Difference between Bilstein shocks
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From: Northern Cali
W124
Difference between Bilstein shocks
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.
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
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
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
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W124's
Originally Posted by 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
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
Also, I would go Bilstein Sport Shocks rather than HD's. That's all you need to know.
Last edited by CDP; Jun 3, 2005 at 05:19 PM.
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
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
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
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W124's
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?
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?
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From: SoCal
Originally Posted by ChrisDPham
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?
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?
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.
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W124's
Originally Posted by 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.
if you have more money. go fender roll. else, go 215. as with all low profile tires. the wall gets thinner. you decide.
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?
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
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
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
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W124's
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.
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.
Last edited by CDP; Jun 5, 2005 at 07:10 AM.
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From: Tampa, FL
91 300E
Originally Posted by ChrisDPham
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?
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?
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.
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Originally Posted by ChrisDPham
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.
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.
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
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
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
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
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W124's
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.
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.
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W124's
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)
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)
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W124
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.
