flapping hood

Hi, was wondering if any other C36 owners experienced any hood flapping during high speed runs like around 120-130mph with somewhat of a crosswind. Also the car's steering seems to get lighter at higher speeds. Is this normal?

[akry]

Steering gets lighter during high speed cruising is to be expected as the wind will go around/under/where ever, that will lift the car up, though lighten the feel.

As for the hood, I haven't experienced it with my car, but not sure about other owners....

Andy Kuo

------------------

• 1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SE
  
• Pearl Grey/Black Leather
  

ICQ#26950002
Mercedes Owners ICQ ActiveList ID#61730549
Mercedes S-Class Page
http://drive.to/akry
http://akry.homestead.com

[Roger]

I also have a flapping hood on my 560SL, but starting at about 60 mph. Flapping remains constant from there on out to 3 digits. Could it be the wedge shaped rubber thingies about 1/4 the way back, or some other adjustment, or is it just wanting to fly?

Roger

Jman,
Do you have a spoiler? The Bernoulli effect becomes significant around 100 mi/h without one. Your car acts like an airplane wing and becomes lighter.

------------------
Dean
Santa Barbara, CA
1974 280C
1984 300SD

[This message has been edited by dean (edited 05-13-2000).]

[This message has been edited by dean (edited 05-13-2000).]

Nope, no rear spoiler, but there are aprons around the car that come standard with the AMG C36. Perhaps Lee, or Benzmac may have a suggestion to this. How about you Noah, any hood flapping (although you dont have a front bumper now, what about when you did?)

[abalto]

I have seen this on my 1998 C43 at speeds over 100mph or so. (For a second, I actually thought the hood was open and the safety catch was holding the hood down!)

[DuckMuck]

diam...where do u guys go to drive @ 100mph in the US or Canada???

------------------
-= 1995 Mercedes-Benz E420 (W124 - Black Pearl/Black) =-

[Roger]

Hey Muck,

Come on down to West Texas. There's counties out there bigger'n a small state with only a few hundred folks living in 'em. Heck, they are so poor out there they can't even afford to put curves in the roads, much less a bunch of speed traps!! But be careful, it can be a long, long way to a hospital.

[akry]

DuckMuck,

Go to No. 1 close to Abbsfford, there's a section which is long and straight and good enough to pull max speed out of most cars. But be aware, go back and forth couple times, make sure no cops/photo radar is hidden under the bridge.....

Andy Kuo


[This message has been edited by akry (edited 05-18-2000).]

Hmmm . . . I've done 100+ mph in my 1986 2.3-16V -- solid as a rock; no flapping panels. Seeing how our Mercedes were bred to be 'bahn-burners, it's confusing why y'all would experience "panel-flapping"

Brian

I know what you're talking about...

I don't drive a C-class, but I do drive a 190 and last weekend I was running at about 80mph in a solid crosswind (20-25kts) and the hood was flapping. I've had the car as far north of 100mph as it goes on a calm day with no such event. I slowed to 65 and it was still occurring, though not as violently. Maybe the wind comes in through the wheel well or something...

[Roger]

I have started a new thread on this subject over in the Tech-Help area. Maybe some of the teckkies have an idea about a fix. Must be one cause most hoods don't flap at any speed...

Roger

[bdrought]

Your hoods FLAP!??!?! The whole hood moves??

My 300CE regularly does 100mph plus... today it had a short run at 135, ummm, just to test the hood flapping theory.

Guess what? No flap at all... I dont understand what you guys are talking about?

Bri

------------------
Brian Drought
1991 300CE
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~drought/
ICQ: 2180069

[Lee Scheeler]

Pegged the tach at 6500rpm at 155mph in a C36 and have never experienced the "hood-flap" you describe under any circumstances. (even at more sedate speeds) Crosswinds can occasionally be felt but mostly in just a hint from the steering letting you know there is an opposing force about the time you hear it around the pillars/mirrors. At triple digit speeds the time it takes to get up to top speeds is HUGE (especially compared with the "no time to call it out" 500E behavior of hitting top speed in about 1/6th the time/distance it takes a W202 AMG) Steering gets a bit lighter but not anything that would even hint at instability/dartinness. Just relax, focus, and keep the gas planted. Could be the AMG bodywork, could be the S-02 PP tires (high speed/on-car balanced), road surface, etc... That said, at triple to top speed the C's still don't feel nearly as stable as the ultra-super-godlike-tank feel of the 500E's at triple digits. In any case, you'll need miles of runway to get a W202 AMG up to 155mph but a 500E can usually peg it past 160mph in about 1.5 miles. You should have an aero-underpan for the engine bay. Perhaps yours has come off/been left off somehow?

Hope this helps...Lee

[abalto]

Lee -

Your comparisons with anything in the world to the 500E (or anything else that you may have owned) are very interesting to say the least.

I must admit that the only turn off to this entire site is your disrespect for whatever you are talking down......

Just my honest opinion. I think it would be better taste to tone things down a few notches.

If one person is willing to make a statement about this (like me), I know that there has to be a dozen or more other members thinking the same thing.

I am not trying to stir something up here, just wanted to give you some feedback.

abalto