Lowering question.......
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: San Francisco
2005 clk320 cabriolet
Lowering question.......
Going to lower my car with H&R springs. Decided to go aftermarket with my shocks also since i can get them all installed at the same time. My question is what kind of shocks do you recommend? Since i'm running shorter springs, do the shocks have to be a different length than stock? Does bilstien, eibach, etc.... make shocks specificly for lowered cars? Let me know what you guys are running on your cars and any pros/cons.
Also, anyone know any good installation shops in bay area. How much should i expect to pay for installation of springs and shocks.
Also, anyone know any good installation shops in bay area. How much should i expect to pay for installation of springs and shocks.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 333
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From: Colorado
05 E500 4matic, 08 ML320CDI
Not sure if you are dead set on H&R or not but I've read alot of threads about lowering MBZ's and I've decided to go with the Eibach Pro Kit Springs and matching Eibach Pro Kit Dampers... The vast majority of what I've read seems to indicate these kits drop a CLK about 1.2" F and R, give flatter cornering but don't make the ride much stiffer than stock. Not sure if H&R also has matching shocks for their springs or not... Bilstein products are also good but most of what I've read about Bilsteins is related to their PS9's which are coilovers and $$... KW also makes good suspension components, as does Kleeman, Brabus, and I'm sure there are more... I'm sure others will chime in on this topic as it seems to be a popular mod... Let us know what you decide to go with and post some "after" pics.. 
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Long Beach, CA
07 E350, 03 Lexus ES300, 04 CLK 320 (gone)
...I run the same Eibach set up on mine ('04 CLK320) and it rides great!! I like the lowered look and the handling on it...I also have 19"s on the car and with the Eibach set up (shocks & springs) there's no issue with rubbing. I had a BMW E36 325i lowered on 18"s with H&R springs w/Bilstein shocks and it had no problems.. Either brand you select, you will be fine. I heard through 'underground sources' that Brabus springs are 'just' renamed Eibachs...with a premium.
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i have the eibach pro-kit on my 00' c230. i never changed the shocks and my ride was not significantly affected. i've had the springs on for almost 7 years now(2nd day after i bought the car). the car was dropped 1.5' all around. it looks really sweet and has made a significant difference in handling. i heard that after a while you're shocks will start to go bad and eventually need to be replaced. until today and at 90,000 miles, i haven't experienced that problem.
what i can't figure out is if i have the sport spring option from MB on my 07' clk550. i know on mbusa it's a $200 something option. isn't it suppose to come standard with the 550 since it includes the AMG sport package. my car looks really high in the front and it's starting to kind of annoy me....hehe so i'm assuming it's not included...should i go with a set of eibachs or go pick up the sport springs from MB.
what do you guys think?
what i can't figure out is if i have the sport spring option from MB on my 07' clk550. i know on mbusa it's a $200 something option. isn't it suppose to come standard with the 550 since it includes the AMG sport package. my car looks really high in the front and it's starting to kind of annoy me....hehe so i'm assuming it's not included...should i go with a set of eibachs or go pick up the sport springs from MB.
what do you guys think?
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Joined: May 2006
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From: NYC
CLK550, Sports Suspension, Black Opal
The Sports suspension option is not a default on the CLK550. The 5xx models handle better than the 3xx models do, but the sports option does give you stiffer/shorter springs and shocks. I ordered my CLK550 with the sports option. The handling is really excellent with this configuration. The ride is firm but still supple. I haven't been able to figure out how the sports spring set compares to AMG. Someone told me that these springs are just the European springs. I don't think so, but the shocks are def firmer than what most people would default to. I am sure that Eibach springs/shocks or the kleemann set would be firmer and a tad lower. The roads in the North East are too rough to make a stiffer ride tolerable.
I had a 320 before and the 550 with suspension option springs and shocks is night and day different. Other than a teen age like compulsion to fiddle with my car, I can't find a reason to change the suspension.
I had a 320 before and the 550 with suspension option springs and shocks is night and day different. Other than a teen age like compulsion to fiddle with my car, I can't find a reason to change the suspension.
Last edited by dan212; Feb 1, 2007 at 10:15 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Walnut, CA
2003 E 320, 2005 CLK 320
The Sports suspension option is not a default on the CLK550. The 5xx models handle better than the 3xx models do, but the sports option does give you stiffer/shorter springs and shocks. I ordered my CLK550 with the sports option. The handling is really excellent with this configuration. The ride is firm but still supple. I haven't been able to figure out how the sports spring set compares to AMG. Someone told me that these springs are just the European springs. I don't think so, but the shocks are def firmer than what most people would default to. I am sure that Eibach springs/shocks or the kleemann set would be firmer and a tad lower. The roads in the North East are too rough to make a stiffer ride tolerable.
I had a 320 before and the 550 with suspension option springs and shocks is night and day different. Other than a teen age like compulsion to fiddle with my car, I can't find a reason to change the suspension.
I had a 320 before and the 550 with suspension option springs and shocks is night and day different. Other than a teen age like compulsion to fiddle with my car, I can't find a reason to change the suspension.
