front and back strut bars
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 50
From: Yokohama, Japan
2000 CLK 320
PN: 296006
http://www.orange-tuning.de/shop/wie...age=en&sort=1a
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,348
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From: Northern VA / DC
CLK 320 (2001) and 2015 GTR
i was able to tell since my car is conver and it flexes so much while taking a curb at a high speed.
Now its stiff big time and when i apply the brake while turning, the car is glued to the ground.
again i dunno about regular one but my cabriolet is very happy
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,250
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Supercharged CLK500,ML500,S580
Hey bro.. I'm not backing up VIP because i got them from him but it does work 100%.
i was able to tell since my car is conver and it flexes so much while taking a curb at a high speed.
Now its stiff big time and when i apply the brake while turning, the car is glued to the ground.
again i dunno about regular one but my cabriolet is very happy
i was able to tell since my car is conver and it flexes so much while taking a curb at a high speed.
Now its stiff big time and when i apply the brake while turning, the car is glued to the ground.
again i dunno about regular one but my cabriolet is very happy
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
I installed the rears.. What a difference it has made.
I have the fronts and took it to my shop to see if they could install it since I dont have time right now.
I have the 430 so the engine cover is different from Williams pictures above.
The guys are telling me it wont clear the engine cover etc...
Are they wrong or was this made for just the v6 model.
I have the fronts and took it to my shop to see if they could install it since I dont have time right now.
I have the 430 so the engine cover is different from Williams pictures above.
The guys are telling me it wont clear the engine cover etc...
Are they wrong or was this made for just the v6 model.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
Williams, yours is the v6 so I know it fits however it seems the v8, the engine cover sits higher up..
dlbehrns: Yes I know about cutting the firewall so it lays flat but even after doing that It will rest on the engine cover which will not work since the engine moves etc...
From what they were showing me, it will need spacers to raise it up.. however then we run the issue of it hitting the hood.
Im fine with the backs only... Does the front make a significant difference of should I just scrap it.
dlbehrns: Yes I know about cutting the firewall so it lays flat but even after doing that It will rest on the engine cover which will not work since the engine moves etc...
From what they were showing me, it will need spacers to raise it up.. however then we run the issue of it hitting the hood.
Im fine with the backs only... Does the front make a significant difference of should I just scrap it.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 50
From: Yokohama, Japan
2000 CLK 320
lol
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
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From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
The front ones for the 320s were the round bars and for te second version I had them made with flat bars to clear the 430/55 air boxes. If you have a round front one you have purchased the wrong one because that was version one when I was making them for 320s only. I like the round ones better but they won't work on 430/55s.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
Thanks VIP,
I have the flat for the fronts. So it will for sure fit WITHOUT having to modify anything except for drilling the wholes and cutting the firewall...??
Thanks in advance
I have the flat for the fronts. So it will for sure fit WITHOUT having to modify anything except for drilling the wholes and cutting the firewall...??
Thanks in advance
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,435
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From: Nebraska
99CLK320,
There are already two holes there for you to use. There are little plastic plugs on earch side. On the drivers side you have to move the jump start box to get to it but the passenger side is in plain sight. Just have a machine shop crank out two eye bolts(one with reverse threading) that are longer than the originals and the bar will mount at the same point on both fender wells with no drilling needed. VIP, I love you brother but you should have either made the front bar a little longer or the eye bolts a little longer. (Ash is probably gonna give me hell for this one).
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
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From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
Haha what's up DL, I know what you mean it would defiantly make the install easier but for the bar is more effective when they mount closer to the shocks because the complete a rectangle.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
Thanks for the information!!!
Last question.. The rear bars... Does anyone have a clump clump noise?? When I tighten up the bar it makes a clump sound... Cant figure out how to get rid of it. :/
Last question.. The rear bars... Does anyone have a clump clump noise?? When I tighten up the bar it makes a clump sound... Cant figure out how to get rid of it. :/
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
Thats what I am guessing. I cant get the bolt any tighter.. The strut just continues to spin.
I even took it to the shop to use a gun and the noise was better but obviously its not tight enough.
So frustrating. I love the bar but the noise gets really annoying.
I even took it to the shop to use a gun and the noise was better but obviously its not tight enough.
So frustrating. I love the bar but the noise gets really annoying.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Nebraska
99CLK320,
the top of the shock(or the shaft) is flat on two sides so you can put a wrench or visegrip on it to prevent it from spinning when you tighten down the two nuts. the first nut is the important one and the second one just locks the first one in place, or in this case secures the strut bar mounting bracket. I placed the bracket between the two nuts. here's a question: do you have the strut bar bracket below both nuts on the shock or between the nuts? something is not secure and it can't be anything other than the point at which the bar/bracket mounts to the shock.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
Strut
So are you saying you just put the bracket on top of the original nut ...then used the other bolt to tighten and hold down the strut bracket? So nut/bracket/nut???
If so.. I will do the same. I just figured it was better to have the bracket down flat rather than sitting on the nut.
I'm uploading a picture..I have 2 bolts on top of each other. (Strut/Bracket/Nut/Nut)
The first I tightened as much as I could and then the 2nd bolt was just to secure it in case.
Let me know if what I did was wrong. I tried using a vice grip and so did the shop but the bracket is in the way... causing the strut to just spin..Im sure its not tight enough I just don't know how to hold down the strut so it doesn't spin.
Thanks for you help man I really appreciate it!
If so.. I will do the same. I just figured it was better to have the bracket down flat rather than sitting on the nut.
I'm uploading a picture..I have 2 bolts on top of each other. (Strut/Bracket/Nut/Nut)
The first I tightened as much as I could and then the 2nd bolt was just to secure it in case.
Let me know if what I did was wrong. I tried using a vice grip and so did the shop but the bracket is in the way... causing the strut to just spin..Im sure its not tight enough I just don't know how to hold down the strut so it doesn't spin.
Thanks for you help man I really appreciate it!
the top of the shock(or the shaft) is flat on two sides so you can put a wrench or visegrip on it to prevent it from spinning when you tighten down the two nuts. the first nut is the important one and the second one just locks the first one in place, or in this case secures the strut bar mounting bracket. I placed the bracket between the two nuts. here's a question: do you have the strut bar bracket below both nuts on the shock or between the nuts? something is not secure and it can't be anything other than the point at which the bar/bracket mounts to the shock.
Last edited by jkiddd33; Jun 20, 2013 at 04:35 PM.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: REHOBOTH BEACH DE
88-300CE TWIN TURBO, 99-C43, 05-G55K, 71-280SL, 94-E320 CAB, 08 CLK63 BLACK SERIES
As previously posted by SPR...
Connecting just the top of the strut or shock together with a bar will still allow movement. Potentially negatively altering the handling.
The bar technically is not a "strut brace" but a "strut tower brace".
You need to connect the sheet metal surrounding the strut/shock mounting point from side to side.
If the sheet metal doesn't move/flex then the strut/shock will stay square side to side.
Although not in a W208 but in a high horsepower C124 it demonstrates my point:
Connecting just the top of the strut or shock together with a bar will still allow movement. Potentially negatively altering the handling.
The bar technically is not a "strut brace" but a "strut tower brace".
You need to connect the sheet metal surrounding the strut/shock mounting point from side to side.
If the sheet metal doesn't move/flex then the strut/shock will stay square side to side.
Although not in a W208 but in a high horsepower C124 it demonstrates my point:
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 473
Likes: 8
From: San Diego
2004 E55 AMG, 2008 G55 AMG
^^^ This makes perfect sense, but the way the 208 bars were designed we are not capable of connecting the bar to the surrounding sheet metal. That definitely seems like a much more sound and solid approach.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,494
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From: REHOBOTH BEACH DE
88-300CE TWIN TURBO, 99-C43, 05-G55K, 71-280SL, 94-E320 CAB, 08 CLK63 BLACK SERIES
If you can't connect/brace the towers then you aren't able to stiffen the
structure.
Envision a rectangle with the two top corners being the strut/shock mounting studs.
If one moves then you end up with a parallelogram.
The tops of the strut/shock will move in tandem.
Brace the sheet metal mounts and there is no movement as the strut/shock upper mounting points can't move.
If you can't brace the structure then you're better off without it as it can negatively effect handling.
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From: Nebraska
99CLK320,
My bar is not welded to the surrounding sheet metal and the car handles great depending on how tight I set it. Too tight and the rear end gets pretty rough. I see in your pics that you do not have the abiltity to adjust the your bar.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 424
Likes: 13
From: Orange County
2005 E55 AMG
For the record I haven't seen VIP's front bars installed on a V8.
I know a few members posted pics but that was for the v6.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Here is what I have concluded while at the shop trying to install this front bar:
1. The flat bar does NOT clear the V8 engine cover.. (Only way would be to run some kind of spacers on each side to lift it)
2. There are 2 holes already available to use however you'll need to drill an additional hole as the bar is NOT long enough to use those pre-drilled holes.. That or else have a machine shop make longer EYE bolts.
Has anyone successfully installed it on the 430?? If so please chime in as I would love to install these bars.
I know a few members posted pics but that was for the v6.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Here is what I have concluded while at the shop trying to install this front bar:
1. The flat bar does NOT clear the V8 engine cover.. (Only way would be to run some kind of spacers on each side to lift it)
2. There are 2 holes already available to use however you'll need to drill an additional hole as the bar is NOT long enough to use those pre-drilled holes.. That or else have a machine shop make longer EYE bolts.
Has anyone successfully installed it on the 430?? If so please chime in as I would love to install these bars.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,494
Likes: 17
From: REHOBOTH BEACH DE
88-300CE TWIN TURBO, 99-C43, 05-G55K, 71-280SL, 94-E320 CAB, 08 CLK63 BLACK SERIES
It's only there to allow the bar to be installed.
They are a structural brace that prevents the towers from flexing.
Your comment demonstrates what I'm stating: "Too tight and the rear end gets pretty rough." only because you're pulling the top of the shocks towards each other and changing the geometry.
The strut tower bars are an adjunct to the more important suspension modifications.
Really don't make a difference unless the vehicle is making a great deal of torque/power.
Difficult to flex the unibody with stock power output.
