CPD SLK

Hmmm..I really wanted this due to the great price and the awesome looks! On my 1998 LS1 Trans Am I had in college, the STB made a noteworthy difference...but then again, that car used to creak coming out of driveways. The STB on that car (a 3 piece Hotchkis design) made a hug difference (I could actually feel it). The car becaome more responsive and had better turn in too...

CrAZyVeGAsBoY

If i were you i would make my own assessment and do a little reasearch on the matter, most of what people say on this form is just their own "opinion" and usually isnt an actual fact which is why i put little faith in whats usually said in the forms. Research it and come to your own conclusion of the product.

MRAMG1

Keep in mind that, in order of chassis stiffness, they go C32<C55<C63.

If, and I use the word IF the chassis is weak, than YES any stiffening you can do WILL show gains.

I use the following ONLY as an example of a POORLY designed car:

1. A 91 Mustang that I road raced with stiffer springs, Stock 430 lb/inch new 550 lb/inch, NEVER showed ANY signs of flexing with street tires.

2. Put on R type tires with the above mentioned car, and I was now bottoming out the front end, aka compressing the spring ALL the way, as the car had that much more adhesion. Still no issue with the strut towers, aka camber, flexing, etc.

3. Throw on some custom wound Eibach springs, aka linear 800 lb/inch with R tires again, and NOW THERE WAS FLEX.

Even though the Mustang is NO WORLD CLASS handling car. It took ludicous spring rates, good tires and several years of driving competivitly BEFORE there was EVER any flex.

Translation, do you REALLY think a stock sprung AMG with street tires will ever flex

Again, I will meet ANYONE at Beaverun, Mid Ohio, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, Pokonos, or Mosport to take the bet. I don't care who drives

mbe3504matic

Sorry no stinking strut bar is going to make a difference unless you do other major suspension work/tires. It was just your mind wanting it to work. It makes no difference if you have one on or not with your stock setup. Your better off just donating the money to smerc.

CPD SLK

I beg to differ dude. First, the TA is obviously not a C63 in terms of chassis design. I did all the mods on my TA one at a time (for the most part) so I could tell the difference. I noticed a definite elimination of the creaking when going in and out of driveways at angles...meaning that it obviously tightened the front end up. And like I said, I think I really did notice a difference in the initial turn in responsiveness. Now the improvement was nowhere near the improvement from let's say my weld-in subframe connectors, but still...

Trust me..go on the F-body boards and most people will describe the same experience when installing a STB on a f-body

nrgy

I installed my strut brace over the weekend. The fitment and quality are very nice, however just a suggestion if you do get one. Pick up a bag of 5/16" washers (I used 12) along with the ones included in the kit. I needed to double them up in some places to get proper clearance from the strut towers, but other then that it fits great.

As far as performance, I do have coilovers, and I figured it can't hurt to add a strut bar. And for $350, it is one of the cheapest mods I've done so far so it seemed like a bargain haha. If it helps handling a bit then great, but to be honest I just thought it would look good sitting over top my CF air boxes, and it does The design is clean and OEM looking which was a big plus.

jangy

To those that think strut braces don't serve a purpose and are only for show, I say simple proof is in the seals. Drive the crap out of the car and see what happens to the seals on the side panels. They will crack from the flex.

Agreed that the stress is pronounced with added traction and stiffness but many are doing just that. These are AMGs with 500hp, not Civics.

Needing to add spacers is scary!! All the more proof of looks vs function. I would ask anyone in SD or OC to take the challenge and see what difference a strut brace can really make by testing them all side by side. It would really be interesting to see results on a load bearing alignment machine.

MRAMG1

Jangy, you are corret about power twisting a chassis. I know FIRST HAND as my stang, road raced HEAVILY in SCCA, twisted like a prezel. And that was with a 10 point cage, reinenforced frame rails, and numerous points of cross bracing. Of course it did have 500 rwhp to boot, and after all it was a Ford

However, 95% of the forces put on the strut tower are from CORNING. ANY AMG simply does not pull enough G's to make the chassis flex enough until you add springs and sticky tires

Even if you have flex, from say a 500 rwhp, this flex will be seen in a straight line, so if there is a small camber change WHO CARES

Where you DO NOT want the flex is going around a corner at 1+ G's my friend, as that will cause a camber chnage, eratic handleing, etc, etc. Coming out of a corner at .5 G's hitting the throttle hard, and even moderate flex, is NOT going to unbalance the car enough to warrent chassis stiffing. Unless of course you are after EVERY last drop of performance.

This is why I have siad, and restate the simple fact that NO ONE here is going to notice a dramatic, or even noticable imporvement with a STB on a STOCK car.

Oh well, to each their own. I wish all the best of luck, and for the real trackers fine get one and repost please with track time

Sincity

Pics please.

220S

This is what I've been trying to say from day one! It's well understood in the Porsche world, and in the NASA, SCCA, ALMS racing world, etc.. (my father and uncle were team owners, fwiw.) And there's plenty of literature out there, too.

If you want a tower brace, then more power to you. Nothing wrong with it, but don't expect much from it. And if you feel you need to build it from unobtanium and make it strong enough to hold up the Empire State Building, then go for it.

c32AMG-DTM

So you're saying on a street-tired, MB luxo-boat, a tower brace isn't going to turn the car into a razor-sharp gokart (much less do anything, or at least much of anything)?

jangy

The simplest literature to look into is the SCCA SOLO II class of street legal cars.

Who on earth was talking about using a strut brace on a stock car. You talk about pulling 1g coming out of a turn as if it is outlandish.

You all may be "soft" in your daily use but I am talking about running R rated tires with fully upgraded suspension. again, NOTHING to do with show.

Since BMWs are brought up, look at what the M crowd runs and what they look for. I have spent so much time reinforcing a chassis with just over 10K miles on it to learn.

This is the AMG room, right? Seems most desired mods in here would do just as well on a C300.

CrAZyVeGAsBoY

I would say the strut brace would be a piece of the puzzle, i dont think anyone here clamed that by just have a a stock car with strut brace that it would "amanzingly" change the car.

220S

Jangy, are you implying you're setting up an E55 for Solo II?

imho, you're going to be spending big $$ to mod a big old MB sedan chassis for road racing (and not only just Solo II autocross.) Why not just buy yourself a Porsche or something and work on that?

Anyway, have fun doing it.

jangy

This thread is more related to the W204 and I have to say that I have enjoyed the handling of the chassis LOTS. It is a bit front heavy and tends to show it on down hill runs, but there is no reason why it can't be upgraded to have the feel and performance of a healthy car. If all we want to do is talk physics, then how come the GTR is a good car?

c32AMG-DTM

My post was to be taken a bit tongue-in-cheek... sorry if that was unclear.

jangy, to "fully-upgrade" the E55 suspension, does that mean you're ditching the plush airbags for something else... coilovers perhaps?

jangy

Not on mine. I am actually a fan of active suspension, just not airbags. The E55 just isn't worth going coil overs for me. I want to be able to adjust alignment and reinforce for power output, so Jay made me a set of Toe Links and just finished the first ever camber arms for the W211 / W219. He is making a one piece A arm next. My goal for the car is to do more bull runs, so it needs to handle but not like it is on rails. I will also be going to some road tracks but my power will need to make up for my transitions in and out of turns.

220S

Probably for me, coming from a lightweight car, the W211 seemed so heavy and sloppy. Only drove a regular W204 as a loaner, etc., nothing extensive. But it did feel pretty good. I would have gotten a C63 but wanted more space, daily driver, etc..

I'd like to see what you come up with in any of your suspension mods. Maybe you can get something really going.

The GTR has the same weight but with AWD and rear mounted tranny and the car has a 50/50 weight dist when under power. I think it's maybe an overall better balanced car(?)

The C63 already has a much more stiffened subframe to begin with over the regular C and a better 54/46 distribution (maybe even better under full power?) The motor forward in the regular C might be why it feels front heavy(?) Pushing the V8 back a bit (and the weight) makes a difference.

Anyway, good luck.

jangy

Check out the pics I just posted:
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...mber-arms.html

This guy does seriously nice work.

220S

Those look really nice. That's the only way to do it, have it fabricated. Good work.

Can't wait to hear how they do after you put them on Friday.

ps., I have Darin from West End Alignment do my alignment and corner balancing (on the Porsche.) I'd say (and most everyone agrees) that he's probably the best in CA if not in the country. He's a perfectionist. It's a bit north for you (Gardena) but you should check him out someday. He's a good resource for anything chassis related.

MRAMG1

I guess you did not read my entire post

Let me quote one of my above sentences for you:

"Unless of course you are after EVERY last drop of performance"

I NEVER said it would NOT make a differnece on a FULLY prepared car

What I did say, and will CONTINUE to say is that on a stock car, it is for show only.

Guys, it really isn't this hard. MOST drivers here DO NOT road race their cars, so for them, save your money.

This makes me remeber what an advid racer told me about my stang

"You are trying to make a silk purse out of a cows belly"

Sorry Jangy, but the P cars and a well prepared M are going to when at the track. Get over it, or buy one of them if you are after the fastest car at the track

They are better prepared for this period. EVERY car's chassis has its limitations, so I would suggest you start with a better chassis if this is what you are truely after.

jangy

I'm after enjoying my ride. I love cars for some reason and the parts and theory behind them. Simple as that. I've never tried to be the fastest. All of my modding was for the joy of going through the process and learning and experiencing along the way.

Where your attitude and mine differ is this. If I were to only have fun and do "my thing" IF I first get a proper chassis, equipment, etc. then it will simply never happen. Sure, I would love to take a few years and race a 997 GT2 all over the world. But, that isn't my reality. What I can do is buy a car that I thouroughly enjoy driving and get my itch scratched.

Most of us go through cars over some time. But, the excercises that you learn along the way stay. I may almost be done with the E55k but I'll bet I will be much smarter when it comes to the next car I have modded.

MRAMG1

Good luck and safe journey on your exercises

CrAZyVeGAsBoY

So what your basically saying if that your making due with the funds you got which is understandable, however you have to agree that you seem to be "modding" your car alot and would seem to most as if your trying to make a race/street type car. If this is the case than i would have to also agree with mramg1 by saying you could of probably picked a better car to do that and you probably would have, but like alot of people that get merks, they dont only get the car for just the creature comforts or the smoothness, they also get it cuz its a merk.

jangy

I don't deny modding the crap out of my car. I also don't get your fund comment, since I actually pay way more to mod and E55 than I ever would a P car setup for track use. As you said, I am making it a street car. I love the performance along with the comfort and not having to be as involved as I would in a real race car.

Is the impliction here that you should only mod track dedicated cars? I'm confused on what you two are trying to say.

You obviously don't know me if you think I got the E55 for the Merc status. Some of us are over that part. This is my 9th Merc in almost as many years. I am loyal to the brand and have been since I was a kid.

Again, lets keep in mind that we are in a thread about performance parts for the C63. I hope those arguing that Mercs suck aren't C63 drivers but just enthusiasts like myself.