Hi all,
Just got a set of Eibach lowering springs for my 1987 300e. I am planning to do them this weekend. I know the car will need an alignment after it is done, it probably needs one now anyway. But what specs should I have it aligned to? Does Eibach have specific specs to align it or would one use Sportline specs? And should it be the same charge when I take it to get it alligned as if I were just aligning it to factory or would it be more expensive?
Your advise is appreciated. Oh, and one more question, if I have 4 pads in the front and 3 pads in the rear right now, should I go with 3's all around to level it out with the new springs?
Thanks,
Scott

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Scott

1987 300e - The 200,000 mile TurboTechnics rocketship.

As Forest Gump would say, it is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get when you drop your car with Eibach springs.

I started with 3-bump pads all around when stock and then switched everything to 1-bump pads when I had the Eibach Pro-Kit springs and Bilstein HD shocks installed. I then switched back to 3-bump pads in the rear because the rear dropped a lot more than the front on my 1995 E320 SE. I also added the K-MAC bushings when I increased the rear spring pads because my camber was almost -3 after dropping the car and it could not be adjusted without the new K-MAC bushings. The camber is now adjustable to within specifications. My mechanic used the alignment specification defined for a sport suspension.

With 1-bump pads in front and 3-bump pads in the rear, my car is about 1 inch lower all the way around, but I do have some differences from side to side. The driver side is exactly the same gap front and rear, but on the passenger side the front is about 0.25 inches lower which makes the back look a bit too high. I am not sure how my own bodyweight affects the ride height and gaps. Maybe when I am in the car, the driver and passenger sides are the same. I am thinking about switching the rear pads one more time to 2-bump in the rear but I don’t like the car to look like it is hauling heavy weight in the trunk. To me, if it is too low in the rear it looks like your car is old with a broken down suspension. I am constantly looking at the car, measuring, and wondering if I should try 2-bump pads in the rear. I am getting a little crazy I guess.

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I just couldn't give up on my 1995 E320.

I think it might be like always going back to that same bad relationship with an ex girlfriend.
You feel you love them too much, or you are just too stupid to know any better.



Flickr slideshow of my 1995 E320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24145497@N06/sets/72157616572140057/

When you go for an alignment make sure the tank is full of gas.
Your car would also sit different when the tank is full so make sure you know how much gas you have when judging your stance.