My C43 finally lowered Part 2
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
My C43 finally lowered Part 2
I just got my C43 lower this weekend with the Brabus springs. Outcome not what was expected after reading comments from here and what the Brabus rep told me.
Ride hide slight lower than expected. Was told 1.5" drop looks more like a ~2" drop. Not sure what pads I have but they are the same ones that came stock. (anyone know what comes stock?) Will changing pads make noticible differnece? Negative Camber! My rear tires look nothing like KWiK's. They have negative camber and when the Goodyear shop did alignment and tried adjusting the camber they were not able to get it in spec (no more room for adjustment) I was told no need for a camber kit from Brabus and now shop telsl me I need one. My shocks: Install guy tells me I need new shocks, that the bilstien (sp?) are not capable of handling the lower springs and are bottoming out. There is this clunking sound (as if something is bouncing around in the truck) coming from the rear shocks. I did some drive tests over speed bump (one tire at a time) and this sound is coming from ONLY the rear driver side shock. With only 35K miles, can my shock have gone bad? (got warranty). Some feedback, comments, opinions would be helpful in shedding some light on this.
Oh also Brabus told me warranty will not be void with these springs. Ture or false? Will i need to get the old springs back in if my shock is bad and needs replacing?
Will post pictures later this evening
Ride hide slight lower than expected. Was told 1.5" drop looks more like a ~2" drop. Not sure what pads I have but they are the same ones that came stock. (anyone know what comes stock?) Will changing pads make noticible differnece? Negative Camber! My rear tires look nothing like KWiK's. They have negative camber and when the Goodyear shop did alignment and tried adjusting the camber they were not able to get it in spec (no more room for adjustment) I was told no need for a camber kit from Brabus and now shop telsl me I need one. My shocks: Install guy tells me I need new shocks, that the bilstien (sp?) are not capable of handling the lower springs and are bottoming out. There is this clunking sound (as if something is bouncing around in the truck) coming from the rear shocks. I did some drive tests over speed bump (one tire at a time) and this sound is coming from ONLY the rear driver side shock. With only 35K miles, can my shock have gone bad? (got warranty). Some feedback, comments, opinions would be helpful in shedding some light on this.
Oh also Brabus told me warranty will not be void with these springs. Ture or false? Will i need to get the old springs back in if my shock is bad and needs replacing?
Will post pictures later this evening
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From: SoCal
2002 C230 : 2007 C230
My car came stock with the #2 pads. Brabus told me to install the #4 pads, so I did. They also said that they install the camber correction bolts in the front on every C43 lowering(I didn't). They do nothing for the rear camber since it shouldn't be too bad. When I asked Brabus about shocks, they said the stock Bilsteins work well with the Brabus springs and there is no need to change them. I don't think shocks would be covered under warranty, aren't they considered a wear item?
Hope you get this worked out.
Hope you get this worked out.
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From: SoCal
2002 C230 : 2007 C230
your rear tires look fine to me 
remember, I'm running 255/35/18 in the rear on a 9" wheel so it fills the wheel well a little more.
remember, I'm running 255/35/18 in the rear on a 9" wheel so it fills the wheel well a little more.
Last edited by KWiK; Aug 13, 2003 at 12:21 AM.
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From: around the world
monowiper
from those picts, i donno if it's your driveway but it does make the car look like the front needs to have lower # pad. i wouldn't worry about the camber, but would definitely change the shocks. basicly when putting in tuner springs they are total different compression rate than stock amg springs. every car could have a different stock pad setup depending on options and exact weight of car, it doesn't go by the model across. so by not changing shocks as well, it only going to shorten the life of the stock shocks by who knows how many times. if you're like me, i'm sure, you haven't changed the springs just for the lowered look, you also did it for better cornering, reduced nose dive, and performance. Well one thing i did notice after i had my springs and shocks put in, is that the ride was more comfortable than stock, and of course stiffer when needed in corners, no nose dive better handling etc, but key is more comfy which i didn't expect. If you get new shocks too, trust me you'll feel a big difference, and you'll kick yourself in the pants for not doing both at the same time and have to pay 2X labor
just 2 pennies
just 2 pennies
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From: Quebec, Canada
V70R 2004
Eurosport,
Can you remember me what parts have you installed on your car?? Springs and shocks...
I'm looking to lower my car for the same reasons as you but the roads are loaded with cracks and holes here and I want to keep a certain level of comfort...
Thanks!
PS
Can you remember me what parts have you installed on your car?? Springs and shocks...
I'm looking to lower my car for the same reasons as you but the roads are loaded with cracks and holes here and I want to keep a certain level of comfort...
Thanks!
PS
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Thread Starter
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
I would say the front looks that way b/c of thje drive way, figure it is slanted and when you park the car (brakes on), the car will tend to roll back causing front to go up and rear to go down. When I measured the stock gap on level surface it read 2.8" all around, it read 1.4 front and .9 rear on the driveway. I will meansure again and repost the numbers. Also figure they way I took the pictures, i was at an angle lower than the gap, so I shot picture from lower stand point. (my bad)
I have the specs from the alignment shop for the camber. They are all out of spec. Fronts are at -1.2 and rear -1.9 and -2.1. Specs are 0.8 to 0.2 i think. #4 pads come in today and so lets see what happends with that.
I have the specs from the alignment shop for the camber. They are all out of spec. Fronts are at -1.2 and rear -1.9 and -2.1. Specs are 0.8 to 0.2 i think. #4 pads come in today and so lets see what happends with that.
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Columbia,SC
2017 GLE 350 Wifey, 2005 C55 AMG
Silver, doesnt look bad at all. Incline is definately messing with you. I think when you put the #4's on you will be happy. Plus 18in rim will make large difference aswell, start shopping
-MOE
-MOE
Thread Starter
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
Originally posted by moedigga
Silver, doesnt look bad at all. Incline is definately messing with you. I think when you put the #4's on you will be happy. Plus 18in rim will make large difference aswell, start shopping -MOE
Silver, doesnt look bad at all. Incline is definately messing with you. I think when you put the #4's on you will be happy. Plus 18in rim will make large difference aswell, start shopping
-MOE
Thread Starter
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
Just had the #4 put in the rear, installer called and said looks great and shock not bottoming out anymore (no sound) didnt put them in the front said will have to large of a gap in front.
KWiK regarding yr post about the camber correction bolt, what is that and where can i get it and $ and how can I do it or do i need to have an install shop do it? My front will still have some neg camber so I'd like to correct it.
Thanks for all your help guys!
KWiK regarding yr post about the camber correction bolt, what is that and where can i get it and $ and how can I do it or do i need to have an install shop do it? My front will still have some neg camber so I'd like to correct it.
Thanks for all your help guys!
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From: SoCal
2002 C230 : 2007 C230
Originally posted by 99SlvrC43
KWiK regarding yr post about the camber correction bolt, what is that and where can i get it and $ and how can I do it or do i need to have an install shop do it? My front will still have some neg camber so I'd like to correct it.
KWiK regarding yr post about the camber correction bolt, what is that and where can i get it and $ and how can I do it or do i need to have an install shop do it? My front will still have some neg camber so I'd like to correct it.
Thread Starter
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
Originally posted by moedigga
Silver, did you leave #2 pads up front? Please get some pics up when complete a.s.a.p please. And on level groud this time!! Thanks bud-MOE
Silver, did you leave #2 pads up front? Please get some pics up when complete a.s.a.p please. And on level groud this time!! Thanks bud-MOE
I will re-measure the rear with the #4 in and post the numbers up. Pic will be taken ASAP and posted tomorrow AM.
Last edited by 99SlvrC43; Aug 14, 2003 at 03:20 PM.
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From: Columbia,SC
2017 GLE 350 Wifey, 2005 C55 AMG
Looks straight P.I.M.P to me. I think Im gonna run #3 front and the 4 out back just to give little extra room for settling and for 18in wheel, plus roads down here pretty much suck. But Silver it looks puuuurfect.-MOE
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From: car in front of you
1998 Silver C43
You know i was thinking the same about the #3 for the fronts, also I am planning on getting 18's soon.
ALSO!!!!! if you want to see the full sized image of any picture copy the url link and add .orig.jpg to the end and will show up in 1280x960 size (for better detail)
BTW I have a set of the #4 pad. If any one wants to buy them from me (incase you cant get them from your dealer or for what other reason,) let me know before i return them. I paid $17 for the two so it be the same price and then whatever shipping would be.
ALSO!!!!! if you want to see the full sized image of any picture copy the url link and add .orig.jpg to the end and will show up in 1280x960 size (for better detail)
BTW I have a set of the #4 pad. If any one wants to buy them from me (incase you cant get them from your dealer or for what other reason,) let me know before i return them. I paid $17 for the two so it be the same price and then whatever shipping would be.
