This must be swaybar season or a rash is going around. Saturday I put a 500E front swaybar in my 300E along with Sportline lwr cntl arm bushings. That bar has some gerth to it! I thought it wouldn't come close to fitting. I spent the afternoon doing the install and the first test drive was NICE! That annoying body roll was totally gone. I whipped around the lot a couple of times.... and a couple of more times. Felt mega pumped about my car that I let a buddy take it around the lot. He didn't make it around the building and a rear half shaft snapped! Luckily it was still on the premises and didn't hatch on the hiway. So, $400 later, I put the axle in tonight and finally drove her home. I've been driving an ML for the past 2 weeks and am so happy to get back to my 124. Bummer that its so wet out tonight because I cant wait to see what she does on dry pavement. Definitely have to let it soak in and weigh the pros and cons under various conditions. HELL- I'm gunna go rally right NOW!
Later,
Bill

Bill-
Did you buy the 500E sway bar new. I'm going to put one in my 190E 3.8 and am trying to figure some costs. I haven't looked into it yet so just getting some ideas.

Thanks- Mike
500SEC Euro
190E 3.8 Euro

Mike, go ahead and get the bar new. It is actually pretty cheap. Less than a hundred bucks if I remember right. Don't forget to get the bushings too.

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Alain
http://www.expage.com/benzracer

is this really worth it??????! give me some details on handling.

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87 300E
BLACK GOLD WITH CREAM INTERIOR, SPOILER, AIRDAM
CLEAR MARKERS

87 420SEL
BRONZE WITH CREAM INTERIOR

Anybody have all the part no. for the sway bar swap? TIA!

Tony
90 300CE

Less than $100?! Is this figure for a used one? Also has anyone gone a step further and installed a 500E anti roll bar too?
Ryan

Bar 124-323-72-65 $94
Bushings(2) 124-323-51-85
(2) 124-323-47-85 $4 each
Ordered brand new from the dealer, arrived next morning. After installing the bar and Sportline bushings, the front end raised up about 3/4". I'll have to get her back down in the weeds.I'm pretty sure now that from the ground to the fender lips it is 25.25" to 25.5" front and 25" rear. I like it a lot with the setup now. Yes, ride comfort is not as cushy but still pleasing. I have noticed that the car stays more planted to the road but the tires have kicked up in volume a notch. I might have to ditch the staggered setup and go with 235-45-17 all around (a little more sidewall). I do know that these ContiSports are not the best but I haven't had any problems with them.
Being this low, I couldnt deal with the body roll anymore. I've got the 400 rear bar which I instantly felt a difference when installed. I can whip corners now and the car remains flat. Highway curves and bends are a breeze. Steering has also become noticeably tighter since I dropped her and put the bar and bushings in.
She takes bumps pretty good too. Its not the "all stiff spring and no shock" feel. Far better than I expected. Don't get me wrong, it is a firm ride but still very comfortable to me. I also rolled the rear fender lips which just started to rub. Didnt even crack the paint and no more rubbing over the same dips and bumps.
I wouldnt put this bar in my car if everything else was stock. Seems a little too much. Maybe just a 400 would do.
Bottomline, Im very pleased with the ride. Any drawbacks are totally outweighed by the pros. Still have the senses monitoring performance.
Bill

$94.00 is VERY CHEAP for a new 500E front torsion bar. Dealer cost on these is $86.00 and list is $143.00.

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Bill Wood - Webmaster
MercedesShop.com, LLC
MB Autowerks Inc

Bill- can you explain your procedure and any special tools you used to "roll" the fenders, esp. without cracking the paint?

Thanks,

:-) neil

Used a simple hammer I was going to bring it to the BShop but we were having so much fun playing with the suspension that we gave it a shot. I only had to do my rear fenders, my buddy did all 4. I've got 245 in the rear and 225 in the front whereas he has 235 all around. We both did ours without heating the panels. He really did crack up his paint on his 87 + 89. Mine's a 91 and didn't crack once. Don't know whether it was age, condition or just patience.
Anyways, my definition of rolling the fenders is just curling the inner lips in. We're not getting all fancy like Renntech's CLK's all flared out (very nice). With the cars being lowered - his are real low - we needed to eliminate the rub with these tire setups. I simply had the car in the air with rear tires off and slowly "tapped" from 10 o'clock to 2 on the wheel arches. Curling the inner lips up and in for that little clearance we needed.
In fact, after being totally exhausted the other night after work I logged on here. The daily inquiries and insights that I enjoy reading got me pumped that I totally spanked a later Ford Probe GT on the high speed hiway curves Sat nite. He couldn't even hang after all his instigating. Even an S2000 Honda was made a fool not long after. It was probably just bad drivers. Hmmmmm.. the last time I checked, my car is a SEDAN! Everybody keep kickin ass! Later.

Bill