Lowering the black
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CLK63 Black Series
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CLK63 Black Series
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CLK63 Black Series
Here is what my car looks like, it should give you an idea what only a small amount of lowering will do. If you really want to have only 10mm between fender and wheel, and don't get me wrong my friend, it is slammed. Just deduct the amount you'd like to lower the car from the edge of the front spoiler to the ground. You will notice that there will not be a lot of room left. You will scrape just by going into a gas station drive way. At any event, the car will look good sitting on the street, but that's about it. From a street drive ability/performance point of view I would not recommend going that low.
I just went outside and took some quick measurements. It looks like the front is 50mm between wheel and fender and the rear is 30mm. The rear actually looks ok now that I look at it, but the front is still way too high IMO. Maybe I will leave the rear alone and just bring down the front so the wheel gap is about the same.
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CLK63 Black Series
The BS is a direct derivative of the F1 safety car. If you ever saw one in person, it is not much lower than the street BS and there is a good reason for that. It had to work on the track leading a pack of F1 cars. You might not see it on TV, but some of the tracks are bumpy and the suspension needs some room to travel for keeping contact with the road. And since Bert Maylaender is a professional driver, I think he has a word on set up.
Hence my license plate "FORMEL 1", german for formula 1. BTW, it also shows the rear spoiler.
Hence my license plate "FORMEL 1", german for formula 1. BTW, it also shows the rear spoiler.
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From: Naperville, IL/Chicago
2008 CLK63 Black Series 2012 C63 Black Series 2014 SLS Black Series
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CLK63 Black Series
How much lower than stock is that? That looks even lower than I imagined.
I just went outside and took some quick measurements. It looks like the front is 50mm between wheel and fender and the rear is 30mm. The rear actually looks ok now that I look at it, but the front is still way too high IMO. Maybe I will leave the rear alone and just bring down the front so the wheel gap is about the same.
I just went outside and took some quick measurements. It looks like the front is 50mm between wheel and fender and the rear is 30mm. The rear actually looks ok now that I look at it, but the front is still way too high IMO. Maybe I will leave the rear alone and just bring down the front so the wheel gap is about the same.
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From: Naperville, IL/Chicago
2008 CLK63 Black Series 2012 C63 Black Series 2014 SLS Black Series
How much lower than stock is that? That looks even lower than I imagined.
I just went outside and took some quick measurements. It looks like the front is 50mm between wheel and fender and the rear is 30mm. The rear actually looks ok now that I look at it, but the front is still way too high IMO. Maybe I will leave the rear alone and just bring down the front so the wheel gap is about the same.
I just went outside and took some quick measurements. It looks like the front is 50mm between wheel and fender and the rear is 30mm. The rear actually looks ok now that I look at it, but the front is still way too high IMO. Maybe I will leave the rear alone and just bring down the front so the wheel gap is about the same.
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CLK63 Black Series
So is your front 20mm higher than the rear like mine sits now?
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My front sits about 12mm higher than the rear, but remember I have different rate springs in my car than you have in yours so we can't even compare the two set-ups, spring rate is a HUGE factor in this.
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Yea, that shows how little I know about suspension setups. I should probably just send it to evosport for some new springs and adjustments.
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You would not have to send it all the way to Evosport, they might have a dealer in your area, plus you are not too far from lots of big name race teams, where there are race teams there is vast knowledge. Do some research for a good shop in your area, it can't hurt
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CLK 63 Black Series, 2009 S550, 2011 Range Rover Supercharged, BMW F800 GS Anniv Edition
The stock wheels take me about an hour to clean - such a PITA !!! Great discussion guys, lots of good info here regaring different suspension setups.
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Thanks jrcart, I was hoping that you would chime in. 
I don't have access to a lift so I think I'm going to take your advice and leave the camber alone.. I really want some 5-10mm spacers however. Do you know if that's something I can get from evosport? I'll probably wait for those before I worry about the alignment. A little negative camber never hurt anyone. 
I don't have access to a lift so I think I'm going to take your advice and leave the camber alone.. I really want some 5-10mm spacers however. Do you know if that's something I can get from evosport? I'll probably wait for those before I worry about the alignment. A little negative camber never hurt anyone. Feel free to give myself or Simon a call and we can get you squared away easily enough!
It is amazing for a car that is pretty rare, we seem to be spending about 50% of our time in the shop and on the phones assisting BS customers!
Thanks
Brad
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I would love to have a Black Series tuner shootout, I will put Evosports work up against Renntech, Brabus, Kleemann or any other tuner that wants to take a stab at it. Evosport found a way to greatly improve on near perfection.
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Ok, I just finished a track event with the revised suspension settings. If you want looks only and drop the car on stock suspension with the front lower than the rear it will be the WORST of both world. It destroy the front spoiler on every driveway and overseer like a 79 porsche turbo. That means its deadly in not a good way.
Keep the front 10-12mm higher than the front. If you go too low you will loose shock travel and be riding on the bump stops.
Jimmu
Keep the front 10-12mm higher than the front. If you go too low you will loose shock travel and be riding on the bump stops.
Jimmu
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From: Naperville, IL/Chicago
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Ok, I just finished a track event with the revised suspension settings. If you want looks only and drop the car on stock suspension with the front lower than the rear it will be the WORST of both world. It destroy the front spoiler on every driveway and overseer like a 79 porsche turbo. That means its deadly in not a good way.
Keep the front 10-12mm higher than the front. If you go too low you will loose shock travel and be riding on the bump stops.
Jimmu
Keep the front 10-12mm higher than the front. If you go too low you will loose shock travel and be riding on the bump stops.
Jimmu
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....and because they built the quickest, fastest and badest one(s) on the planet
I would love to have a Black Series tuner shootout, I will put Evosports work up against Renntech, Brabus, Kleemann or any other tuner that wants to take a stab at it. Evosport found a way to greatly improve on near perfection.
I would love to have a Black Series tuner shootout, I will put Evosports work up against Renntech, Brabus, Kleemann or any other tuner that wants to take a stab at it. Evosport found a way to greatly improve on near perfection.
I am going to work on the magazines for just such a thing!
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Brad, one more thing I have been meaning to ask, are you guys getting close on the rear rotors? Let me know, that would be some nice additional weight savings. Also let me know what you have available for the fronts if anything.
Last edited by jrcart; Nov 15, 2008 at 11:18 AM.
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Rears can ship Monday or Tuesday, no problem. Fronts, we are at an impasse as nobody makes a blank rotor that size, so we will have to cast our own to move forward, and we are looking into the cost.
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From: Cave Creek, AZ and Newport Beach
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Jim, 12mm higher in the front is the exact height I mine is set at, I even stated that above. I actually have all the measurments and specs and shock settings written down somewhere for my front and rear settings. I will post them when I get a chance, but as you know suspension really needs to be fine tuned for a specific track and more importantly a specific driver and his/her driving style. Maybe it will help out a few of the others on the board or at least give them a starting point. I would assume my Dymags and wider rubber skew my settings slightly over someone with stock wheels and rubber.
independantly. I'm still playing with shock settings as i'm pretty happy with the ride height. Your right each track is different just as each driver is.
Jimmy
