I just put new struts and strut tops on my 190E. Job went well, tops were really broken up. I am very please, but now I need to readjust my headlamps as the ride height is higher now.

Anyway, I am used to seeing a camber adjustment cam/eccentric on the strut itself ( like on my Porsche 944 cars). The 190E had no adjustment at the knuckle. The only thing I could think of to dial in camber is at the control arm-to-sub frame mounts, where there are eccentrics.

I'll let an alignment shop do this , but I was curious. (and my CD didnt address alignment. Niether did the Haynes manual but that book doesnt address much anyhow)

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Patrick Leber
'84 190E 2.3
'83 Porsche 944 (track car)
'84 Porsche 944 (parts car)
85.5 Porsche 944 (sled)

I don't know why you would see a noticeable increase in ride height. This is a heavy front end, and additional gas charge pressure in the new shocks shouldn't make much difference. Did you change spring mounts too?

Because the camber adjustment is part of the A-arm, it should not need much or any fiddling when replacing the strut - unless you had an alignment with the deteriorated strut mounts, or the ride height HAS changed.

Steve

Thanks for the reply Steve. No, I didnt change the spring mounts and yes, the struts were pretty tired out. The rebounders on the strut shafts were also shot from too many shots from the strut housing, too.

It looks like a monster truck now, with alot of wheel well showing. The 14" wheels that year really dont help the look either!

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Patrick Leber
'84 190E 2.3
'83 Porsche 944 (track car)
'84 Porsche 944 (parts car)
85.5 Porsche 944 (sled)

Herr,

Your 190E is too high now, huh? Same here. You wanna go off roading someday? Heh, heh, heh. All we can do now is cut or change the springs. BTW, I've got the 3 bump pads. 14" wheels? What year is your 190E? I've got 15" chrome wheels.

Jeff

Yes, the caster and camber are adjusted buy the cams at both ends of the lower control arm.

It is my understanding that a proper gas shock will support 75 lbs. In other words two new front shocks are equivalent to removing a 150 lb person from the hood. I would imagine that to be significant.

The strut type suspension makes the strut a functioning member of front end geometry. All other MB shocks do not. I would align any car that could have had its ride height changed. I would always align a car that had its strut changed. The telescopic strut is responsible for holding camber, the more flex the less camber. Its impossible for the old and new struts to have the same flex and camber changes make huge toe change.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Boy the car rides much better. Now I see how bad the rear shocks are now. One thing leads to another.

__________________
Patrick Leber
'84 190E 2.3
'83 Porsche 944 (track car)
'84 Porsche 944 (parts car)
85.5 Porsche 944 (sled)