SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: R230 Adjustable Coilover Kit : It's Finally Happening!
02-20-2017, 06:49 PM
#251
Also just to bring everyone up to speed on all aspects of this conversion (please chime in if I miss anything!)
VVK SWAY BARS:
Our anti-roll bars are also much stiffer then the SL350 bars because not only are the V8 and V12 cars much heavier, but when you lower a car, you alter the relationship between the roll-center and the center of gravity. Meaning for the same roll-stiffness you need a proportionally larger bar. The SL350 bar snakes through an incredibly tight package of components in the front of these cars, so obviously that doesn't get any easier when you add several mm to the bar diameter and also build in extra offset to clear the SL55 oil pans.
Also our bars are patterned directly from Mercedes OEM bars I purchased personally in the UK
SL65 BLACK SERIES BARS:
The SL65 Black uses a very special front suspension. Essentially it's a motorsport-derived double-wishbone, and the upper arm is completely repositioned from the normal R230. Meaning the front frame section of the Black Series car is entirely different, with relocated A-arm brackets, and a custom front crossmember. This means the sway bar on the black-series car must run in a completely different location, so the BlackSeries has anti-roll bar mount pads added on the front frame section just below the footwells.
The Black series swaybar and shock mounting are nothing like anything else in the Mercedes lineup, but as far as general layout goes, the normal R230 has the shocks INBOARD and the swaybar OUTBOARD.
This is reversed on the BlackSeries, much like an E-class so the swaybar has much reduced leverage over the suspension, and therefore requires a much larger diameter to achieve the same degree of roll-stiffness.
The other thing to condsider is the geometry of the Black Series front suspension is engineered as a package. Ultimately I feel the BlackSeries bar while, a workable solution, is probably too soft for both the weight and geometry of a normal V12 SL. That combined with having to weld on your OEM body & change to E-class control arms is the reason we are pushing forward with a front-mount swaybar that uses all the original mountings.
I will attach a rendering later of the billet brace I designed for more clearance under the pan, which should work with the second bar we sent to V12TTenthusiast.
VVK SWAY BARS:
Our anti-roll bars are also much stiffer then the SL350 bars because not only are the V8 and V12 cars much heavier, but when you lower a car, you alter the relationship between the roll-center and the center of gravity. Meaning for the same roll-stiffness you need a proportionally larger bar. The SL350 bar snakes through an incredibly tight package of components in the front of these cars, so obviously that doesn't get any easier when you add several mm to the bar diameter and also build in extra offset to clear the SL55 oil pans.
Also our bars are patterned directly from Mercedes OEM bars I purchased personally in the UK
SL65 BLACK SERIES BARS:
The SL65 Black uses a very special front suspension. Essentially it's a motorsport-derived double-wishbone, and the upper arm is completely repositioned from the normal R230. Meaning the front frame section of the Black Series car is entirely different, with relocated A-arm brackets, and a custom front crossmember. This means the sway bar on the black-series car must run in a completely different location, so the BlackSeries has anti-roll bar mount pads added on the front frame section just below the footwells.
The Black series swaybar and shock mounting are nothing like anything else in the Mercedes lineup, but as far as general layout goes, the normal R230 has the shocks INBOARD and the swaybar OUTBOARD.
This is reversed on the BlackSeries, much like an E-class so the swaybar has much reduced leverage over the suspension, and therefore requires a much larger diameter to achieve the same degree of roll-stiffness.
The other thing to condsider is the geometry of the Black Series front suspension is engineered as a package. Ultimately I feel the BlackSeries bar while, a workable solution, is probably too soft for both the weight and geometry of a normal V12 SL. That combined with having to weld on your OEM body & change to E-class control arms is the reason we are pushing forward with a front-mount swaybar that uses all the original mountings.
I will attach a rendering later of the billet brace I designed for more clearance under the pan, which should work with the second bar we sent to V12TTenthusiast.
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wlelandj (03-15-2017)
02-21-2017, 12:27 AM
#252
Senior Member
Also just to bring everyone up to speed on all aspects of this conversion (please chime in if I miss anything!)
VVK SWAY BARS:
Our anti-roll bars are also much stiffer then the SL350 bars because not only are the V8 and V12 cars much heavier, but when you lower a car, you alter the relationship between the roll-center and the center of gravity. Meaning for the same roll-stiffness you need a proportionally larger bar. The SL350 bar snakes through an incredibly tight package of components in the front of these cars, so obviously that doesn't get any easier when you add several mm to the bar diameter and also build in extra offset to clear the SL55 oil pans.
Also our bars are patterned directly from Mercedes OEM bars I purchased personally in the UK
SL65 BLACK SERIES BARS:
The SL65 Black uses a very special front suspension. Essentially it's a motorsport-derived double-wishbone, and the upper arm is completely repositioned from the normal R230. Meaning the front frame section of the Black Series car is entirely different, with relocated A-arm brackets, and a custom front crossmember. This means the sway bar on the black-series car must run in a completely different location, so the BlackSeries has anti-roll bar mount pads added on the front frame section just below the footwells.
The Black series swaybar and shock mounting are nothing like anything else in the Mercedes lineup, but as far as general layout goes, the normal R230 has the shocks INBOARD and the swaybar OUTBOARD.
This is reversed on the BlackSeries, much like an E-class so the swaybar has much reduced leverage over the suspension, and therefore requires a much larger diameter to achieve the same degree of roll-stiffness.
The other thing to condsider is the geometry of the Black Series front suspension is engineered as a package. Ultimately I feel the BlackSeries bar while, a workable solution, is probably too soft for both the weight and geometry of a normal V12 SL. That combined with having to weld on your OEM body & change to E-class control arms is the reason we are pushing forward with a front-mount swaybar that uses all the original mountings.
I will attach a rendering later of the billet brace I designed for more clearance under the pan, which should work with the second bar we sent to V12TTenthusiast.
VVK SWAY BARS:
Our anti-roll bars are also much stiffer then the SL350 bars because not only are the V8 and V12 cars much heavier, but when you lower a car, you alter the relationship between the roll-center and the center of gravity. Meaning for the same roll-stiffness you need a proportionally larger bar. The SL350 bar snakes through an incredibly tight package of components in the front of these cars, so obviously that doesn't get any easier when you add several mm to the bar diameter and also build in extra offset to clear the SL55 oil pans.
Also our bars are patterned directly from Mercedes OEM bars I purchased personally in the UK
SL65 BLACK SERIES BARS:
The SL65 Black uses a very special front suspension. Essentially it's a motorsport-derived double-wishbone, and the upper arm is completely repositioned from the normal R230. Meaning the front frame section of the Black Series car is entirely different, with relocated A-arm brackets, and a custom front crossmember. This means the sway bar on the black-series car must run in a completely different location, so the BlackSeries has anti-roll bar mount pads added on the front frame section just below the footwells.
The Black series swaybar and shock mounting are nothing like anything else in the Mercedes lineup, but as far as general layout goes, the normal R230 has the shocks INBOARD and the swaybar OUTBOARD.
This is reversed on the BlackSeries, much like an E-class so the swaybar has much reduced leverage over the suspension, and therefore requires a much larger diameter to achieve the same degree of roll-stiffness.
The other thing to condsider is the geometry of the Black Series front suspension is engineered as a package. Ultimately I feel the BlackSeries bar while, a workable solution, is probably too soft for both the weight and geometry of a normal V12 SL. That combined with having to weld on your OEM body & change to E-class control arms is the reason we are pushing forward with a front-mount swaybar that uses all the original mountings.
I will attach a rendering later of the billet brace I designed for more clearance under the pan, which should work with the second bar we sent to V12TTenthusiast.
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wlelandj (03-15-2017)
02-23-2017, 12:15 AM
#253
Replied earlier and looking forward to working with you!
Also since my image from the office didn't post earlier today, here is a rough rendering of the billet bracket we plan to use to replace the forward section of the A-brace in order to gain clearance for the V12 cars:
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wlelandj (03-15-2017)
03-15-2017, 10:45 PM
#255
Thanks for the updated info Sean. I was (and still am) one of those interested V12 owners. 
Even more so, now, as mine has developed a sag when sitting for an extended period of time. :/
Even more so, now, as mine has developed a sag when sitting for an extended period of time. :/
Doubly, quadruply interested now. 
03-25-2017, 12:53 PM
#260
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06 SL65AMG, 13 Tesla Model S 60kwh, 02 Jaguar S-Type 3.0, 12 S550 4 Matic, 07 E320 Bluetec, 06 LX470
Sorry been busy with my construction of my home last few months which is pretty much done. So overall review since its been about 6 months now. Car handles well, its a little bumpy but that is expected. If you have slightly bent wheels than you will really feel it. I would not suggest slaming this car for the V12s if you leave little gap and say your on a bridge or roads with bumps it will hit the fenders and you will see bumps popping out on the inside. I would suggest leaving about 1 1/2 inch of space for tire gap for any rebounds. Mine was adjusted to 1 inch and it barely rebounds to the inside if the fender so 1 1/2 - 2 inch will be enough. Luckly the rear isnt as noticable and I'm still fine tuning the car before to put this kit on so the rear fenders will be hacked up anyways. Still need a sway bar so zebra get on ir so I can pop one in since I'm so busy. Overall this I'm pretty happy, its not ABC smooth but its fine for me but if you never want to worry about ABC breaking down on you this is the way to go.
03-26-2017, 01:52 AM
#261
Which set up did you order? Any observations on possible spring rate changes? Of course, once you get a sway bar on there the "effective" one you have now will go up. Right? (want to be armchair suspension set-up enthusiast) 
Sorry been busy with my construction of my home last few months which is pretty much done. So overall review since its been about 6 months now. Car handles well, its a little bumpy but that is expected. If you have slightly bent wheels than you will really feel it. I would not suggest slaming this car for the V12s if you leave little gap and say your on a bridge or roads with bumps it will hit the fenders and you will see bumps popping out on the inside. I would suggest leaving about 1 1/2 inch of space for tire gap for any rebounds. Mine was adjusted to 1 inch and it barely rebounds to the inside if the fender so 1 1/2 - 2 inch will be enough. Luckly the rear isnt as noticable and I'm still fine tuning the car before to put this kit on so the rear fenders will be hacked up anyways. Still need a sway bar so zebra get on ir so I can pop one in since I'm so busy. Overall this I'm pretty happy, its not ABC smooth but its fine for me but if you never want to worry about ABC breaking down on you this is the way to go.
03-26-2017, 01:56 AM
#262
03-26-2017, 09:44 AM
#263
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06 SL65AMG, 13 Tesla Model S 60kwh, 02 Jaguar S-Type 3.0, 12 S550 4 Matic, 07 E320 Bluetec, 06 LX470
I did the sport verison since why not with all the mods I did. Dampeners are pretty much maxed out in the front. The car did bounce are hit my front fender but that was due to alot of play in a tire rod and the bump inside the fender was minor so a body shop fixed it in an hr. But still prob good idea I have my oem panels to test the suspension and find a good setting where it doesnt hit my fenders so I can finally do this BS kit
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wlelandj (04-06-2017)
04-08-2017, 06:35 PM
#265
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2005 SL55 AMG
SL55 AMG Coilover Comments?
Can anyone who installed a coilover conversion on their SL55 AMG comment on the new ride? I either need a front valve block or convert to the coilover system. thanks.
05-08-2017, 11:40 PM
#267
Senior Member
06-16-2017, 12:51 PM
#269
Senior Member
07-06-2017, 11:06 PM
#273
Senior Member
