nexlogic

Just picked up S Class Coupe. Thinking of lowering it about .5 or 1-inch. Has anyone lowered the vehicle? Hows the experience?

Thanks

Warehouser

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nexlogic

Cool thank you Warehouser. Hows the ride on your S550 now that it's lowered?

Warehouser

I changed out Wheels (Vossen VFS2) and Tires (255/35F-295/30R) but kept them as 20's. I wanted a subtle drop and nothing slammed, the front needed to be dropped more than the rear. I have about 2 fingers clear all around and the ride is still flawless.

nexlogic

Sounds awesome! Do you have pics of your ride ?

Warehouser

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nexlogic

Looks GREAT!!!

Warehouser

Thanks!

hyperion667

wow! that looks amazing! may they never rub!

Wolfman

I used the same lowering links before but found that even with a wheel alignment, ride comfort is not as good as stock and you might go through tires at a rapid pace (inside tire wear).

Just spend more money to get a proper lowering module from renntech or the Lomo M1. You can adjust your ride height on each wheel via tablet or steering wheel controls in seconds and the car raises back to stock height when driving over 30 miles an hour.

This way, you don't need an alignment and will have no tire wear (which easily pays for the module).

Streamliner

Lowering a new S Class sedan.

Wolfman

Did you actually mean to say anything?

Streamliner

Well, I wrote the post yesterday evening--after cocktail hour. It was a parody on a certain ethnic group that likes to lower their cars, especially in certain parts of So. Calif. I suggested that perhaps this gentleman who wants to lower his new S Class sedan might want to visit a certain shop where he might also want to get some "tuck & roll" upholstery done at the same time. I further joked that if he was looking to get any 24" wheels for his "ride," that all he had to do is tell the folks at this shop where he last saw the ones he liked and that they would have them for him the following morning at a huge discount.
At any rate, shortly after I wrote the post, I realized that some folks might take great offense, so I attempted to delete it, but only saw how I could edit it, so that's how my simple, meaningless statement was posted.
The bottom line on this, at least for me, is that lowering a new S Class sedan is just nuts. What's next? Mood lighting in the wheel wells?

hyperion667

I'm with you on that Stream: I personally don't go for lowering my cars, but it does look nice sometimes on other cars, I do wonder how this has affected the WH's car in terms of ride comfort and of course long term effect of lowering a car as big, and with a higher weight rated tire in the front if I'm not mistaken

Wolfman

I like to lower the cars a bit, but really only to make it look like a stock car in Germany.

For some reason it seems that many (not all) MB models are actually lower in Germany. When getting the US version they are taller for a reason.

That happened on all of our SL's. In Europe, for example, if the car has a sport package (they call that AMG line) it also has a sport suspension which is lower than stock. In the US it is only consists of body panels/wheels/cosmetics. At least on the SL...

jlakai

11

Mitch Alsup

I have done studies on automotive suspension geometries......

For the purposes for which these cars (S-Class) are designed and equipped, lowering only brings losses to the table.

Now, if someone were to lower the car, set the corner weights, get rid of the bump steer after lowering and THEN align the wheels so the tires point in the same direction as the factory desired, then lowering does not bring losses to the table.

Seldom does anyone go to the effort to make the lowered car actually gain the benefits of being lowered. That is, 99% of it is for show. Lowering the car lowers the Center of Gravity (duh) which lowers the weight transfer across the axles in turns and across the roll axis inclination on longitudinal acceleration (both gas and brakes). This is the gain.

But it is your car, go ahead and do with it as you please.

hyperion667

wow, I will use these reasons in my future defense

jrpisha

+1

K-Mac

Full front and rear wheel alignment after lowering is no more!

Since the mid ‘90 model’s, with the ever increasing speed of vehicle assembly lines there has been no front or rear Camber (or front Caster) adjustment facility fitted OEM!

Only current adjustment is front and rear Toe.

To attempt to return vehicle to factory specs to resolve premature inner edge tire wear, improve traction, and fix steering pull the only current alternative for Camber and Caster is to fit offset, slotted bolts (for the front only). But these are inaccurate one only position bolts offering a minimal .3 of one degree adjustment (3mm).

It’s no wonder many owners continually change tire brands or go from one MB Dealer or alignment shop to another trying to get it right/fix the problem!

We saw the need therefore "to fix it right the first time" by designing, developing, patenting (and re-instating from the 1990's) fully adjustable front (and rear) suspension for virtually all models.

The current K-MAC kits have up to 4 times the adjustment of the one position offset bolts (both Positive or Negative). And unlike these offset one position bolts they can be accurately adjusted - under load, direct on alignment turntable (no need to remove and reinstall each time).

Ongoing, precise adjustment of both Camber and Caster settings if lowering suspension height, fitting wide profile tires/wheels, curb knock damage or being able to quickly fine tune/change specs on race days. Extra Negative (plus track width) to go deeper into the corners/lower lap times. With the unique K-MAC patented design only requires use of a single wrench/no disassembly.

For the rear, similar kits for precise Camber adjustment (with additional Toe to compensate for the new Camber facility). Importantly unlike the alternative adjustable Camber arms K-MAC rear kits do not move top of tire outwards - this reducing the essential clearance top of tire to outer fender when adjusting to fix premature inner edge tire wear/improve rear traction.

Also instead of spherical bearings as used on control arms which prematurely pound out allowing metal to metal contact. At K-MAC we have developed long life elastomer bushings.

Bonus with the four front and four rear bushes is that they are also designed with twice the load bearing area and replace the highest wearing suspension bushings. And with K-MAC no special tools are required to fit.

Mitch Alsup

[QUOTE=K-Mac;6210775]
Full front and rear wheel alignment after lowering is no more!

Perhaps you are speaking of MB in particular, or average cars in general, but you obviously don't drive:: Corvettes, Vipers, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Astin Martins, Pagondas, and several other cars that still have all the accouterments.

coupe_cls

22inch and lowered using star. ride comfort? can't feel any different.

JayinToronto

Can't feel any difference?! COME ON! I test drove one with 19s back to back with one with 20s and I could feel the difference. I also traded out my runflats with bridgestone serenities and could feel the difference. If you can't feel the difference between a stock s550 to that disaster of a setup then man...... I just don't know what to say.

swaynesworld

+1

coupe_cls

if you want to lowered and have a big wheels but you want all the same comfort as the factory comfort. you want too much. i feel satisfy with the comfort. its felt like cls with airmatic when this low using this 22 inch wheels. that felt great. but it can feel like the factory comfort when you put at lifted position.