RHW

I am considering lowering the wagon (hydraulics in rear!) and white Cab. My plan was Eibachs and Bilstein sports.

But, the suspensions on both vehicles are in excellent shape and need nothing. SO, if I were gonna be honest and say 55% of my reasoning is because these cars look better lower, what would be the reasons to replace the struts/shocks versus leaving them?

This was suggested to me by someone who has done this.

Second question: Suggested sources for Eibachs and maybe Bilsteins?

Third: Are there Eibachs specifically for the wagon? Would Cab springs make sense, since the Cab weighs more than the sedan?

kereon

It will be fine but not perfect. Only replace the shocks will shorten the life of the shocks. Or you can change the shocks later on.

ksing44

I put on my OEM shocks for a while when one of my Bilstein HD shocks was found to be leaking during a state inspection. The OEM shocks were an interim solution. The car bounced all over the place, compared to having the Bilsteins. It seemed the OEM shocks couldn't control the stiffer springs. Now it wasn't unbearable, but I was very glad when I put on the new Bilstein Sports. I did not pursue the Bilstein warranty for the Bilstein HD shocks, because I really wanted to try the Sports and after more than 6 years I thought it would be nice to have all four new matching shocks.

RHW

Thanks Kereon + Ksing,
The wear topic would not worry me, but experimenting with a bouncy ride does. Glad to hear someone I trust has actually tried stockers. And I already know what I think of the Eibach/Bilstein sport combo...from my silver Cab. (it's a sure thing)

But the wagon...too much conflicting info in old threads. I continue to wonder if the Cab springs would also work for the wagon. Sportline = minimal drop, cutting springs = worries me.

spinlps

Two years ago I converted my 95 E320 Wagon to the Sportline setup because I had a 92 190E 2.6 Sportline that rode really nice, firm yet comfortable. So after a lot of hunting down info and lots of help from Kwontomspeed and AmgDave I finally got it right. The wagon is heavier in the front than the sedan and the front spring required the #30 instead of the #29. BIG difference between the two. With 1 point pads front and rear the wagon sits about an inch lower that stock.

The Sportline setup costs a bit more than the aftermarket parts but is finely tuned to work magic.

The 500e swaybars are worth the hassle also!

RHW

Thanks spinlps - I had a front 500e swaybar and 'parted' with it when I lowered my silver Cab...seemed too tight a fit. Wish I kept it now. You have them front and rear?

Frankly, I am looking for more of a drop than the Sportline, and am hoping there is at least 1 choice for a 1-1.5" drop that doesn't include cutting springs. I'd love the ride of your Sportline wagon but specifically want a drop like the Eibachs gave that silver Cab.

spinlps

I got a 24mm drop. Personally I wouldn't go any lower. I'll post some pics in the morning.

500e sways front and rear, I had to bargin with the shop big time on the labor on the rear install. Book rate is insane.

I changed f&r springs, sways, lcas, and f struts & strut mounts and I'm in the process of getting all the parts together to do the same plus rear shocks on my 94 E420. It's worth every penny.

Chappy

RWH,

I feel your pain :-)

I owned a '91 300CE for 12 years and had a full OE Sportline Suspension put on for the last 5 years or so of ownership. Car was tight, looked nice and handled great.

When I bought my '95 wagon, I knew I wanted a similar feel to the suspension setup as on my 300CE, but was also concerned that the process wasn't was simple as the coupes and sedans due to the SLS system.

I knew things would be a little different this time.

For example, on my 300CE I had sourced the original 7X15 sportline-spec 8-hole wheels. This time, I was doing a "plus 2" fitment of the AMG Monoblock IIs off my CLK55. I had some options I was condsidering, including ordering the full sportline setup for the wagon and having it shipped over from europe.

I relented when mbenzman suggested we just "play" with the suspension and see where it goes. Initially, I had no plans to cut springs, but they're relatively inexpensive and after the springs were snipped, I was happy with the looks (my rear fenders were rolled to accommodate the 245s out back). Remember, I was on stock front dampers and factory hydros in the rear. Since driving it for a year or so after the initial drop was done, I was on a quest to firm up the ride similar to the 300CE with the sportline setup.

First, a 500E rear swaybar was installed. At the same time, we changed the front dampers to Bilstein sports and added the 500E bump stops. New accumulators were installed (still riding on the original hydros). The car is very smooth (but planted) on the highway and not harsh at all around town. It doesn't corner as flat as my CLK55, but handling is defintely improved - I'm sure the 17" wheels and grippy rubber account for part of that.

I think I need to meet with kwontumspeed and go for a ride in his wagon and vice-versa. Then, we may be able to provide more finely-tuned feedback.

AMGDave

If the struts/shocks are old or leaking, this is the time to replace them. If they're fairly recent, try leaving them alone. If you end up with a bouncy ride, then you'll have to change them. For performance use I'd lean towards KONI adjustables, however these are more expensive than Bilstein Sports. For the wagon, you'll either need to leave the stock rear hydro-legs, or order the Euro-only Sportline rear hydro-legs ($$$). You will also need to adjust the SLS valve to get the rear lowered on the wagon.



Lots of vendors out there - pick your favorite and/or one of the cheaper ones. I got my KONI dampers from Shox.com though... both reds & yellows are available for the 124.



Eibach makes a few different spring sets, but I'm not sure if they have one that is wagon-specific. This is why I recommend factory Sportline springs for any application that is not your standard 300E sedan. There are dozens of factory springs for a reason - it allows you to select the exact springs for your particular car and optional equipment.


Help us out here. What is your current ride height, as measured from the bottom of the fender lip to the center of the wheel, front & rear, with a full tank of fuel? You need to be really careful when lowering or you'll end up sitting on the suspension stops - looks cool, but almost no suspension travel isn't fun on a street car. A true 1.5" drop would be way overkill. Time to get the tape measure out. Cutting springs is what happens when you don't use the correct springs to begin with, except in unusual circumstances.



Side note:
There is a factory Cabriolet Sportline setup, including the Cabriolet Sportline front sway bar (aka "limo" bar). I'd use that instead of a 500E front bar. It will be shaped correctly for the 6-cyl chassis. Also, I think Neil said the stock 500E springs were just about perfect for lowering a 124 wagon - might want to check into that, instead of messing around with aftermarket stuff that may not work properly. (??)

RHW

Hi Chappy,
Thanks for that feedback, searching these forums for wagon lowering advice offered no clear spring/strut choices. If you get together with Robert, both the pics and ride comparisons will be epic.

AMGDave,

With full tank, rears are 14.5" and fronts are 16"

Given your comments about trying the stock struts, I was wondering about both Cab and wagon--- would I be okay to pick up Koni Reds for an adjustable ride (even though they are not made for shortened springs?)

I will go incrementally forward, going to pick up B&G springs for the Cab...and I continue to wonder about sedan springs in the front of wagon and Cab springs in the rear for the extra weight. For the cost of having them installed, or swapped, it will be worth it for me to try some combination like that.

AMGDave

WOW, that is way high up front! Most late 124's are in the upper 14's in stock form with used struts. If you are really at 16" then you definitely want at least a 1.5" drop. Don't forget to measure both left & right sides and average the results... they're usually within 1/4" though.


Yes. The KONI reds will work fine with lowering springs. I had them on my 1990 300E with H&R springs and the setup worked great. Click here to see a graph of the damping rates for KONI red vs yellow. The pink area in the middle is where they overlap in performance.


I'm not sure about the rear spring swap (Cab --> wagon), particularly if your Cab does not have SLS. Interestingly, the wagon rear Sportline springs are the same as the sedan rear Sportline springs. The Cab rear springs *may* be a bit too tall and/or too firm. BTW - the wagon Sportline rear SLS hydro-legs are p/n 124-320-23-13 and have to come from Germany. I'm not sure if a US dealer can special order these or not, but if not, Speed-Autoteile can get them.



Side note: I just found in the EPC that the Cabrio standard front struts are the same as the 500E front struts! I didn't realize that.... learn somethin' new every day!

RHW

the Cabrio standard front struts are the same as the 500E front struts!
----------

Is that similar or slightly taller than the sedan?
Thanks for your time today.

I've ordered the Koni Reds (that chart makes me wonder why I chose reds) and B&G springs for the Cab, your bilstein sports and a second set of Cab B&G springs, which I will maybe try a few combinations along with a set of Eibach springs on the wagon. And those rear sportline hydrolegs make sense, but I'll wait and try these changes first.

(edited: rear Konis not available so I canceled entire order)

RHW

So I went for the incremental upgrade, (B&G springs, 1.5" drop while leaving stock 55k mile struts and shocks)

I am surprised at how well it went-
1 no rubbing (jeez is it close, but so far, not a rub)
2 compared to my silver Cab (Eibachs and Bilstein Sports) this Cab is a tad lower but with a more comfortable/softer ride. I like both outcomes but so far prefer the softer ride here.
3 with tight bushings and low mileage struts/shocks, the need for Limo bar/sportier struts/etc can all be pushed off to future plans.
4 Wow, the lowered seating position is striking when driving.

I need to level things a bit, back is up a little more than front.





Wagon is getting tested on a set of 4 Cabriolet springs today.

AMGDave

Rich, wow, that is low! Looks sweet though. What's the fender-to-wheel-center height up front?

BTW - in case I forgot to email you, the struts were shipped out Friday morning... you should receive them later next week!

RHW

Got the Bilstein Sport struts in the Cab now, very happy with the tighter ride. Thanks again AMGDave! Was good to see the incremental improvement first hand, last time I did entire Cab suspension in one pass.

The wagon is looking silly, front end is low, rear end still up around 14" center to lip. I ordered a set of Koni Sports for the front but...

How reasonable would it be to replace the SLS system with rear Koni Sports from a 400e? Might they bolt up if I cap the SLS system?

---
Lessons I learned
Springs alone are a worthwhile upgrade. Lower center of gravity alone alters twisty road handling significantly.
Of course, matching lowering springs w shorter travel struts is another incremental improvement.
Worry about bump pads AFTER dialing in suspension

No one has significant confidence in lowering rear of a wagon with SLS, without some big costs. I am hoping to go with a normal sport suspension on the wagon, still very unhappy with the tall rear.

AMGDave

Excellent! Glad they worked out for you.



I think it may be tough to get the rear lower than 14" with the stock SLS hydrolegs... I am assuming (!) that the SLS rod has been adjusted as much as possible? Another test is to disconnect the SLS rod temporarily and see if it goes any lower - that will tell you if the SLS was lifting it to 14" or not.



KONI fronts should work great.



Can't really do that on a wagon - the wagon has a different lower rear shock mount, different LCA, etc. All the parts are beefed up for the additional payload. It might be possible if you swapped those other parts too, but in general I wouldn't recommend it, and you'd also end up not wanting to carry any load in the car if SLS was disabled.

Before shelling out for the wagon-specific Sportline hydro-legs from Germany, I would start a new thread asking about getting the rear end of the wagon lowered. I've seen pics of 124 wagons in the weeds, it may be helpful to find out how other folks did it, and if it was done properly. If you do start a new thread, post the link here so we can subscribe to it!

RHW

Just for follow up -
H&R makes a stock set of lowering springs for the wagon, average about 1.4" drop.

evening iphone pic is currently in sig

That is with 3 bumps front and 2 bumps rear...and stock struts. The example with my Cab is very different in the wagon, as it is bouncy. Koni sports are on order. Errr, back order.

I am thinking 1 bump in rear and 4 in front might level things.(?)

And it is riding on 16" Aero I monoblocks, w 205x55x16

ksing44

There is something special about a lowered wagon. I think it really does transform the look of the wagon to a very sporty cool looking vehicle.

RHW

True, but sadly, those same wheels look wonderful on your blue 124, but I am not sold on them on this silver wagon. at all. I've got a few choices to try. Wish I was a photochopper. I have sets of Carlsson 1/6 in 17" and 18" just waiting on a chance to shine again.

Sport struts first.

Saijin_Naib

Gimme a shot of your car with a shot of the rims in question at the same angle and I'll do some up for you.

Ideally, flat on the side of the car and straight on the rim.

zach1328

OK..
This could be a really dumb question but i am going to ask anyways.
You said in the beginning you don't want to get new shocks because you like the car lower.

Do the bilstein sport shocks make the car higher off the ground??

RHW

Not sure, Zach, all what I've said. This was quite a learning experience for me. (but the shocks were not about lowering, more about budget and testing incremental changes)

I TRIED Cab springs in the wagon, thinking maybe it would lower things more than the regular H&R 1.4" drop (it did, but too much)

I now have H&R wagon springs in the wagon, it looks good, and I have koni sports coming to un-bounce the ride.

In the Cab, I might have left the stock 55K mile struts, but found a good used set of bilstein sports. (I think they have SLIGHTLY lifted the initial front stance, like 1 bump pad or less might have) BUt I am not out there measuring, just going by eye.

hcky mn

In the Cab, I might have left the stock 55K mile struts, but found a good used set of bilstein sports. (I think they have SLIGHTLY lifted the initial front stance, like 1 bump pad or less might have) BUt I am not out there measuring, just going by eye.[/QUOTE]

Resurrecting this old thread, on my 1993 Cab I'm going to replace the lower control arms, tie tods and drag link. I beleve the struts and shocks are original, and the car has only 109,000 miles. I enjoy the stock ride, but I know the driver side strut is weak, though not leaking. I replaced the strut mounts 2 years ago. I have the following new unused parts ordered for, but never installed on, a 1991 300e and 1988 300ce Coupe: Eilbach front springs, Sachs Super Touring struts 115 070 and Bilstein sport shocks (yellow). I'm not keen on lowering the Cab, but wouldn't mind tightening up the handling a bit when the shop replaces the LCA
Best first step is to replace the stock shocks or the stock springs? With the parts I have? Aftermarket? TIA.
Richard

M. Schneider

Hey, hcky mn -
I too have begun enhancing a MY94 E-Class w124 coupe that needs a touch of wheel/suspension renewal after two decades + and 85k miles. The E 320 coupe's starting point is a very original condition, 1 owner, relative owned from new/ordered.

The stock E320 8-holed 15"x6.5" et-44mm alloys were swapped with 8-holed 16" x7.5 et-41mm alloys from a wrecked MY99 w210 E-320 sedan. The MY99 w210 alloy 16" alloys match the offset (et41) of the original w124 Sportline options 15"x7" et 41mm. .. These OEM 16" 8-holed alloys fit the w124 coupe wheel wells as if original. .. The tire size I used, 205/55/16" Michelin Pilot Sports is merely one size up from the original 205/70/15" as fitted to a '94 w124 Coupe w/Sportline option. .. The w124 coupe has the aesthetic and stance as an OEM original if 16" alloys had been offered in the States. .. Appears seamless with the 2dr. coupes body/roof lines. .. Your w124 2dr cabriolet has similar lines.

As for the coupe's suspension, OEM original Sportline F/R shocks were sourced with OEM MB Sportline coil springs. .. Eibach manufacturing also makes a knock-off of the shorter MB w124 Sportline spring set. .. I found new MB Sportline springs thru an MB dealership in Frankfurt, Germany while visiting family. .. Both Sachs & Bilstein and others were OEM suppliers of w124 suspension components throughout decades of production. .. To follow are '94 w124 coupe Sportline shock part numbers as manufactured by Bilstein Germany.
Bilstein OE B4 series:
24-016124 Rear shocks . . . . MB Sportline part # A 124 326 27 00 Rear
22-040534 Front shocks
Eibach w124 Lowering springs:
$ . . . . MB Sportline part # 124 324 11 04 Rear

Hope this assists you when coursing a plan forward for updating your w124 Cabriolet. .. Your w124 Cabriolet parts could be slightly different because of weight balance. ..
Got a VIN?