--My car is now slamed low--
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From: Cambridge, Ontario
95 E320 Coupe, Diesel Golf
Yup you are absolutly correct, both my rear tires went flat due to the wear with the 225's, I'm sure the 245's handle better but wouldn't they wear/grind even more???
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From: Clearwater Beach, Florida
2016 Cls63s AMG
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From: REHOBOTH BEACH DE
88-300CE TWIN TURBO, 99-C43, 05-G55K, 71-280SL, 94-E320 CAB, 08 CLK63 BLACK SERIES
I'd agree with the "staid ( kudos...good word !! ) sedan as it applies to the W210.
But may I remind you of the following comment made by Mercedes concerning the 300E....
Quote
The handling of 300 Class automobiles has been compared to that of exotic performance machines. But the ability to corner at great velocity was not all that Mercedes Benz engineers had in mind when they designed the multilink rear suspension.
Unquote
The W124 was a very competent "sports" sedan.
Coupes weren't too shabby either...
In fact the 1989 320CE M103-12V AMG wide body was comparable to the Porsche 911, and a few international motoring publications called the later E36 Coupe a "Cheap Porscehe 911 alternative."
Worst case the young guys that slam their W124's get some bump steer and tire wear.....most of them don't go that fast to do any stress like you get on a track.
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From: Long Beach, Ca
lots of cars
Yup you are absolutly correct, both my rear tires went flat due to the wear with the 225's, I'm sure the 245's handle better but wouldn't they wear/grind even more???
Also with a wider wheel in the back you get less oversteer and like i said better handling. Higher offsets will also raise your car a little bit (you won't really notice) and if you look at porsche or newer cars they all use offsets higher than +45.
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From: Clearwater Beach, Florida
2016 Cls63s AMG
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Joined: Mar 2008
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1986 300E
Ehh... I hate to be the one to bring this up... but...
Lowering a car does lower the CG, but it doesn't reduce overall body roll (before you type an angry reply, read my whole post). The reason I say this is because when you lower a car below the factory designed ride height it raises the roll center (not the same thing as CG) due to the change in the relationship of the angle of the control arms to the angle perpendicular to the struts (measured from the top of the strut, at the point where it connects to the chassis). A higher roll center will increase body roll. If you don't believe me, read any good book about suspension design. However, usually lowering springs are stiffer than the factory springs, and as a result the stiffer springs cause the body roll to be reduced... which is why so many people believe that lowering is the way to reduce body roll. So, taking spacers out of the factory springs will lower the car, and may improve the handling due to a lower CG... but it won't reduce body roll. In order to correct the roll center problem caused by lowering a car, you would need to lower the inner control arm pivot point by the same distance you lowered the car.... which is difficult if not impossible. You can also counteract the raised roll center with a pair of upgraded swaybars... but that's the easy way.
Sorry, I think too much, and talk even more.
Lowering a car does lower the CG, but it doesn't reduce overall body roll (before you type an angry reply, read my whole post). The reason I say this is because when you lower a car below the factory designed ride height it raises the roll center (not the same thing as CG) due to the change in the relationship of the angle of the control arms to the angle perpendicular to the struts (measured from the top of the strut, at the point where it connects to the chassis). A higher roll center will increase body roll. If you don't believe me, read any good book about suspension design. However, usually lowering springs are stiffer than the factory springs, and as a result the stiffer springs cause the body roll to be reduced... which is why so many people believe that lowering is the way to reduce body roll. So, taking spacers out of the factory springs will lower the car, and may improve the handling due to a lower CG... but it won't reduce body roll. In order to correct the roll center problem caused by lowering a car, you would need to lower the inner control arm pivot point by the same distance you lowered the car.... which is difficult if not impossible. You can also counteract the raised roll center with a pair of upgraded swaybars... but that's the easy way.
Sorry, I think too much, and talk even more.
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From: Vancouver, BC
Enzo, my Benzo
Thanks for the informative post! 
When I "lower" a car, that means new, stiffer shocks, new stiffer lowering springs and new swaybars and bushings....thus lowering CG, reducing body roll and creating a much nicer looking car as a bonus. No cutting springs here...EVER.
When I "lower" a car, that means new, stiffer shocks, new stiffer lowering springs and new swaybars and bushings....thus lowering CG, reducing body roll and creating a much nicer looking car as a bonus. No cutting springs here...EVER.
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From: Clearwater Beach, Florida
2016 Cls63s AMG
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that 90% of why I lowered my car is to make it look cooler, not to make it handle better.
lol, there. I said it! And I bet most of you on here agree with me whether you admit it or not!!!
My car does handle slightly better in terms of sportiness, but frankly I would take the factory ride back if my car could look like it does now... it's just more comfortable, and still stiff enough to take a corner at any speed I would ever dare... lol I just really couldn't stand the look of the 4x4 ride height.
lol, there. I said it! And I bet most of you on here agree with me whether you admit it or not!!!
My car does handle slightly better in terms of sportiness, but frankly I would take the factory ride back if my car could look like it does now... it's just more comfortable, and still stiff enough to take a corner at any speed I would ever dare... lol I just really couldn't stand the look of the 4x4 ride height.
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From: Seattle WA
99 E320
you hightlight a very good point for consideration but I think it can be
read as a little simplistic. there are offsetting penalties which of course,
varies with each vehicle. the overall effect still may have a net result of lowered CG. when you add to that the usual accouterments associated
with such projects, e.g. wider wheels/tires, the net effect is usually good:
lowered CG and better handling.
of course, since a lot of the work is performed by weekend, shade tree
mechanics who do not possess the means to measure CG and roll center,
they rely on subjective, seat-of-pants results, ie how fast can they take
the same turn before and after the mod.
yes, I would guess that some changes actually have great gains, whereas
some may have the effect of a sugar pill .
natch, we're just talking hypotheticals here.
