magicbigdaddy

I picked up some H&R lowering springs for my C43. Before I put them on my car I was told that there were different size pads/shims and that I could gain a little bit more lowering action by replacing those as well. I went to the dealer and they have 4 different size pads/shims for the rear.
5mm, 9mm,13mm and 17mm. I was told my car probably has stock 17mm. I have all of that under control. Where we have an issue is that for the front they don't really have that option. The only shims they show are crossed to 124 and 201 chassis and only one size is available. Before I go thru all the effort to replace the springs I would like to have the shim issue squared away. I find it a bit confusing that the only shims for the front are from such older versions of MB's? Any help would be highly appreciated. Thanks, Mike

AndreNY

that's correct the C43 only has one pad choise in the front and that's the lowest one (9mm) part # 210 321 02 84 if you want to go lower then that you have the option of getting one from a E-class which is 5mm part #210 321 01 84 but 4mm wont make much of a difference

KJI3jflarryfe93

my euro C43 came with 5mm springpads on all 4 corners from factory.
although dealer said I have 9mm all 4 corners???

503C43 ////AMG

odd, I know the C43 came with the 9mm up front not sure about the rear but I can check as I still have all of my stock components. Makes me wonder if the previous owner of your car changed them out...

KJI3jflarryfe93

buddy dude.

when I had my front suspension overhauled this summer, I told my friendly mekanik to swap my springpads to thinnest version.
I bought 4 x 5 mm pads telling him swap em'.

It turned out I already had the thinnest pads on my car both front and rears???
WTF?

he only swapped the front rubbers, my car actually raised a bit with new front spring pad rubbers, and now my car's having an even stance compared to the lower front and raised butt b4 with old front spring pads.

my old front spring pads sagged a bit after 11 years of wear and tear driving and giving the sexy low front look I had b4 on my car.
now there is a 2 finger gap on front (B4 1½ finger gap) and 2 finger gap on rears (b4 2 finger gap).

when I do the rear suspension I'll go back to my old front spring pads

magicbigdaddy

I think from everyones info that I will look at the shims and count the ribs to determine what size I have now along with consideration that they may be a bit smaller due to age and fatigue. I stopped by a repair shop close to my house and they quoted me 4.2 hours to change the springs. Is this really that time consuming? I thought one needs to take off the wheels, compress the springs to remove and install the new springs. The shop also insisted that I have a 4 wheel alignment. What's your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

nd4spd13

Well I do know that whatever shop you took it to better specialize in mercs, because a narrower Merc spring compressor is required to compress the springs, because a generic one (like one you'd rent from Autozone/advance etc) is too big.
And yes, you definitely have to do an alignment after lowering your car otherwise the new camber will rip up your tyres very quickly

magicbigdaddy

Thanks for the update. I think I will take it to my idie that I trust for the springs. I am fortunate to have one of the best around. Then take it to an alignment shop. Recently I had a 190 16V and he said to get it aligned. I took it to a shop and they said it needed $1400 of work before they could align it. I bounced that off of him and he said BS! That the front end was worn but OK. Best money I didn't spend. I know he has all the correct MB tools. Maybe take a 12 pack or a hooker with me when I drop off the car. Ha Ha. Thanks for the feed back. Mike

MBFLO

if your mechanically inclined whatsoever you can buy the spring compressor on ebay for $200 shipped and do them yourself at around 20 min per spring .
Every indi that Ive taken mine to had quoted me same amount of time and none had the spring compressor todo the job but just took them apart by dropping the control arms . Sucks that just to swap out the spring pads you have to pay the same labor as swapping out the complete springs as thats only way to install the pads . I just ordered the compressor and will do at my own convenience cuz im tired of paying $100 per pad installed

AndreNY

if you have the benz Spring Tool you can do the whole job on the floor in about 2-3 hours so they charging you 4.5hr labor on a lift is BULL

magicbigdaddy

Talked today with my indie tech and he said he had the spring compressor and would do the job for $200. I'm going with him. He brought my C43 back to life (spec) and has a passion for these cars. Will post some pic's when its complete. Thanks to all for the feedback.

Mike

DRBC43AMG

You need a spring tool like the one in the picture. That is the safest way of doing things. You don't want to see a spring flying around or hitting you or something else

importfan21

Can anybody confirm the size for the rear shims? 17mm?

I'm gonna throw my H&R's in soon. Looks like I'll be doing 9mm front, 17mm rear (or maybe 13mm front, 17mm rear). I'm trying to go for 100% no rub (with spirited driving). Those with H&R's: thoughts?

amg801

i had the same situation as you 5mm on all 4 corners stock, but wen dealer pulled my car up on the computer it said i had 9mm pads.

Kropf

I just had all 4 corners out of my USA 1999 C43. Using the VIN, the dealer said and I confirmed, that I had the #2 (2 nib) pads (210 321 02 84 9mm) in all 4 corners.

While replacing front Control Arm Bushings, Ball Joints, outer Tie-Rod ends last week, I used the internal spring compressor as pictured by DRBC43AMG for the front and absolutely agree that that tool is the way to go for the front. However, there is just not enough room to compress the rear spring with the pictured tool to remove the rear spring, so I had to unbolt the rear control arms to get each rear spring out. With the inner end of the control arm unbolted, it swings down easily to remove and install the spring. i.e. I did NOT use the Internal Spring Compressor tool for the rear. (I do have a lift, and used a Transmission Jack to lower the inner end of each rear Control Arm, but someone using floor jacks can do the same as is noted and pictured/videoed in numerous locations on either MBWorld.org and/or Club202.com.)

I put slightly used Eibach Pro-Kit springs in the front only (keeping the #2 pads), and the look and ride improved greatly! Front dropped about 1 3/4" (1.75").

I then put the Eibach Pro-Kit springs in the rear (again keeping the #2 pads), but the ride became very unpleasant. The rear dropped 2 3/8" (2.375") and the ride became so unpleasant that that same night, I put the original rear springs back in. (It took me 75 minutes for both sides by just removing the inner lower control arm bolt and lowering the control arm to remove and install the original spring.)

I have just ordered #3 (13mm) pads for the front as I want to raise the lowered front about 8 mm to hopefully eliminate the occasional fender rubbing. I DO plan on using only the noted Spring Compressor to remove the front springs and exchange the pads without unbolting anything in the front. (In case the #3 pads don't quite raise it enough from my #2 pads, I also ordered the older/flat 8mm pads and plan on trying shimming up the original 9mm or the new 13mm pads with the older/flat pad as mentioned long ago by an owner on Club202.com.)

I also ordered #1 pads for the rear as I want to try lowering the original rear just 8 mm while using the original stock springs.

Here is a list of pad numbers and sizes (as copied and corrected from other posts):

For the newer W202 since mid 1996:
Front:
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:
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 the older W202 prior to mid 1996:
Front:
201 321 09 84 pad#1 8 mm
201 321 10 84 pad#2 13 mm
201 321 11 84 pad#3 18 mm
201 321 12 84 pad#4 23 mm

Rear:
201 325 09 44 pad#1 8 mm
201 325 10 44 pad#2 13 mm
201 325 11 44 pad#3 18 mm

The difference between 201 and 210 part number is because of the different shape of the top of the spring.
On the earlier W202 cars, the edges of the spring are ground/tapered, that's why they use 201's spring pad which have a flat surface for the earlier tapered spring top.
The newer 210 spring pad has a grove where the newer non-tapered spring top coil will fit into.
(Portions compliments of J Irwin of Club202.com who also did a double stack trick - using the 201 pad with the 210 pad. I'll be trying that trick soon.)

Keep in mind that due to the "motion ratio" as Eibach calls it, a 5 mm difference in Pad height will result in about a 10 mm difference at the wheel.

Kropf

To be sure, look at what YOU actually have currently installed.

The pads have little nibs on the outside lip of the pad. Count the number of nibs, and you'll have the identifying number that you can refer to in my previous post's chart.

I've put a little red circle around the nibs in the #2 pads pictured:

importfan21

I appreciate the info, but I don't have a compressor to take the springs out and look. I'm just gonna take it to the shop to put the springs in. It's kind of a waste of time (and money) to take it to the shop, take the springs out, check the pads, get the pads I want, then put everything in. That's more labor than I'd want to pay.

Measure twice, cut once they say. I'm trying to measure twice here.

I know the pad sizes can vary on each car, but I'm trying to get a common number/size that seems to be on a lot of peoples' cars and I'll run with that as my assumption.


I did some measuring myself today (for the record). Not sure if anyone else's car has these figures, but I'll post anyway. Stock springs (and pads to my knowledge - unknown size). Distance from ground (bottom of wheel) to fender edge (middle of arch): ~26 7/8" front and rear. Gap between fender and wheel (tire): ~2.5" front and rear.

The H&R super sport springs have a 2.0" (50.8mm) drop front, 1.9" (48.26mm) drop rear. Assuming I go with #4 pads all the way around (17mm), the net drop would be ~33mm (1.29") front, ~31mm (1.22") rear.


Oh and for anyone looking to buy pads, look no further. http://www.performanceproducts4benz....pring-pad.html

Kropf

You don't need to take the springs out to check the pads.

Drive up on a curb, or a set of ramps, and you can probably count the pad nibs. Or jack the corner up, remove a wheel and count the pad nibs. The nibs will be OUTSIDE of the spring on the lower/outer lip of the pad.

DRBC43AMG

+1^^ and totally visible without removing the spring. Just make sure if you remove the wheel to secure the vehicle before putting your head in the wheel well. We don't want a c43 owner with a big headache if the car collapses

importfan21

Really? Awesome! I'll do that then.

cm60k

That’s a very good info. THANKSS alot........

ZAYED,,

popey24

Original AMG springs were allowed with pads with 1 and 2 points only.
For H&R I dont know any more if there was that limitation.

jgro1976

I'm about to get a '99 factory stock US C43 AMG. I'd like to get the stock euro springs along with the Billy SP shocks for my car, and it sounds like I need either the 5mm or 9mm pads all around, but some people think they had 5 when they actually had 9.

So what would be the best pad to get? I don't want it slammed on the ground, and I want to retain a firm yet compliant ride, no rubbing, etc.

Also, will the euro suspension cause any camber issues?

KJI3jflarryfe93

i have 1 nib pads from factory fitted, you'll get a 2 finger gap with them pads.
do a 4 wheel align when you're done just in case something is out of whack?

jgro1976

kowalski, so that's 1 nib pads (5mm?) with what setup? Vogtland? Euro? Bilstein SP?