18mm vs 23mm front coil spring pads
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 3
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300E
18mm vs 23mm front coil spring pads
First post here so please be patient.
I've done some research on this spring pad issue and it looks like the 23mm pads are correct for the MB OEM front springs for an 86 300E.
All other options are 8,13,18mm.
My question is if I install 18mm pads instead of 23mm pads is that really a big deal?
5mm = about 1/5 of an inch.
Any other issue here other than the car now sits 1/5 of an inch lower?
FYI, a parts dept. employee at a MB dealership was nice enough to print out the sheet describing the system used to match up spring pads to spring color codes. For model 124.030, the "points" start with 45.
Then in my case 4 points are added for automatic transmission and 3 are added for a sliding sunroof. 45 + 4 + 3 =52, and 52 points calls for 23mm pads.
The sheet shows these shows spring color options and points as follows:
49 points: Red spring, 18mm
Blue spring, 13mm
50-54 points: Red, 23mm
Blue, 18mm
55-60 points: Red, 13mm
Blue: 8mm
61- Red: 18mm
Blue: 13mm
So if I don't have a sliding sunroof I'm down to 49 points and according to this sheet I can now use 18mm pads?
That's why I'm thinking it's really not a big deal if I use 18mm.
Just in case this now may sound less confusing, even though this sheet form a dealer shows the only spring color options as blue and red, the OEM MB springs I got had 3 yellow and 2 red dots on each so I assumed red.
And I wasn't able to reach in and feel the dots on the existing pads. From whai I've read, 1 dot / burl is supposed to be 8mm, 2 is 13mm, 3 is 18 and 4 is 23mm.
Thank you all advance for any responses.
I've done some research on this spring pad issue and it looks like the 23mm pads are correct for the MB OEM front springs for an 86 300E.
All other options are 8,13,18mm.
My question is if I install 18mm pads instead of 23mm pads is that really a big deal?
5mm = about 1/5 of an inch.
Any other issue here other than the car now sits 1/5 of an inch lower?
FYI, a parts dept. employee at a MB dealership was nice enough to print out the sheet describing the system used to match up spring pads to spring color codes. For model 124.030, the "points" start with 45.
Then in my case 4 points are added for automatic transmission and 3 are added for a sliding sunroof. 45 + 4 + 3 =52, and 52 points calls for 23mm pads.
The sheet shows these shows spring color options and points as follows:
49 points: Red spring, 18mm
Blue spring, 13mm
50-54 points: Red, 23mm
Blue, 18mm
55-60 points: Red, 13mm
Blue: 8mm
61- Red: 18mm
Blue: 13mm
So if I don't have a sliding sunroof I'm down to 49 points and according to this sheet I can now use 18mm pads?
That's why I'm thinking it's really not a big deal if I use 18mm.
Just in case this now may sound less confusing, even though this sheet form a dealer shows the only spring color options as blue and red, the OEM MB springs I got had 3 yellow and 2 red dots on each so I assumed red.
And I wasn't able to reach in and feel the dots on the existing pads. From whai I've read, 1 dot / burl is supposed to be 8mm, 2 is 13mm, 3 is 18 and 4 is 23mm.
Thank you all advance for any responses.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Massachusetts
2018 GLE350, 2014 G550, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8, 1995 E320 Cabriolet
Keep in mind that since the springs sit about halfway in on the control arm, any change is spring pad thickness or spring height will end up being about double that at the wheel (e.g., a 5 mm delta on the pad will be about at 10 mm delta measured at the wheel). From a functionality point of view, I think either would work, although I think if the front it is better to err on the side of thinner so that if the car doesn't sit perfectly level you at least have forward rake. Just curious, what's wrong with the pads you have now?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
300E
Keep in mind that since the springs sit about halfway in on the control arm, any change is spring pad thickness or spring height will end up being about double that at the wheel (e.g., a 5 mm delta on the pad will be about at 10 mm delta measured at the wheel). From a functionality point of view, I think either would work, although I think if the front it is better to err on the side of thinner so that if the car doesn't sit perfectly level you at least have forward rake. Just curious, what's wrong with the pads you have now?
Should the original pads stay anyway?
Thank you for the response.
