After driving for awhile with the Strut Brace I would now put it at the top of my list of aftermarket changes that I've added to my car that improved performance and I'll say again, "I don't know why this 129 product hasn't been discussed and pursued in greater detail prior to now" it could have answered many vibration threads.

1) Strut Brace Bar improves structural rigidity in convertibles and reduces Cowl Shake (jitter/shutter vibration) over uneven road surfaces at various speeds. Handling and stability is improved by tying the two front struts together so that the load of each strut is transmitted during cornering therefore reducing chassis flex.

2) Lowering Springs provide a lower center of gravity that reduces body roll for better handling and improved appearance.

3) AMG staggered width alloy wheels with maximum performance tires.

 

Go to Wiechers-Sport and Click on 2014 KATALOG pg. 12/22

V8 Mercedes 500SL / SL500
V6 Mercedes SL280 / SL320
Straight 6 Mercedes 300SL
V12 Mercedes 600SL /SL600 NO APPLICATION

If you decide on a Wiechers Red Steel Strut Bar #291010 for € (minus 19% VAT to the USA)
or a Polished Aluminum Strut Bar #292010 for € (minus 19% VAT to the USA) then contact

Frank Stuiber, Director
ORANGE-TUNING.DE
Worzeldorfer Hauptstraße 17
90455 Nürnberg, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 911 - 98119888
Fax.: +49 (0) 911 - 9883255
info@orange-tuning.de

for his best price, availability, and shipping costs. After you have sent Frank your email address he can then send a "money request" to your PayPal account. I PayPal from my Checking Account not my PayPal Credit Card for a total w/ ship. Note: PayPal charges for a Euro to Dollar conversion regardless of how you decide to pay.

Ask Frank if he would PLEASE afford SPECIAL PRICING to you as a R129 MBWorld Forum Member.

ORANGE-TUNING General Terms and Conditions

From my initial purchase request it took 3 business days to hear back from Frank. From the date of the PayPal purchase it took 5 business days to get out the door. Then 10 days of DHL (2 days from Germany>USA) and USPS (8 days from N.Y.>SoCal) delivery. For a total 3.0 weeks from date of purchase.

Note: please post a picture of your engine bay after installation.

 

Lynn,

My bar is on its way. Frank sent me a tracking number a couple of days ago. I'll let you know the results after I put it on. BTW, I've left the Benzworld forum and will be posting the result of the strut bar here on MBWorld.

Charles

 

Lynn,

I have been reconsidering adding H&R sport springs. Did you have to get different shocks when you got your lowering springs?

Thanks,

Charles

 

I've owned two SL500's. The first one had about 35K miles when I installed front and rear Bilsteins with a set of H&R Lowering Springs. After that car got in an accident at about 65K miles I bought another SL500 with 50K miles and decided to install ONLY the H&R Springs and I've determined that it was the smarter way to go.

If you decide you want shocks later on you can always add them after the springs.

 

Thank you, Lynn. I will plan on getting the new springs installed next month, but keeping the old ones. If I have problems with my driveway, I can always go back.

Charles

 

Or you can sell the old ones on eBay like I did. Take a look at $269.26 w/ free ship for the best pricing that I was able to find for H&R Springs and don't forget to place #1-2 shims on the front and #3 on the rear. The p/n info is located in the same thread.

 

I got my bar in on Tuesday and put it on this morning. It was easy and took all of 15 minutes to mount. There is no rubbing against my air box or any other parts in the engine compartment. I went for a drive and the difference was immediately noticeable. I drove over a variety of surfaces from rough to bumpy to smooth, and at a variety of speeds from 25 mph. streets to freeways, and the steering wheel was a lot more steady. The front end also felt more stable in the curves than before.


Thanks for the recommendation, Lynn. It was well worth the cost and the wait. My next step will be to have H&R lowering springs and shims installed.


Charles

 

Thanks for the Strut Bar update and I can't wait to hear how you like your new lowering springs.

Like yourself I really enjoy the improved steering. This is the best $150.00 after market improvement that I've invested in my car.

Lynn

 

I'd like to add one of these to my '95 SL 320. Have the AMG staggered wheels etc already fitted.

Is there nowhere in North America that carries these in stock?

 

I really didn't search around for it because it was fairly easy to get it from Germany (e-mails and Paypal) and the price was fair.

Charles

 

Thanks, Charles.

 

I tried finding someone in the USA and was unable to do so. I had no trouble with Orange Tuning in Germany. But may I suggest that you go with the Red Steel Brace rather than the softer shiney Aluminum. I don't believe the Aluminum gives the strength that the Steel brace delivers.

 

Thanks again. Will do. Love this forum - now all I have to do is find somewhere in NA that will remap or exchange my ECU chip. Need another 10% power. There is a place in the UK but you have to send your chip to be remapped rather than them doing it on exchange.... Any
suggestions here will be most welcome, too!

 

Upgrade your car to an SL500. Remapping a chip will not do what you think for the dollars spent.

 

Thanks, Lynn, but I just bought this one because it was such a cherry!

Funnily enough, it was glorious out today in The Frozen North so I went cruising. Been very gentle with the loud pedal so far, but today I tramped it and let it wind all the way up to 6K or so.

It moves a lot better than I thought when you do that!!

Red brace ordered.....

Cheers, all.

Ridge.

 

I like the results. Would buy another if I were to replace or purchase another R129.

 

+1

1999 SL500
25 days from emailing frank @ orangetuning
$166.xx total cost incl shipping

20 minutes to install
- very light contact on the airbox
- removed 2 brackets for the metal fuel line
- cheap red paint and fits fine

Amazing and cheap upgrade. The car is much more stable-it is more rigid while performing, but otherwise noticably more agile. It seems to tie the car together. I hate to be loose with recommendations, but Lynns was right in saying this is a must have.

 

Great service from Weichers in Germany and then the brace sat in the trunk for a month....until I finally got around to fitting it.

All I can say is WOW. Thanks, Lynns, for the heads-up. WHAT a difference....to the body roll, the scuttle shake, the ability to ride bumps, and the steering. Worth every penny. 10 minutes to fit, no rubbing.

Absolutely the best value mod available for the R129. Grateful to this forum for letting me know.

 

Great news. Thanks for the feedback. Congrats!

After continued fitting of the Wiechers Strut Bar to my 113 engine I was able to raise each side of the strut bar with a large screwdriver so that the the bar doesn't touch on either side. All is good for me as well, Lynn

 

Excellent. I have the 24v I6 M104 motor so it fits perfectly.

I'm now having evil thoughts about finding an AMG C36 104 to drop in. 276bhp would be a nice improvement....

 

......from the left front suspension. Do these have plastic bushings?

 

Hey... Thanks for the information.
I was surprised that there was so little discussion around the Strut Bar...
I've never been disappointed by installing one...

Thanks again.

The Old Timer

 

Lynns did you have any fit issues when installing the strut brace on your r129? I have a 1998 r129 and have been trying to decide if it should get one

 

It's to bad that the part isn't delivered with instruction so that a couple of issues are addressed like the right from the left side and how to raise the bar above the airbox on the 113 engine.

My2000 SL came with a 113 engine. I had no problems with installation after addressing the right from the left side and raising the strut bar from the airbox so that it doesn't rub. The people that installed the strut bar on there SL with a 119 engine, like yours, didn't seem to have any complaints other than to distinguish the right from the left side. Take a look at post #17.