City Rat

Guys, the old girl is coming up on the 80k mile mark. She is running strong. While I am gathering replacement fluids and preventive maintenance parts for her 80th I began to focus on the only area of the car that I am tentative about, cornering at speed. Having driven Bimmers I have always liked the way that they corner like big predator cats, just own twisty roads. This got me thinking about a fix, what do you think about installing both front and rear strut bars AND front and rear sway bars. Strut bars would work against body flex and sways against body roll. What would the effect be on cornering, ride and steering? Is this overkill?

City Rat

50 + views but no responses. C'mon, I know a bunch of you guys have installed strut bars and others sway bars. I'd love to hear from you guys regarding your sense of if you noticed a change in handling or ride, positiveor negative experiences.

GatorMB

Hey CR,
We have the same car for the most part, I have used mine for autocrossing events in the past. I think the sway bar and spring combination is the best we can get without lightening up the car a bit.
The cab crossbars are a weak point while allowing for flex they get loose and hardware gets weak, Frame ties might help but not in twisties,
It all depends on what you want to do, Springs, spring pads or urethane swaybar mounts.
Someone might make urethane rear suspension components as well. I opted out this year on racing in Sebring with the Porche club and missed the first AMG meet in Florida. Work is pushing hard right now.
In my opinion a fresh stock suspension will give most driving enthusiast a good work out. I have built super latemodel sportsman circletrack cars that ride like the CLK55.


Gator

City Rat

Gator, thanks for the reply. As you say we about have the same car so your experience, and always sound advice, are appreciated. You asked an obvious question that I neglected to make clear, what am I trying to set the car up for. First, solid highway driving experience, i.e. our interstates vary from long straight runs to bypass and beltway types of slalom runs which I average between 70 - 80 mph on. I want the suspension nice and tight for cornering and "slaloming" safely with the flow of traffic there. Second, just joined MBCA and the local chapter has a regular schedule of autocross and an occasional track day at a track that I have trained at before. If I felt the steering, separate but closely related issue, and suspension where tight enough I might look into a couple of those events for fun. So in sum,as tight as we can get the suspension so that corners well in stock configuration, still my DD, but still has a decent ride feel. Last, I did not add in addition to new fluids,hoses,belts, filters, sensor inspection/replace, she will be getting new wheel bearings, shocks and steering damper, as I think all are original OEM and due for retirement after 12 years of service. This will get done in stages from 79 - 81 mile mark. Confess that I hadn't thought much about the springs, spring pads, pu bushings. Any suggestions? Brands, kits. Don't want to lower the car via springs etc. I sweat enough over potholes and near parking slot barriers as is, lol. Thanks.

GatorMB

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk55-amg...clk-class.html


I combed through this link last night and HnR makes most of the performance alternative parts we are considering here. The sway bars are 18mm rear and 28mm front, you can measure the OEM AMG bars with an open end wrench or a crecent spanner and tape measure, A metric mike works as well. (appear to be well made)
The AMG components might be the same.
Mounting the bars and suspension links in urethane will toughen up the suspension quite well for road racing performance. The swaybar rubbers can be substituted from Jeggs, Summit Racing, maybe others. HnR makes springs and pads, and lowering the car will decrease the center of gravity increasing the performance potential but makes it less streetable.
Autocrossing might look like a no competition sport but it hones your defensive driving skills and sharpens your ability to plant the rubber where it needs to be.
Glad to see your properly maintaining, prevents a lot of grief and the most important part of performance driving in my book is having the proper tire.

megacrazy

In order to have the car corner very well you will need more than sway/strut bars. You'll need to be lowered and have an aggressive coilover setup. This will pretty much kill your DD joy. Sure, you can get adjustable ones but they'll still be a lot stiffer than stock.

Here's how I see it from previous experience with all these components:

- Sway bars: you'll notice a big difference if you're coming from a car with very weak sway bars. A couple mm difference is negligible. Also, a stronger sway bar does not necessarily mean the car will handle better. You'll get less body roll...what that means for handling depends on your individual setup.

- Strut bars: you'll notice a huge difference (if you get good ones, not flimsy ebay ones). The car will feel more put together and will have a solid feel. Do one in the front and one in the back. Go ahead and add any other subframe braces you want...it'll make it feel more and more solid. Does it help with cornering? It makes you feel more confident cornering...that's about it.

- Struts/springs/coilovers/lowering: this will give you the point and go feel you're looking for. Combined with the strut&sway bars it'll completely transform the car.

Is it worth having all this on a daily driver? Sway bars and strut bars yeah. Poly bushings, coilovers and excessive lowering I'd stay away from. There's a reason why my DD is lowered on springs only . You don't want your car to rattle and you don't want to feel every crack in the pavement.

City Rat

Fear not, I have no intention of lowering the car, ever. Just not a practical option where I live, drive and park. Thanks this is very helpful. Great well reasoned advice. Does anyone see any value in changing out the original springs, value in terms of handling, given my application.

megacrazy

A mild lowering will definitely help handling. Springs shouldn't impact daily driving too much either.

GatorMB

You can not argue with success as there are some great posts in the forum from members that have modified this chassis with positive results. I can honestly tell you that I have not nor intend to change what AMG has done to the car but keep it from failing.
A lot of my posts are from general knowledge of all cars in particular my positive results.

Megacrazy is correct about not wanting a clunking rolling race car, I can confirm after installing a competition roll bar kit in a racing Howe Chassis. It is mounted directly link (no rubber) to lower a-frame on one side and an adjustable end play on the other again no rubber. The spring, shock, camber(dirt) all must be tuned to the driver and track, sound like fun yet? The Port City tube chassis is easier to tune but you need a lottery winning to keep it all season, It is fragile but top of the line. (I did both chassis), still working on the lottery.

I have always been a coil over and poly urethane bushings man but never tried in the benz, The air suspensions I have remarked on are from servicing as a ASE master over 15 years ago. MK7, Eldorado etc.. I would not even park them in the spectator secton of a race track. I have read many threads of the benz air suspension giving driving problems after a long, strong service life. (I will still shake my head when it comes to performance use though)
My favorite cars on here are Megacrazy, Blackbenz, 2precise and a few more. These dudes have walked the walk for mods. might research within.

Gator

City Rat

what constitutes "mild lowering" for an 02 clk55 cab with my application in mind? I'm open to all options that don't have me scrapping bottom as I go over uneven pavement, road plates, potholes, speed bumps etc. All facts of daily driving in my neck o the woods. Thanks. BTW I am thinking very hard about Bilstein shocks to the extent it factors into your response. Thanks again.