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Hey guys, I'm new to the site. Jus picked up a 06 cls500. I was wondering everyone's opinion on lowering links or I read about washers in front and drilling new hole in rear mount. What's my best option? Thank you
I was just about to post a similar topic. As far as I knew lowering links was the only way to go for this car. I got a quote for 500 and was wondering if that's a reasonable price to apply links.
I read online that the links are very easy to install, I've seen them from $100 to $300. Lower my air ride I think is the best from what I've seen. I'm bringing my car to MB today for a service. I think they can lower with the star programmer. I'll keep you posted on what they say.
I read online that the links are very easy to install, I've seen them from $100 to $300. Lower my air ride I think is the best from what I've seen. I'm bringing my car to MB today for a service. I think they can lower with the star programmer. I'll keep you posted on what they say.
After reading this I decided to look at an install and wow this can be done with a kids tool set practically. I almost feel insulted being quoted 500 for this job. Thought they would have to remove some major suspension components for this but they literally pull off with tiny vice grips and pop back in. They didn't even have to remove the front wheels lol. I watched a video on a cl class of a similar year because I couldn't find any w219's but is it much different?
Yea very easy. MB said that it can be done but they aren't allowed to alter. I jus ordered 20" kmc district wheels, I'll see how car sits with them and if I still want lower I'm doin the links.
Yea very easy. MB said that it can be done but they aren't allowed to alter. I jus ordered 20" kmc district wheels, I'll see how car sits with them and if I still want lower I'm doin the links.
Cool keep me posted sounds like we are doing pretty much the same thing to our cars. I am getting ready to order some 20" mrr and will probably do the links after. After the links are applied do you need to get another wheel alignment?
I have a 2011 W219 and used lowering links (the $199 ones, from the UK) to drop my car a little. Sounds like you may want to go the same route. I used the more expensive links after reading reviews of the others (that use materials that may rust out or corrode when they get salty). These seem pretty well made. Remember, if one of these things breaks, or pops off - you're going to be immobile until you get it fixed.
I installed them myself using a floor jack, stands, and a bunch of sliding around on the garage floor.
The front ones are indeed pretty easy. If you have a lift, you may be able to do them without pulling the wheels, but I just pulled the wheels to get the extra space. Took an extra 5 minutes to get them off and on - but saved me the hassle of working around them.
The rear link is a little different story. It's on top of the differential (more or less) and there just isn't much room up there to work. Especially when you're laying under the car. On a lift - it'll be easier, but it still takes some finesse with a wrench and being able to turn a nut on a bolt without being able to see it.
ALSO, you need to figure out how much you want to drop the car, and make this adjustment before you put the links on the car. (I used a micrometer, and measured each one about ten times, just to be sure). If you get the car back on the ground, and don't like where it sits, you have to do the whole thing over, and to adjust the back link, you DO have to pull it off to adjust it.
The rear link took me about twice as long to install as both front ones. Whole job was close to 3 hours (and yeah, I was a little excessive on measuring the link-length, but I didn't want to have to do the install over)
I was satisfied with where the car sat when done. Lowered it a little over an inch, and the suspension sits the way it should (not with the tops of the tires canted in...)
I wouldn't try this if I wasn't REALLY familiar with a wrench, but I've also heard that some shops will mess the installation up if they don't pay attention. YMMV
I am also running on lowering links. It's a cheap way to lower your car, BUT if you really want to slam the car..the ride is more stiffer, not so confort..but is a good way to lower our cars.
(The front ones are easy job, rear one is more difficult)
Thanks for the replys guys. I'm prob jus gonna leave in sport 2 mode. I ordered 20's so it will look better Than stock. Car isn't my daily driver so don't really care about the ride but I live in NY and roads here are horrible. So I think I'm better off jus leaving. But if I do lower I may go the renntech module route.
I have a 2011 W219 and used lowering links (the $199 ones, from the UK) to drop my car a little. Sounds like you may want to go the same route. I used the more expensive links after reading reviews of the others (that use materials that may rust out or corrode when they get salty). These seem pretty well made. Remember, if one of these things breaks, or pops off - you're going to be immobile until you get it fixed.
I installed them myself using a floor jack, stands, and a bunch of sliding around on the garage floor.
The front ones are indeed pretty easy. If you have a lift, you may be able to do them without pulling the wheels, but I just pulled the wheels to get the extra space. Took an extra 5 minutes to get them off and on - but saved me the hassle of working around them.
The rear link is a little different story. It's on top of the differential (more or less) and there just isn't much room up there to work. Especially when you're laying under the car. On a lift - it'll be easier, but it still takes some finesse with a wrench and being able to turn a nut on a bolt without being able to see it.
ALSO, you need to figure out how much you want to drop the car, and make this adjustment before you put the links on the car. (I used a micrometer, and measured each one about ten times, just to be sure). If you get the car back on the ground, and don't like where it sits, you have to do the whole thing over, and to adjust the back link, you DO have to pull it off to adjust it.
The rear link took me about twice as long to install as both front ones. Whole job was close to 3 hours (and yeah, I was a little excessive on measuring the link-length, but I didn't want to have to do the install over)
I was satisfied with where the car sat when done. Lowered it a little over an inch, and the suspension sits the way it should (not with the tops of the tires canted in...)
I wouldn't try this if I wasn't REALLY familiar with a wrench, but I've also heard that some shops will mess the installation up if they don't pay attention. YMMV
Thanks. That would be about where I'd want my car to sit. Are you in sport 2 mode in the picture? And are those amgs 19"s on it? Do you like the ride any better or worse?
Thanks. That would be about where I'd want my car to sit. Are you in sport 2 mode in the picture? And are those amgs 19"s on it? Do you like the ride any better or worse?
-I keep it in sport 1 mode all the time, unless the GF and I are cross-country-ing on the long, lonesome highway.
-I didn't notice much of a change in the ride after I put the links on. I'm sure it was a little stiffer, but my last car was a Porsche 993 with a very tight suspension so maybe my perception is skewed. YMMV.
-Yep, those are 19" AMG performance Package wheels. (Which are now powdercoated black, and should be back on the car within a few weeks!)
-I keep it in sport 1 mode all the time, unless the GF and I are cross-country-ing on the long, lonesome highway.
-I didn't notice much of a change in the ride after I put the links on. I'm sure it was a little stiffer, but my last car was a Porsche 993 with a very tight suspension so maybe my perception is skewed. YMMV.
-Yep, those are 19" AMG performance Package wheels. (Which are now powdercoated black, and should be back on the car within a few weeks!)
Cool, looks a lot like my cls. Mines black on black with blacked out grill. Is this much of a difference if you put it in sport 2 in the ride height? What specs did you go for in the front and back? Also would be cool to see those powder coated amg's if you get a chance.. I'm still trying to figure out if i want 20"'s or 19"s and gloss black or machined.
The video I saw literally showed a guy pulling off the front links with a tiny vice grip and similar for the rear just needed the tires removed but maybe he only showed the easy parts.. lol.
Cool, looks a lot like my cls. Mines black on black with blacked out grill. Is this much of a difference if you put it in sport 2 in the ride height? What specs did you go for in the front and back? Also would be cool to see those powder coated amg's if you get a chance.. I'm still trying to figure out if i want 20"'s or 19"s and gloss black or machined.
The video I saw literally showed a guy pulling off the front links with a tiny vice grip and similar for the rear just needed the tires removed but maybe he only showed the easy parts.. lol.
-Dynasty,
I don't honestly know about the difference in ride height in the sport1 or sport2 modes. The owners manual is really kind of vague with regards to the airmatic and what happens on the different settings...and what I've seen when researching the innerwebz appears to be mostly conjecture.
I wish I could remember (I actually went to see if I'd written it down somewhere) what length I'd made the lowering links when I installed them. I'm away from the house right now, but I'll look at the instructions when I get home. Maybe by Tuesday or Wednesday. I remember that the manufaturer's instructions were just a little difficult to understand - and I think I even sent them an email suggesting a re-write. I'll try and find that too.
Finally - the wheels are nicely tucked away in the garage, waiting on the chance of snow to disappear. Hopefully get them on the car in a few weeks...and will post a good pic then.
Straight from the powder coating shop
New kicks! (Hankook Ventus - went one up on the width in the rear, based on a recommendation from the TireRack guy)
Still need to colorize the center caps. May just use the rattlecan satin black I have left over from the grill
anyone know if these are reputable? Looks very simple and they offer a different way to do the rear.
Let me know if you go with this method. I heard a lot of good stuff about them but this was before when they had front and rear links. If you do go with this please inform us on how the rear was done and how difficult it is. Thanks!
Just my opinion, but the Ghost links are plastic. Yes - the OEM Mercedes links are plastic too, but they're made of that black plastic that you can't kill no matter what. The Ghostlinks look like they'd shatter if you stepped on them. Up inside your wheelwell is a dangerous place, with sticks, rocks, animal bones and all sorts of other flotsam bonking around in there. If it were me, I'd go with something a little more substantial.
-Dynasty,
I don't honestly know about the difference in ride height in the sport1 or sport2 modes. The owners manual is really kind of vague with regards to the airmatic and what happens on the different settings...and what I've seen when researching the innerwebz appears to be mostly conjecture.
I wish I could remember (I actually went to see if I'd written it down somewhere) what length I'd made the lowering links when I installed them. I'm away from the house right now, but I'll look at the instructions when I get home. Maybe by Tuesday or Wednesday. I remember that the manufaturer's instructions were just a little difficult to understand - and I think I even sent them an email suggesting a re-write. I'll try and find that too.
Finally - the wheels are nicely tucked away in the garage, waiting on the chance of snow to disappear. Hopefully get them on the car in a few weeks...and will post a good pic then.
Straight from the powder coating shop
New kicks! (Hankook Ventus - went one up on the width in the rear, based on a recommendation from the TireRack guy)
Still need to colorize the center caps. May just use the rattlecan satin black I have left over from the grill
I know it's a bit off topic but how do you like the ride on the hankook v12's I bought them new about a year or so ago, they grip and perform very well but I found the ride to be very bumpy and could feel everything in the road. They are bald now and Im back to either getting another set of hankooks or possibly trying sumitomo (I heard they have a softer compound). Also my car is on 18's.
I know it's a bit off topic but how do you like the ride on the hankook v12's I bought them new about a year or so ago, they grip and perform very well but I found the ride to be very bumpy and could feel everything in the road. They are bald now and Im back to either getting another set of hankooks or possibly trying sumitomo (I heard they have a softer compound). Also my car is on 18's.
I'll let you know very soon. My plan was to mount the wheels/tires on the car today, so I'll be ready for the first "Cars&Coffee" of the spring (at Katie's Coffee House) tomorrow AM.
Currently, I've got snows mounted, and before that, when I bought the car in December 2015, there were Contis or GoodStones or something.
I got these Hankooks for the Merc, because I had them on my Porsche and liked them a lot.
Stay tuned!
I know it's a bit off topic but how do you like the ride on the hankook v12's I bought them new about a year or so ago, they grip and perform very well but I found the ride to be very bumpy and could feel everything in the road. They are bald now and Im back to either getting another set of hankooks or possibly trying sumitomo (I heard they have a softer compound). Also my car is on 18's.
Hey Dynasty,
I mounted the Hankooks on the car Friday, then drove it for bout 20 miles Saturday - mostly down curvy roads with some good asphalt and some bad.
It's going to take some time for them to break in, but that mostly concerns how they feel in corners. As far as the ride, I have to say I didn't notice a decrease in comfort from the old tires. That said, I don't keep my tires inflated to max pressure - but adjust the PSI down a bit because I never load the car up to max capacity. That may may the ride a little smoother.
Will let you know about grip and handling once the new goo wears off the tread.
Hey Dynasty,
I mounted the Hankooks on the car Friday, then drove it for bout 20 miles Saturday - mostly down curvy roads with some good asphalt and some bad.
It's going to take some time for them to break in, but that mostly concerns how they feel in corners. As far as the ride, I have to say I didn't notice a decrease in comfort from the old tires. That said, I don't keep my tires inflated to max pressure - but adjust the PSI down a bit because I never load the car up to max capacity. That may may the ride a little smoother.
Will let you know about grip and handling once the new goo wears off the tread.
Looks great. Did you go with a bit wider tires then stock suggestions.. I know tire rack offers two choices the second being the wider... would that contribute to a softer ride. I always go with the first choice that is more flush with the wheel. I really have no reasoning behind it other than it's what the car came with. I can attest the grip on the hankooks is fantastic my only complaint was the ability to feel almost everything in the road.
Dynasty wrote: "Did you go with the wider tires than stock"
Yeah, TireRack guy told be I could go to 295 without problems. Sounded like their standard answer to everyone though, from Vega to Volga. I should have taken the time to research this forum, to see what others had done. Just didn't feel like it that day, I guess. I did go up to 295's in the rear. Kept the front stock.
02-20-2017, 08:52 PM
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