Hey guys. Here is the story, I really like my 92 300E, but there are a few things that it could use a little help with. One... if of course hp... the second... downforce. At speed (80+ mph) the car just starts floating all over the road, I don't feel comfortable at these speeds, as the car feels it could spin out at any moment. Is there anything I can do to increase the downforce at this speed? I know I could buy a spoiler... but I don't wan't to turn my sophisticated old world benz into a teutonic rice monster.... so yea, anything else I can do? I am going to lower it by about 1.5 inches, will that help? Money is limited, so take that into consideration, I can't afford a nice Brabus body kit. Im in highschool.... and whatever money I get comes from fixing people's computers on the weekends.... Thanks!

I think that there's something wrong with your suspension! Your car should feel VERY stable at these speeds. Any other symptoms? Make a post in the Tech Forum... I'm sure you'll get your help there. GOOD LUCK!

You should check the shocks too. Push on one side of the trunk, and see if the car bounces back more than 1 time. THe shocks in Mercedes usually last a very long time. How many miles are on your car?

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Hey, thanks, I have re-posted in tech help. My car has 105k... and I have noticed that the shocks have gotten soft... do you think that is the problem? If it is, Im sure I can get my dad to pay for new ones ;-) Oh yea... I just did the "push the car" test, and it wobbles back and forth about 3 times...

Do a search on 300E float, thrust arms, suspension bushings, torque arms. The 5 link rear suspension is great, but when the bushings start to wear, they need replacement or the car will do the float/wander you describe. You might also check the steering stabilizer shock while you are doing the others.

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

The w124 has a very low drag coefficient for its design, I think its .32 or something.

My w124 coupe is rock solid at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The car has what I tend to call a push feeling at over 100, which feels excellent. I do not condone driving at such speeds, but the few times I have had it "up there" it felt so solid I felt like I wasn't even going over 65.

Your car most likely needs some bushing work, and or thrust links or drag links or whatever you want to call them.

To increase downforce, an AMG bodykit with ducktail should suffice at creating better aerodynamics and downforce. Lowering the car with H&R springs or eibach springs, with beefier swaybars and sport shocks should tighten you up nicely and lower you a good amount. You can also go with carlsson, brabus, or lorinser bodykits too. The expense is a factor with any body kit, but the look and more importantly the function should be the utmost of importance. Most body kits on japanese cars are for looks, but most for a benz actually work as designed.

Or go with the MB full sportline suspension upgrade. If you drove john's car you would be amazed at how nimble it is with the sportline suspension. I had the pleasure of taking it for a quick spin, and All I wanted to do was toss it into the turns.

Definately have a competent independant mechanic look at your suspension. I suspect you need to take johns advise about the floating.

Definately do a search for floating in the search feature on the site.

Some would say do not do aftermarket suspension but go with sportline. Me, I added neuspeed springs to my car and it transformed it. Now if I had stickier rubber, ohh man.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

Badinfo,
Check the two links that connect the front swaybar to the frame. These links are of spring steel and have a 90 d. bend where they attach to the frame. This is the area they tend to fatigue and break. If one is broken, it will handle like a Trabant so would be wise to replace both at the same time as the other is probably close behind.
Good luck,
Tobias MB
4 MBs

I think a simple (and cheap) way to lower your suspension within manufacturers limits would be a change of spring pads. There seems to be about one inch plus of room to adjust between the 1, 2 and 3 bump pads.

Of course, everything else should be up to snuff before doing this to avoid aggravating any existing suspension problems.

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Dean Albrecht
"Lead, follow, or better yet, get out of the way!"E500 owners motto

Yeah, these W124 cars are awesome at speeds..
The fastest I've ever driven was about 90mph with a 230E.. yeah.. a 4-cylinder engine in a W124...but I really didn't feel anything.. it was very comfortable at that speed...

i floored it but there just wasn't much more ..hahah... still enuf to play around w/ the slower cars on the highway though.. but i got completely screwed by a Mazda minivan.. (i think it had a 2.9 V-6)

I tried shiftin down to 4th.. but didn't make a difference, so i just left it in 5th... (5 speed stick)

But maybe if you really want downforce.. well you could always try those AMG body kits... but unless done and chosen correctly.. i think body kits destroy the W124's beauty.. (which is non-existent for some people.. "boxy and ugly.. yuck.." ive heard those comments even for the 500E... oh well)

No need to add any spoilers, wings, AMG kits, etc.

After 10-years, rubber goes bad. No question about it.

Change out control-arm, swaybar, and shock bushings, all rear links, and the all important steering-stabilzer. If the dampers(shocks)are bad, go Bilstein HD or MB SportLine.

With full MB Sportline suspension front & rear, the wagon is so stable at 147 MPH I could cruise all-day at that speed.

In order of preference:
1) front & rear swaybar bushings and steering-stabilzer;
2) front & rear dampers plus the front damper bushing;
3) rear control links, rear subframe mounts, differential mounts;
4) control arm bushings and at the same time shorter/stiffer springs.

Best of luck,
:-) neil
1988 360TE AMG
1993 500E

I agree that there must be a suspension problem with your W124!

My 1991 300E is as stable at 120 mph as it is at 75 mph!

I have run it through up to 145 mph on the autobahn. At this speed it is still stable (or, it should be) - but it catches the wind a bit. The result is that the steering adjustments are enhanced (becoming much more sensitive). Actually, it's the same principle in aircaft flight - enhanced air pressure.

Good luck and drive well - you have wonderfully engineered automobile for high speed driving.

David

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Esquire:

1991 300E (Autobahn Modified)
1986 Trans Am (Race Modified)