NorCal124

I was checking out he Bilstein website and they have the C, HD, and SP model shocks for the W124. I know some of you have the HDs installed along w/ lowering springs but there's a foot note stating that Bilstein recommends the SP shocks when using shorter springs. I know the SPs are uber expensive, my question is do you think you will shorten the shock life by using HD shocks w/ lowering springs or would you shell out the extra cash and wait to get SPs?? I know many of you have Bilsteins so your input would be greatly appreciated.

ashman

personally if using lowering springs I would go with the sports.. the valving is the same as the HD only they are shorter.

I still have my stock shocks in my car with lowering springs, and it is still going fine...

I'll replace them with bilstein sports sooner or later.

AshMan

EKL

AshMan,

I like the 17x8 AMG Aero 1 Hammer Wheels that you have, can you tell me what are the offset for your wheels? Thanks.

Eric

CDP

I believe the offset is ET28.

Also, I would go Bilstein Sport Shocks rather than HD's. That's all you need to know.

ashman

yeah off set is 28, very agressive. and not easy to make work, lots of fender modding is needed to stop rubbing, though it depends on tire size too. I could probably get up to a 235/45/17 tire if I were to mod the fenders more.

225/45/17 rubs quite a bit as it is.

215/45/17 may not rub as much.

Stiffer bilstein sports should help with the rubbing, which is what my next mod will be later on down the road.

AshMan

CDP

Hey Alon,

I was looking into tire sizes for my Hammers, what do you particularly recommend as for brands and perhaps the tire size.

Should I just go with the 225/45/17 and just have Sander roll the fenders and then add the fender spacers or just play it safe and get 215/45/17's. Currently I have my mind on Michelin Pilot Sports or Yokohama's AVS dB S2. This is all too much of a pain to think about! Oh...wouldn't 215's be stretched?

AMG_Fred

so you ended up winning the hammers? congrats

rammbs

look at this guy! already showing off! LOL j/k

if you have more money. go fender roll. else, go 215. as with all low profile tires. the wall gets thinner. you decide.

CDP

LOL! I need to plan everything out accordingly so I have everything done right the first tme. So therefore I need to ask people who have hammers for suggestions.

The real question is if I should run 45 series sidewall or get 40. Most likely run 225's since I don't like the idea of having stretched tires. Any suggestion on what tire brand?

NorCal124

Anyone know a good place to buy a set of SPs from without losing an arm and a leg?

CDP

What size are you looking for NorCal? and what were the prices you got when you looked.

cap'n jasper

I'm running 17x8 et35 on the rear with 235x40 tyres. I get no rubbing at all despite being lowered and no rolling.
Are you sure et28 is okay?

CDP

Yeah, ET28 will be okay, just as long all the proper modifications are done.

NorCal124

ET28?? I thought the SP shocks came in one standard size. I got prices as high as 172 for one front shock.

ashman

Chris, I would let sander recommend the tire size. for me I bought cheap tires, kuhmos, cause they were like $75.00 a tire. but I like them theya re really not bad at all. I just can't justify paying the prremium price for the michelins.

The fenders will have to be rolled no matter what, after they are rolled, the lips ont he fenders need to be bent outwards 20 degrees for proper fitting, and the rear bumper has to eb removed and something back there needs to be cut and pulled outwards then rewelded and then the bumper put back on, this is according to the amg manual I used to have and me remembering a bit about it.

Frankly, I would rather go with a 215 which will be stretching it, but rubbing will most likely be less.

THe front you will need to roll, bend the lips out 20 degrees, and put in the fender spacing kit.

I am yet to roll my fronts and bend the lips out, but have put on half the spacing kit.

I still got rubbing, some days it is worse than others, but I also have stock shocks on which are almost gone...

AshMan

CDP

thanks for all the information Alon.

I have one question though...what do you mean when you say you're suppose to bent the lips on the fenders outwards 20 degrees?

Gosh, thinking about this is so hectic. I'll just give my car and leave everything to Sanders to do.

Sure using 215's would have its advantage of possibly providing less rubbing but it also has disadvantags. I guess it's not a win win situation.

So I take it that you've rolled the rear? How has it improved since that. I'm still not sure. Perhaps I should run Pad#1 all around or 2 in the front and possibly 1 or 2 in the rear.

Poor photoshop preview, but I got bored.

zahkunst

Yeah well I dont have Hammers but I use 45 series Bridgestone Potenza RE050's and they are the best tires I have ever run on. They are a softer compound which means it's like riding on butta. They grip and perform just fine in rain. They may wear out slightly quicker than other tires cauz of the treadwear tho but it's well worth it in ride comfort. In fact these 45's ride way smoother than the 65's that came with the car and any other 40 series tire I ever used previously. They also feature that angled back wall design which is always nicer IMO. Michelin's are kinda hard, expensive, and don't look as nice in my experience. (Although potenza's aren't exactly cheap) Now as far as 40 or 45 all I will say is I have 45's on 17's and when you put the spare tire next to them which is a stock 15" with a 65 series, the spare tire is a good 1/4" larger in height.

To aid in just aesthetics as one avenue of exploration I had gone to several auto lots like mazda and mercedes to check out what was on the wheels....I saw the Potenza's stock on one of those weird looking mazda 6 deals...

just my 2 cents.

AMG_Fred

lol i saw that at first and i was like but then i saw that the tires went through the rear bumper. learn your photosho! jk amigo. good luck on your tires. i bet your jumping off the walls

ashman

Chris, before rolling the rear, the fender lip was literally sitting on the top of the tire.

Now that it is rolled, it doesn't sit on top of the tire. also you need to make sure you get the right lugs chris, if they are too long you wil damage the parking brake mechanism...

I had to grind my lugs down so they would not hit the parking brake springs inside the parking brake.

Bending the lips out. I will try to explain.

Say they look like this after the rolling:

\

You need to bend them like this outwards:

/

Get it?

AshMan

CDP

Alon,

I noticed that you are still running stock shocks...and pontentially no spring pads right? If that's not true, disregard everything I just said. Wouldn't my car sit a little better if I get the spring pads right. I noticed your car the wheels and tires sit with no finger gap what so ever. Gosh, I still don't know how Sean and his 190E did it it without rubbing and what not in the rear and front.

Anyways, I didn't know the lug nuts also play a role in the wheels. So currently, the stock size wouldn't fit. Couldn't you go out and buy smaller ones? Ah, maybe we can meet before I get them installed. I'm still not understanding the additional in lip bend.

NorCal124

Chris, how much did you pay for your SP shocks for your 300E? Also where did you get them from and where and how much did you get your vogtland springs from too?

CDP

I paid about 400 something for the SP shocks and 200 for the vogtland springs.

All can be purchased from Sander at TWS. www.thewheelsupply.com. He'll hook you up and mail them to you. I think the total was about 600-700. I forgot. I believe someone here on the forums order from TWS all the way from Chicago (i think)

NorCal124

Thanks, I'm looking to lower the car first kinda what like you did and then maybe get some AMG replicas w/ tires later on. It sucks living on your own and in college while trying to work on you car.

CDP

Hey, I can totally relate to you so I know where you're coming from. Afterall, we're not in no rush to work on our cars.

NorCal124

BTW where did you pick up a set of hammers from and how much did you get them for?