PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - '94 S124 - Lowered Springs/Bigger Wheels, Left Front Rubbing

RobertFini · #1 09-10-2018, 06:50 PM

Hi, all.

I'm trying to decide the best way to proceed here with my '94 E320T:

I installed H&R #29627 Sport Springs on all four corners and Bilstein B8 Performance Plus struts on the front. I also installed a set of 16" wheels from a W210 E320 and 205/55-16 tires (going +1) on all four corners. This left the car too low in the nose for my tastes, plus I had rubbing problems on both front sides when encountering any kind of bump or rise in the road. The car originally had two-nib spring pads all around, so I installed four-nib pads in front and it cured the problem, although the car still looks a little too nose-down.

Not long afterward, I hit a pothole on the freeway and it cracked one of the rear rims. Damn these New Jersey roads! I had previously bought a set of 17" wheels from a W210 E430 Sport and had them refurbished by NJBentWheel dot com (awesome job - tell Jay I sent you) to use on my wife's W211 wagon, and of course, they didn't fit because the W211 uses 14 mm lug bolts. So rather than get the cracked 16" rim fixed, I had the brainstorm to get greedy and go +2 using this freshly refurbished set and a staggered fitment, 205/50-17 front and 225/45-17 rear. With the brand-new Continental ExtremeContact Sport XL tires, I am now getting a rub over bumps, but only on the left front and it seems to actually be rubbing on the lower body cladding, not the fender.

I measured the clearance between the wheel centerline and fender lip on all four corners and found the left front is about 3/8" lower than the right front, and the right rear is about 1/2" higher than the left rear (12-7/8" LF, 13-1/4" RF, 13-1/4" LR, 13-3/4" RR). I'd like to get all four corners up to the same height and eliminate the rubbing, but I'm maxed out with the available spring pad thickness for the 124.

I've been cruising the various speed shop websites and found shims/spacers that might work if I put them between the spring pad and perch, and I've also seen that there are thicker spring pads available for the 210 and was wondering whether they'd fit. The curious thing is that the driver's side is so much lower even without my 225 lbs in the car and on brand new springs. I might also try swapping the springs left-to-right to see if that has any effect.

Anyone have any similar experiences or advice?

Best Regards,
Rob