W126 420SEL Ride Height? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stretch · #16 07-16-2013, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Every picture shows your car squatting in the rear, this will cause the front to ride high.

.

I respectfully disagree - to my eye the back of the car looks about right.

If you have two trolly jacks you could carefully lift the back end a bit to see if it makes any difference to the front though. But if you do this you'll have to take some more pictures for us!

pmckechnie · #17 07-16-2013, 07:40 AM

[QUOTE=JamesDean;3176116]Possibly too extreme how? The difference is only 15mm wouldn't that just drop the car 15mm? or does it have a more profound effect?

If you think of the lower control arm as a lever, and if the spring is in the center, and if you move the center of the lever 15 mm then the outer end will move 30 mm.
These numbers are not exact, but I think you get the idea.

Paul

JamesDean · #18 07-16-2013, 08:19 AM

Franly I think the rear end is too low as well. I did use the correct spring according to the points system and I selected the thickest pad available as talking to a few people indicated that was the best move to combat the height.

I have seen "Heavy Duty" rear springs listed on a few parts websites. I think that those are just the '08 04' springs as the 420SEL is at the upper range of the 11 04 spring. I have "heavy duty" springs installed in my dad's 300SD. The rear end is nicely placed. I was considering doing that to the 420SEL but I'm not sure.

I gave the car to the shop yesterday to see what their thoughts were on this predicament.

I think they might suggest going the path of dropping to a two or three nub pad.

JamesDean · #19 07-26-2013, 12:51 PM

AHA! Found it.

Ride height change cause by spring pads:

So, if I read this right, for every 5mm you change the pad height, you get 8mm worth of change in ride height? OR does it just change the control arm position?

Hmm seems the latter is correct:

So 5mm change in pad, makes 8mm change in control arm position, which is the lowercase a on that image.

Hmm seems like should be able to calculate the effect of this change on the fender/wheel height.

Or I suppose if I parked the car on level ground. Measured the distance from the ground to A and ground to B...took the difference...I would get the value of a...and figure out where to go with this whole thing..

JamesDean · #20 07-31-2013, 07:35 PM

OK so I finally got around to measuring

Procedure:

-Measured distance from "A" (control arm eccentric bolt center) to ground.
-Measured distance form "B" (slightly to the left of the center of the lower shock mount) to ground.
-Assumed roughly 1/4" of error in all measurements.
-Calculate difference, convert to metric, got value of "a"
-Calculate a few differences factoring in error
-Create table showing control arm position changes with various shims
-Highlight acceptable values
-Select pad value based on that.

My conclusion, go to 1 nub pads, even accounting for error anything else would be too high.

JamesDean · #21 08-10-2013, 10:17 AM

Alrighty. One nub front end spring pads installed:

What do you guys think?

Stretch · #22 08-14-2013, 02:15 PM

Much better

JamesDean · #23 08-14-2013, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Much better

I think so too.

When I drove it before the spring shim change the left front shock was knocking around right in the middle where the small rod entered piston housing so I figured its bad and decided to buy a pair of new Bilstein Comfort shocks...well now i don't seem to hear any knocking noise..so maybe its OK? Hmm I'm not sure.

Other than that I had the shop put in a new steering gearbox. Worlds of difference. Relatively expensive but well worth it.

Online I found the box for $445 or so. The shop wanted $490 for it and $200 to put it in. I figured for the extra $45 it wasn't worth buying it myself and having to return ship the core to get my deposit back.. As it turned out the first box the shop got leaked! Glad I didn't have to deal with that!

Stretch · #24 08-15-2013, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

I think so too.

When I drove it before the spring shim change the left front shock was knocking around right in the middle where the small rod entered piston housing so I figured its bad and decided to buy a pair of new Bilstein Comfort shocks...well now i don't seem to hear any knocking noise..so maybe its OK? Hmm I'm not sure.

Other than that I had the shop put in a new steering gearbox. Worlds of difference. Relatively expensive but well worth it.

Online I found the box for $445 or so. The shop wanted $490 for it and $200 to put it in. I figured for the extra $45 it wasn't worth buying it myself and having to return ship the core to get my deposit back.. As it turned out the first box the shop got leaked! Glad I didn't have to deal with that!

They should have got one from Matureo!

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