads? Any noise or problems I might need to worry about?
Thanks in advance for your input.
Anyone have any issues running without pads? Any noise or problems I might need to worry about?
Thanks in advance for your input.
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cheers
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From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
IMO I would not drive without pads. Don't like to think the noise factor and other risks which could be consequent of metal against metal. Use the thinest pad n°1 (?) and leave it like that.
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From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
IMO I would not drive without pads. Don't like to think what could be the noise factor involved and other risks which could be consequent of metal against metal. Use the thinest pad n°1 (?) and leave it like that.
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From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
Nooooooo, just electronic bugs!! Told me the first post it was too short, so clicked again and bingo the second post arrived 
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From: San Francisco, CA
1996 C36
After taking my spring out today to check the pad number (actually just dying to try out the Klann spring compressor) I would have no problem running without the spring pad. For one the spring has so much preload that there will be little movement if any and the tops of the springs are flattened out so the load of the spring will be distributed among the entire spring cup evenly. With the #1 pad that I had it was clear that the pad served no real purpose but for ride height tuning.
Last edited by mbsickness; Nov 14, 2010 at 11:30 PM. Reason: spelling
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From: Rochester, MN
sounds like airplane
I don't remember how thick the thinnest pad are- however, lowering the car significantly vs. what the springs you are using is designed for will lead to crappy suspension characteristics...
the springs do not work linearly and you will have moved the starting point outside of any recommended spec. I wouldn't be surprised if you have increased rubbing and crappy handling vs. just runnin the right springs.
the springs do not work linearly and you will have moved the starting point outside of any recommended spec. I wouldn't be surprised if you have increased rubbing and crappy handling vs. just runnin the right springs.
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I don't remember how thick the thinnest pad are- however, lowering the car significantly vs. what the springs you are using is designed for will lead to crappy suspension characteristics...
the springs do not work linearly and you will have moved the starting point outside of any recommended spec. I wouldn't be surprised if you have increased rubbing and crappy handling vs. just runnin the right springs.
the springs do not work linearly and you will have moved the starting point outside of any recommended spec. I wouldn't be surprised if you have increased rubbing and crappy handling vs. just runnin the right springs.
on euro c43's like my car I have 9 mm pads all 4 corners.
I think my car is still a tad high and could be dropped an inch or 2?
I hope I don't get any rub by using 5mm front and 9mm rear?
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From: Rochester, MN
sounds like airplane
thanks- I swapped my pads, but it was years ago... I actually think I raised the rear a bit after installing my springs.
if it is that thin, I don't it affecting the spring rate significantly.
if it is that thin, I don't it affecting the spring rate significantly.
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From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
I will be going with pad #1 up front and #2 in the rear. Ha- #2 in the rear...
For W202 mid 96-99
Front(W210 part number) :
210 321 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 321 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 321 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 321 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
210 321 05 84 pad#5 21 mm
Rear(W210 part number) :
210 325 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 325 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 325 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 325 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
For W202 mid 96-99
Front(W210 part number) :
210 321 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 321 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 321 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 321 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
210 321 05 84 pad#5 21 mm
Rear(W210 part number) :
210 325 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 325 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 325 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 325 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
I will be going with pad #1 up front and #2 in the rear. Ha- #2 in the rear...
For W202 mid 96-99
Front(W210 part number) :
210 321 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 321 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 321 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 321 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
210 321 05 84 pad#5 21 mm
Rear(W210 part number) :
210 325 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 325 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 325 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 325 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
For W202 mid 96-99
Front(W210 part number) :
210 321 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 321 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 321 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 321 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
210 321 05 84 pad#5 21 mm
Rear(W210 part number) :
210 325 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 325 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 325 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 325 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
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From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
Tristan will be signing the papers this week. So picked up? Not yet!!!
BUT! If everything goes well with him getting the paper work back to Texas by Friday then I will be a plane to Chino California this Saturday morning to bring her home. Side note: What really sucks is I am moving to Manhattan Beach in Feb of 2011! So ill be driving her back her and then the DOD will be paying to have her shipped all the way back. Oh well. At least on the trip back I wont be putting miles on her. Can't wait to live sea side, like so many others here!! 
Sorry about Thread Jacking... 
On topic- I would go with 5mm pads as lowest out front and get H&Rs. There are some pretty amazing pictures in the pix sections of this set up with 18's and its as low as you can go w/o major rubbing issues.
