RSSJW

Hi,

I'm hoping to get some advice and suggestions for lowering a 300E about 1".

I have a steep driveway that may prevent me from installing the normal Sport springs such as Eibach & H&R since the exhaust system might get ripped off.

Currently has newe Bilstein HD's and 7.5x17" AMG wheels, too.

Suggestions???


TIA,

ZorroAMG

I don't know of any that only lower an inch. Either put the smallest spring pads on the car or get NEW OEM springs and cut a coil off em. DON'T cut a coil off your factory, tired springs.

RSSJW

Thank you for your reply and thats a good suggestion about springs. I abhor cutting ANY springs due to large, unintended changes in spring rates.

What are the differences in spring pad thicknesses?

RBYCC

If you use an H&R sport spring you'll get about a -1.3" to -1.5" drop.

If I recall the front pads come 8MM, 13MM, 18MM, 23MM and rears 8MM, 13MM, 18MM.
You can range from about 5/16" to 15/16".
Gives you the ability to minimize your drop.

Don't cut any spring, especially if it's progressively wound !

ksing44

Honestly, with the Eibach ProKit springs with Bilstein HD shocks my car is only about 1 inch lower. That is with 3-bump rear pads and 1-bump front pads. The rear dropped much more than the front for me. When stock, my car had 3-bump pads all around. I can usually get in and out of most driveways and other places and I don't usually scrape on speed bumps or anything.

I think I would have been OK with 2-bump rear pads also, but I just am not willing to spend more to try one more combination. if you have 3-bump all around, you could try just going to 1-bump all around.

Below is a photo of my car lowered with a snowboard on my hitch and my stock wheels and winter tires. It really doesn't look lowered, unless you know how high the cars sit when stock. They are way too high when stock. At least that was true for my 1995. Some of the older ones I see don't look so high, although maybe they just have fading suspension bits.

RSSJW

Thanks for that explanation!.

Can you clarify what thickness your bump pads are?

rayhennig

It might be worth trying the factory springs for the Sportline equivalent of your car. Sportline springs are marginally shorter and stiffer. Combined with, say, Bilstein B6 Heavy Duty dampers and the Sportline anti-roll bars, you should get a tighter ride, without bottoming out all the time.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Bonne chance.

RayH

ksing44

I had 3-bump pads all around when stock on 1995 E320. Now, with the Eibach ProKit springs and Bilstein HD shocks, I have 1-bump pads in the front and 3-bump pads in the rear.

The pads range from 1-bump to 4-bumps, in 5mm increments, starting at 8mm. I have been told that 5mm changes in the pads may result in as much as 7mm changes at the fender lip, although I have no empirical evidence to support that theory

1-bump = 8mm
2-bump = 13mm
3-bump = 18mm
4-bump = 23mm

If you have 3-bump like I had, just changing to 1-bump would be a 10mm = 0.39 inch change in the pad thickness.

ksing44

By most accounts, it does seem that the factory Sportline springs do not lower the car too much. Sportline springs with the smallest spring pads might be just perfect for you. It is OEM, so that is a good thing. Everyone that has them seems to be pretty happy about the change, that is unless they wanted a more dramatic lowering for appearances.

RSSJW

Excellent suggestions, all,...thank you very much.

I take it that the spring pads (F&R) are dealer-only items,...?

tanktube67

Eibach springs and get new 18" wheels