I upgraded the sway bars yesterday.... I was apprehensive about the upgrade, but the result is quite pleasing..... I searched many places over the past month, as time permitted, looking for info on this upgrade.. didn't find much that was not vendor originated.

Based on a formula I found somewhere, I expected about a 50% improvement in body roll resistance (used my measurement of the rear sway bar of 17.4 mm and a guess of 24 mm for the front). The actual values for the diameters were;
Rear Front
Orig 17 mm 23 mm
H&R Upgrade 19 mm 26 mm
Increased stiffness 63% 56%

The ride feels great. I have had only an hour to drive since the upgrade but on the local roads I drove before the upgrade to make specific note of the handling, this upgrade was a success. The car stays about as flat as the G35 I owned but not quite as "rigid" as my neighbors 2012 Mustang (V6 with suspension upgrade pkg.)

Other upgrades on my silver 2008 clk550;
Kleeman ECU
Headers
High Flow Cats
H&R Sport springs (lowered about an inch)
Quaife Toeque sensing differential

 

I did my springs, sway and shocks/struts all at the same time - night and day difference. Since you have the springs and sways now, a shock/strut upgrade will complete your package.

 

hmm. interested in knowing if the ride was much more harsh than stock. right now im on oem sways. thinking about getting bs sways (best bang for you buck) but i dont want to sacrifice too much harshness.

i love the way my ride handles and feels on the road right now with vogtland/koni combo. cant imagine it getting better. but i guess i wont know unless i do right?

 

who makes the headers?

 

Perfect timing! This is on my "to do" list next week!

Did you install yourself
Whom did you purchase them from?

Thanks!

 

The quality of the ride seems intact. I too was concerned with creating a "tank-like" feel. I did not notice any change in the ride over the normal rode imperfections. I, inadvently, hit a pot hole while entering my neighborhood. Although I did an "Ah S*#@", I did not feel the whole car, or the opposite side wheel shudder. I will drive a couple of hours this weekend.

 

The ECU, headers, and Cats are all Kleeman. I did this a couple years ago. I had to get the ECU reprogrammed (under Kleeman warranty) last year because I could not pass inspection. The reprogramming also corrected a "surging" in idle speed when stopped at a light....... Actually I don't think the ECU knew I was at a light......

 

I ordered the sway bars and had them installed by Butler Tire. The cost of the parts was about the same as what I would have ordered them for ($349/$229).

They charged about $100/hr. Although I was charged 3 hours for labor, it really did not take that long in actual work. (Everybody needs to make a profit).

BTW, I needed to buy another bracket for the new sways. They require a larger bracket than the stock.

 

Yea Kevwood.. I was going to change the shocks and struts at the same time but whimped out due to fear of making the ride too rigid and Bilstein is apparently very proud of their product.... I may run with the stock shocks for 10K more miles (current mileage = 43K).

I take it you are pleased with the ride quality of your ride.

 

Very pleased to say the least actually. When the Koni's are on the softest setting they are just slightly firmer than stock, I usually run them at about 30% stiffness, I like the firmer more controlled feel and responsiveness. When I go to the track I twist them to the 100% firm setting and the car handles like its on rails, even with all the axed torque.

 

thats very good to know. i am currently running 50% still all around

now looking forward to sways

 

The car will feel totally different going through on ramps and expressway exits after you slap the new sways on, they bring a very nice balance to the car.

 

I'm new here, picked up a 07 CLK550 this yr. Love the car, hate the ride. I don't have the sport suspension package. Will just installing the heavier sway bars help for starters, or do i need to go with sport springs. H&R is asking what size (MM) bolt is on there, does anyone know.

 

sorry to interject, but, just wondering, does the '03 clk 500 have 12mm holes? I read on another thread that "+2004 500/550/55's all have the 12mm end links" but it did not mention the 2003s.

Also, are the black series sways a direct bolt on? I read that Dynamite apparently got it to work directly, but not PTE or something.

 

I would think the 07 is the same as my 08 550, which is 12mm. You shud be able to verify the the required size by supplying your vin to the company you order from. You shoud also note that I needed another, larger, bracket to install the h&r sways.

 

For the fitment you can check it out here.
http://fsrmotorsportcreations.rpmwar.../i-239693.aspx

 

Sure, adding the larger sways will help. Going from a 17/23 mm set to the 19/26 h&r set should inprove resistance to roll by about 60% according to a formula i found somewhere; it also feels that way to my butt..... twist = (2 x torque x length)/(p x diam4 x material modulus. The diameter change alone has this effect on twist at the rear (19*19*19*19)/(17*17*17*17) = 1.56, or a 56% improvement in resistance to roll.

 

I have to double check this again. You had to buy a different bracket?
I've had multiple sets of H&R bars and have always had the brackets come with the bar or the bushings fit into the factory brackets. Where did you buy the bracket from?

thanks in advance.

.

 

The bracket was made by h&r but was purchased locally. I had the sways ordered thru Butler Tire since the price was about the same as the lowest price i could find online. The tech showed me the bracket on the car and it was smaller than the h&r one used.

 

I forgot about that, I had the same issue.

 

So to be really clear - the front H&R bar needs brackets to be purchased separately ??



.

 

From what I understand, you have to specify that you have an '04+ 500/550/55 and they send you the brackets with the kit. I know my suspension tuner changed them out at no cost so I'm pretty sure H&R sent the correct brackets FOC.

 

Louie
Have you ordered from these guys before?
I'm ready to sign up and the FSB is not stocked or listed at a lot of places.

TIA

 

I called h&r they said you need to order larger brackets from Mercedes. He also said to lift the car, and measure end Bolt size before ordering. Who is a good distributer for H&R products. Thanks for your reply's.

 

That's good to know, I guess my guys got the brackets from MB then and not H&R. Let me confirm this then I will get under the car and get the part number off the bracket and post it (if no one has already). That will make it easier for guys doing this mod it he future.