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R230, C5 Corvette Convertible, Audi Allroad, Lexus RX350, AE86 Hachi Roku
VVK Coilover Sway Bars
All sway bars are based off of oem parts. I recall reading a thread mentioning W220 sway bars fit on R230. But pics don't match website shots. Anybody hear of a W140 sway bar that matchs the VVK pics?
2003 E55, 2003 SL55, 2014 CLS63, 2018 q50 Redsport, 1968 Camaro SS, 1999 Trans am Firehawk
the VVK sways on the SL55 aren't based off the OEM parts. they are a different and superior design compared to the SL350 bar. they explain this in detail on the coilover thread about their system.
R230, C5 Corvette Convertible, Audi Allroad, Lexus RX350, AE86 Hachi Roku
Not a full truth. Yes, >$$$ set has a bar that is larger than a 350 but that says nothing about the origin of the larger bar. Also those coilovers are made by BC same as a Nissan 240.
As it turns out those bars are based off oem after all.
W220 as prior source had described.
Albeit not the factory MB part just H&R part, model 220
Those are C-class sway bars, and 100% will not fit. OEM R230 swaybars have bonded swaybar flexion bushings, as do W220 and W215. Check out the images for yourself on SL350 bars, and eBay W220 bars.
The R230, W220 and W215 all use quite similar suspension, but the SL is so tightly packaged with the small wheelbase and retractable roof that they had to place the fuel pump and filter above the rear subframe. The rear bars are similar, but they will smash into the fuel pump and filter on an SL, probably causing a fire since the exhaust is just below.
The front W220 and W215 bars go behind the engine because the engine sits further forward in those chassis', The R230 front crossmember and bar are completely unique unto themselves, with the engines fitting deep into the bay on the SL.
There are three front bars ever made for R230, SL350, SL65Black, and VVK. Black series requires welding plates to your frame rails to secure the bar, and is a rear mounted bar. The geometry is also different and requires using E-class lower front arms.
Also the entire front frame and crossmember are different on the SL65Black.
We tested many different possibilities before creating our own sway bars, (made here in Florida). I personally purchased SL350 bars in the UK and brought them home with me and then we patterned our custom bars from there. Our front bar is 3position adjustable, and our rear bar 2position. I personally designed the billet aluminum 7075-T6 brackets, and the upper mount plate & perch design, and specified all of the kit components and finishing specs.
Last edited by Sean@VVK; Nov 25, 2017 at 09:37 PM.
Sean, I followed the installation of the pre-production kit you provided Tavarish, and came away very impressed (maybe not quite as giddy as Tavarish! lol). When I take my 250,000 mile stock R230 back to Hawaii and do my SL55 drivetrain swap from my wrecked SL55 into my current stock R230, I'll definitely be ordering your kit!
R230, C5 Corvette Convertible, Audi Allroad, Lexus RX350, AE86 Hachi Roku
I don’t know but that front stabilizer sure looks like H&R bar. Rear?
VVK shocks look identical to BC. Not that BC’s are horrible just not a lasting product.
Has anyone got >10,000 mi out of those?
FWIW; Either VVK needs to change their own website pics or the photo shown here is a not a true representation of its actual setup.
Don’t believe me. Go to their website. The setup VVK shows on their website is almost identical to the H&R posted above right down to the mounts
$4000 what VVK lists on their website? I don’t see that level of value.
I’m also wondering. Is the kit above not the sport? Is it the super sport? Is that why it has the homemade aluminum front mounts and not the OEM Nylon? So if this set is the super sport what does that cost?
Hey Sean, I am keen to do this conversion on my SL55, and have some questions. You kit is similar to the BK shocks, but obviously different colours. The springs look like titanium, is that the case or are they steel painted silver?
If I only drive street, but drive aggressively, would you recommend the sport or the supersport variant?
Hey Sean, I am keen to do this conversion on my SL55, and have some questions. You kit is similar to the BK shocks, but obviously different colours. The springs look like titanium, is that the case or are they steel painted silver?
If I only drive street, but drive aggressively, would you recommend the sport or the supersport variant?
Some have used MB factory SL350 sway bars on their SL500s, but the front SL350 bar won't fit directly on an SL55 because the SL55 oil pan is deeper. I saw one SL55 owner make it work by using spacers on the sway bar frame mounts, but they had to be -very- precise with the spacer thickness to make it work - too thin, the bar will rub on the oil pan; too thick, it will rub on the subframe. Beside that, the SL350 bar is pretty thin and really best suited to more laid-back cruising, not anything more aggressive. If you like to hit curves hard at all, I'd highly recommend the thicker bars from either RMT or VVK.
Some have used MB factory SL350 sway bars on their SL500s, but the front SL350 bar won't fit directly on an SL55 because the SL55 oil pan is deeper. I saw one SL55 owner make it work by using spacers on the sway bar frame mounts, but they had to be -very- precise with the spacer thickness to make it work - too thin, the bar will rub on the oil pan; too thick, it will rub on the subframe. Beside that, the SL350 bar is pretty thin and really best suited to more laid-back cruising, not anything more aggressive. If you like to hit curves hard at all, I'd highly recommend the thicker bars from either RMT or VVK.
To save any confusion about SL500s I can say from first hand experience on my 500 that SL350 bars are perfectly suitable for road use on that model. I drive twisting country roads in England daily in all weathers. My 500 corners just as well if not better than it did with ABC. Any body roll is not noticeable. If it was hopeless I would have found out very quickly. I've never driven an SL55 in any form so I can't comment on how SL 350 bars would perform on them. Whether they fit with spacers also depends on the condition of the engine mounts. Those that have done it and had difficulty change them for new.
Last edited by Keith Noon; Oct 2, 2022 at 09:38 AM.
Keith, I am also a cruiser and not to much on taking turns in two wheels, but when I replaced my ABC with struts and coils, I noticed that in areas with inclination changes, like an steep driveway, one of my front tires was sinking into the wheel bay too much and rubbing the fender, so, I couldn't get a 350 bar nor wanted to spend $$$, so I found a Mercedes E-430 bar and links in a junkyard. The bar is mounted in the rear of the subframe and has a slightly different geometry. So I build a mock-up in PVC pipe and fittings and modified the E-430 bar accordingly. Fabricated a couple of saddles to mount the bar brackets since that area of the chassis has thin aluminum walls, modified the links, fabricated the arm link supports and now I have my personal custom built sway bar. The car now turns flatter and no sinking of the wheels into the wheel bay.
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