Just curious to see if any other C43 owners out there have expierenced the same problem. To give some background, I have a C43 with 18" rims and H&R springs. The car handles great except when hitting a bump while cornering. If this happens, the car seems to float and gives you the sense that the body of the car is swaying. The car never loses it's grip of the road but to me it gives me a slight sense of uncertainty. Of course this mainly occurs when traveling at a higher rate of speed, but still I figured that the suspension would compensate. I'm wondering if the digressive shocks (stiffer first but softer as the shock compresses) that AMG used on the C43 are at fault. To me, the theory of the digressive shocks seems backward. Seems that one would want the shock to respond stiffer as the pressure increases and softer initially to give a smoother ride quality. It is usualy during hard cornering and weight transfers that create compression on the shocks and to me it would only make sense that the shocks would create stability by stiffening up. Someone tell me my theory is out of wack and my imagination is getting the better of me. Otherwise I may be contimplating on changing out the shocks to progressive/adjustable ones.

Wesss,

Welcome to the world of the W202 C-class!!
It is not an AMG problem only, it is a problem almost all the C-classes suffer. I had the same kind of behavior with my C250D(iesel).
I used to own a lowered 190D(iesel) with stock shocks and a fabulous handling. I lowered my C-class with Bilstein springs and thought the handling would be equally good as with the 190D...
The C-class models have a very nervous back when cornering at high speed; as soon as the car makes a bit of a sideway move (caused by a bump), it seems that the car throws the total weight over the outer rear wheel. This kind of behaviour makes me feel unsure and scared that the car will loose control...
I exchanged the stock shocks for koni (yellow) adjustable sport shocks and that improved the handling a lot, but it is still not as good as I was used to with my 190D!
I have tried everything: I renewed most of the possible worn suspension parts and tried different sizes of rims and tires, but it is just not good...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Thanks for the info on the W202 line up MBenz!
I didn't realize that this seems to be a universal problem for most W202's. It's a little disapointing that the good people at AMG would have tried to solve this problem in their model but then again, I guess sometimes you can't get around what can't be fixed. You are right in that the rear end is where the swaying occurs. I wonder if a stiffer suspension setup for the rear is what is needed?

I'm no suspension or handling expert but I do have a C43 and I know what you'e talking about. My car does the same thing. As far as shocks go, I think AMG wanted to make sure the car rides well at highway speeds but is stiff enough to take corners without much lean(unless you hit a bump). If if you change shocks or springs, I would be interested to know how the car handles so please post your results. Good luck.

Jesse
98 C43
94 Range Rover

Hey Jesse,

You too huh! At least I'm not the only one. I have already changed the springs on my car to H&R's. Can't really say if these springs are stiffer than the stock AMG ones but due to the lowering of the car and the lower center of gravity, the car definetly handles better. When I had the stock AMG suspesion, I took the car to 150 mph on an open strech of highway and the car felt a little nervous in the rear. It was a similar expierence to the feeling when cornering. Now I'm starting to wonder if changing the shocks will really help or is it the entire link suspension in the rear. I think that I will definetly try changing the shocks but if it turns out to be the link suspension, I think we are all out of luck. Here's to wishfull thinking!!!

Wes

Wesss, Jesse,

As I wrote in my first reply: I changed my shocks for adjustable sport shocks. I have adjusted the front shocks as soft as possible; everything OK there and I have set the rear shocks in a stiffer position. If I will adjust the shock one position stiffer I think I will get some problems with my kidneys...I live near the German border and tend take my diesel for an occasional "autobahn" ride (200-210km/h; approx. 125-130mph) and must say that the rear is almost to stiff for that kind of rides...
I do not think that stiffer shocks will solve this nervous cornering behavior (although I could give it a try by setting the rear shocks stiffer...).
In comparison with the 190 the C-class handling got worse!

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Thanks MBenz,

I forgot that you mentioned that you did have adjustable shocks. So stiffing up the rear may not be the answer then. Any other suggestions to cure the nervous rear end. If you could try putting the rear shocks on a stiffer setting and try taking a corner to see if it would help, I would greatly appreciate it. I know that the ride quality will decrease and don't want your kidneys to end up in your lungs but I'm just curious to know if that is the answer. Just as a test so that we can get to the bottom of this. Thanks again!!!

Wes

Has anyone else expierenced the problem we have been discussing in your Mercedes, regardless of what model you have? Does the E Class or S Class handle the same way?

Wesss,

I drove several models of mercedes and a lot of C and E classes. The only other mercedes model with a very poor handling (much worse as the C class) was the W107 SL. These cars are hard to keep on the road once you want to use them as a sports car...(I made a 180 degree spin on a french coast road once...)
I have never felt this very irritating nervous behavior in an E class as strong as I have experienced it in almost every C class I have driven (whether it was a 200, 220, 250 Diesel or any petrol version of the C class).

I will try to set my rear shocks as stiff as possible to see what the car will do in Asocial cornering.

I will let you know...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Guys: I have come across this problem with my E55 on
rough roads, but not to the extent that I feel the car is going to loose it. This condition is made worse if you run with high tire pressures. If I followed the spec label on the car 42F, 48R the ride and handling would be unacceptable. From my limited track experience, I found that lowering the rear tire pressure will help resolve the problem you speak of. Try lowering your rear tire pressure by 2 lbs and see if it makes a difference.
Just my $.02
Gary

__________________
00 Silver/Black AMG E55
96 DCM Impala SS
94 Admiral Blue ZR-1
81 Candy Apple Corvette Cpe

Gary,

Thanks for the suggestion, but that does not help me solve my problem.
I have tried 15,16 and 17" rims and tires with everything from 185/65-15 to 235/45-17 with normal, high and low pressure. I have tried rims with smaller and wider offsets, but nothing...
The biggest gain I got from the adjustable sport shocks, but it is still not good enough; the car is still nervous at some (very unpleasant) points.

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Hi MBenz (Steve)
I have driven some C-class and E-Class .
And I think E-class with upgraded performance tires has worse effect compare to C-class.
I have a friend who has a 96 E 320 with eibach spring and bilstein shocks. He has 18x9.5(s) and 265/34/18 P-zeros on the back.
The rear feel like swinging even when you go straight and hit a bump on the road. (not just when cornering)
I also felt this swinging when cornering on My 97 C36, but not as bad as his E-class. (lowered with H&R and stock shock, 255/35/18 on the back, thinking of changing the stock-shock to bilstein or Koni shocks)
The class will have this nervous behaviour more obvious when cornering. But I can feel it on my friend E-class even when it goes straight line.
So overall I feel this nervous behavior more on E-class compare to C-class.

I think the wider or stickier (performance) tires you have on the rear, the more effect you will fell it. Because right now I am using snow tires with 225/45/17 all around, and I still felt this nervous behavior but not as bas as when I am using the wider tires.
I think this is a flaw in mercedes rear suspension. I really do hope that there is a way to overcome this.
On the contrary for the new C-class though.
I have test drove the new C-320(W-203) 2 weeks ago, and I feel that the handling is a lot tighter but yet not harsh at all.
I am especially happy with the steering response(Rack and pinion , finally, yes..!!) .
Being a fellow BMW fans that I am , I am quite impressed with the the overall improvement of the new C-class(handling and ride). It is better than the W202 for sure.

Thanks again MBenz for you input and effort in trying couple diferents set-up in your rear suspension. Now that I know that I am not the only one who felt it, I feel much better now (and I Thought there was something wrong with my car)

Greetings,

J Irwan

Hey Junaidi,

My father has owned several E classes and I used to drive E classes as cab/taxi as well. These cars were all on standard european shocks and springs and they were a lot less nervous as the C class.
I can imagine that 9,5J wide rims with 265 tires make an E class wander in every possible direction (that is not the size for a common family saloon...). Wide rims with tires increase every possible negative effect of the car's original suspension...

You are definitely not the only one with this problem and I will surely post a thread whenever I have conquered this nervous behavior of the car. I never had anything like this with my lowered (springs only) W201 190D.

greetingz(s),

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

I have a 98 W202 C200 Sport which is utterly stock. It has standard sports suspension (20mm lower than the other lines) and 16 x 7J alloys fitted with 205/55 R 16 W tyres.

At first I was very disappointed with the cornering ability of the car, having read that it was as grippy as an E36 3-er BMW. I found it suffered exactly the symptoms you have all described at moderate to high cornering speeds.

However, as the weeks have gone by I have pushed the car a little harder to see what happens. It performs far better the faster you go. In particular taking a high corner entry speed and maintaining it gives more rewarding handling than accelerating through the bend. I have also found the car to be quite adjustable with the throttle. Also, when it does go, there seems to be plenty of warning and it never suddenly spins, it just steps out half a foot or so (there's a hostage to fortune). The car is rock solid at speed.

However, it does not like snow and ice at all. I would be very wary of fitting wheels of diametre greater than 17" to this car as such sizes will have very little compliance in the tyre itself and this may be quite at odds with the spring/shock set up. I'm certainly no expert, but I would have thought that the tyre profile is an important factor to consider in the context of springs and shocks.

jjrodger
I agree with you, when i try to push the car at high speed cornering, it performs better it terms of you just feel they sway not that abig a deal anymore, because probably the rear of the car sway faster, compare you try to corner at low speed.

I have had tried mycar at high cpeed curve couple of time to do this, The rear tire won't slide of the track, especially with stickier or wider tires. But when you have stickier tire/wider tires this is when you feel the most swaying, because of the tires tries to hold the rear of the car on the track , but the suspension movement not linear when it hit bumps. (I think this why my friend E-class has worse effect than mine, as I describe above).
Anyway, eventhough this swaying is bothering , but the car is pretty much stable during high speed cornering (it is capable).
I just found this annoying, because I also own a E36 BMW 3 series that I had for almost 4 years now, and I like to drive fast especially during cornering. I use 235/24/18 and 245/34/18 tires as well, but the handle just soo tight no left-right swaying movement at the rear at All..!!
I reallty hope that we can find something/someway to correct this swaying movement on the back.
And by the way I think I will try Mbenz solution by using koni adjustable shock. And I will set the rear shock stiffer that the front. I know this will make the car tend to oversteer, what I'd like to know how much can it help to correct this swaying symptons.

jjrodger
I agree with you, when i try to push the car at high speed cornering, it performs better it terms of you just feel they sway not that abig a deal anymore, because probably the rear of the car sway faster, compare you try to corner at low speed.

I have had tried mycar at high cpeed curve couple of time to do this, The rear tire won't slide of the track, especially with stickier or wider tires. But when you have stickier tire/wider tires this is when you feel the most swaying, because of the tires tries to hold the rear of the car on the track , but the suspension movement not linear when it hit bumps. (I think this why my friend E-class has worse effect than mine, as I describe above).
Anyway, eventhough this swaying is bothering , but the car is pretty much stable during high speed cornering (it is capable).
I just found this annoying, because I also own a E36 BMW 3 series that I had for almost 4 years now, and I like to drive fast especially during cornering. I use 235/35/18 and 245/35/18 tires as well, but the handle just soo tight no left-right swaying movement at the rear at All..!!
I reallty hope that we can find something/someway to correct this swaying movement on the back.
And by the way I think I will try Mbenz solution by using koni adjustable shock. And I will set the rear shock stiffer that the front. I know this will make the car tend to oversteer, what I'd like to know how much can it help to correct this swaying symptons.