Well, all four new shocks are now on the SD.

The ride is marginally better. The front shocks were perfectly OK, IMHO, and did not really need to be changed........which I found out after I removed them.

The rear shocks were toast. Massive leaking of fluid and almost no gas.

The rear end does not hop all over the road anymore......so.......I'm pleased about that.......but.......the ride quality is nowhere near what I would expect.

It's absolutely no match for the SDL. I took the SDL up to CT today and I marvel at how smooth it rides as compared to the SD. Can't quite figure out why other than the longer wheelbase and the softer Michelin tires.

they will soften up with use. some.

also weight of wheel tire combo will affect it. a larger diameter wheel and oversize tire will make more difference than you might imagine.

i had some really cool wire wheels for my 53 caddie. but i put them on the scale and found that they weighed 10# more than the stock steel wheel. i sold them. i later found a really cool set of aluminum caddie wheels off a 57 eldorado, they had steel inner rims. i was hot to put them on my 53 too. but i weighed them too and found them 10# heavier as well. so i sold them off. made some money on those. the wires i just broke even i think.

my wifes pt cruiser rode like alog wagon. 16" steel wheels chrome plated. t hey look pretty cool but are way heavy. so i bought a set of american 15" wheels and put appropriate tires on. lighter and better ride. still not a benz though.

good luck

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Maybe its just me, but I think that "ride quality" is a matter of opinion. Really depends upon what type of ride one prefers. I actually prefer a softer ride, which slightly worn shocks offer. Yeah, the ride may be more floaty, but more sharp bumps go unnoticed, or at least that is the case on my car, that has soft rear suspension. If I press down on the rear, it will bounce a couple of times then stops, but by no means at the point of being "dangerous". Some cars come out new with suspension this soft. Not sure if anyone else has noticed, but I have noticed that the new Chevrolet Trail Blazers and the Isuzu Ascenders have super soft suspension. I have seen most all of these floating down the road, even 2006 models. A friend of ours has an 06' Trail Blazer. One day I was getting some packages out of the cargo area and when I stepped out, the back raised and the SUV bounced two times and I am not that heavy.

I have noticed the same thing (super soft suspension) with the Isuzu Axiom SUV, which is a 4WD SUV. They have very comfortable rides, as opposed to other SUV's with firm suspension.

I consider a firm suspension to be "poor ride quality". I have had cars in the past with firm shocks and I disliked the ride. Firm shocks (which most aftermarket ones are) remind me of riding in an old short wheelbase 4WD 3/4 ton or 1-ton truck.

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to chime in about my "new" W126 I have got since the last reply here.

I had a 1985 380SE, but now have a 1988 300SEL. As "soft" as my 380SE rode, my 300SEL has a better ride... I guess because of the longer wheelbase for one thing. I know my shocks are probably worn since they are the originals, but the car dont excessively bounce, but the back of the car will "float" up and down at highway speeds on wavy pavement. The front suspension dont really seem to absorb bumps all that well, but overall, this MB has a soft and supple ride.

Cant say the same for my old '84 190D. Some idiot had put HD shocks on it and it had a very jittery ride. Had I kept it, I was going to have OEMs put back on.