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  #1  
Old 10-26-2002, 04:34 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 452
Unhappy '87 260E W124 bouncy ride

Hi All,

Just installed new Bilstein Sports 2 wks ago... ride still bouncy...hmmmm.

Springs are Eibachs (i think, BLACK) per prev owner. Spring pads unknown.

RIDE:
Freeway - smooth ride/good handling
Potholes - stiff, hard, but rebounds w/o any bounce (well damped).
side streets w/ undulation & w/o holes - somewhat bouncy/springy (no holes so shocks not active i think, therefore spring is the only thing working).

The car is well damped when pushed down on all 4 corners....

What's the cause?
-need shocks broken in?
-shock not match with springs?
-other?

Thanks,

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sjsfiji

'87 W124 260E (DD)
98K orig. mi. @7/15
CLK 7-Spoke Forged Wheels
Neuspeed springs/Bilstein Sport
4/3 bump (F/R)

'97 993 Carrera
106K orig. mi.
Always driven like it's stolen

Last edited by sjsfiji; 10-26-2002 at 07:52 AM.
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  #2  
Old 10-26-2002, 01:16 PM
gsxr's Avatar
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I have a similar problem with my Neuspeed springs, but possibly not as bad as yours. The problem is, IMO, that the springs are too high a rate for my stock Bilstein dampers (or perhaps your Sports). I think if you installed Sportline struts/shocks, or KONI's, it may help. However it may NOT help, depending on how stiff the springs are in your car! If that doesn't fix it, the springs are wrong for the car and should be replaced with something else. You must properly match the springs with the dampers (shocks/struts) or the car will NOT ride properly. I've found this out from my cars (one with H&R, one Carat, one Neuspeed) and also from info from Neil on this forum (search for 500E + strut + shock + Sportline or some variation of those terms.)

Regards,
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Boise, ID

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Old 10-26-2002, 04:17 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 452
rate and stiffness

Are you implying that my springs have too high of rate?

If so,
could these springs be made for a more massive car maybe?

If Koni's match up with them, they must be stiffer than the B. Sports???? (do i understand you with this?)

Would you rec Eibach, H&Rs to match with the B. Sports? I don't want Konis... just me....

thanks,
__________________
sjsfiji

'87 W124 260E (DD)
98K orig. mi. @7/15
CLK 7-Spoke Forged Wheels
Neuspeed springs/Bilstein Sport
4/3 bump (F/R)

'97 993 Carrera
106K orig. mi.
Always driven like it's stolen
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  #4  
Old 10-26-2002, 07:53 PM
gsxr's Avatar
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: USA
Posts: 8,101
Your springs MAY have too high a rate, same as my Neuspeeds. I believe they may have been intended for a heavier engine like the V8 or perhaps the 3.2L M104 - I don't know for sure. I would think my 6-cyl diesel would be heavy enough to make the front squat, but it wasn't!

KONI's are cool because they are adjustable (within a certain amount). I'm honestly not 100% sure how they would compare to the Bilstein Sports. I'd try to find a phone number for the KONI importer and ask their tech department. Otherwise you'll be spending money on an experiment. I had a set and I liked them, they also have a lifetime warranty. The struts are externally adjustable over a 2.5 turn range, the rear shocks are a 3-position click type and you have to remove them to adjust. I sold the car that had those (also had H&R springs).

From what Neil V says, if you want a decent ride quality, I'd get a set of factory 500E springs. They should be ~$250 a set from *************** or FastLane. It's really hard to say... if you buy Eibachs or H&R, they might be what you have now, and end up with the same problem. The other OE choice is Sportline springs, but they are really firm. But if you got Sportline springs with Sportline dampers, that would be a factory matched set and wouldn't bounce (ok, *shouldn't* bounce.)

My one car has a matched set of Carat springs with matching Carat dampers. It rides quite well but is a bit soft for max performance. The rates seem well matched, no funny bouncing. My other car has Neuspeeds with Bilstiens (not Sport) and it rides very stiff (due to the springs) and the Bilstiens don't seem to be well matched to them... not enough rebound damping, IMO. For now I'm living with it. I may try the 500E springs, possibly with 500E front struts (which are ~3 inches shorter than any other 124 strut I've seen, and also have internal springs that stiffen up as you "push" the car harder). I can't use 500E shocks because they are self-leveling and my car doesn't have that. So I'm not sure what to try in the rear. Hmmm....

I hope I haven't just confused you more with all this!


Regards,

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Boise, ID

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