1987 300TD Excessive Body Roll
 

1987 300TD has excessive body roll. Mechanic says that there is nothing wrong with the car / suspension. Have a 420E that has almost no body roll when you come into a corner and expect the same with the 300TD. Is that possible and what would I need to check / replace to achieve this quality of handling? I prefer a stiffer suspension as opposed to a Mom's soft ride.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

Robert

Robert

You will have a softer ride and more body roll in a 300TD wagon than in an E Class.

If you want to reduce the roll let me suggest you install Koni adjustable shocks and find a heavier front sway bar. You may want to consider installing V-rated tires as well.

I should stop here and engineers and just about everyone will tell you not to do this, but you could even try cutting one coil off each spring. That will lower the car about 1.5" and stiffen it all around. I don't know if you will have the clearances needed to turn the wheels and for the suspension travel if you do this. If it doesn't work or if it is too harsh you just replace the buggered up springs with a used set of 300TD springs purchased at a junk yard. Maybe someone knows of sport suspension products for a TD but, I've never found any.

If you haven't replaced the sway bar bushings, this definately helps the roll issue.

The front and rears are cheap and easy to do. You could also consider different sway bars .... but it is my understanding the rear bar requires the lowering of the rear differential/suspenison unit to remove a sway bar.

I suggest the eibach lowering kit, and the 500E front and rear sway bars. I would not suggest cutting links, but if you do, do not heat them up to cut them.

You have to lower the rear subframe to get the 500E rear sway bar in, and you need to take the wheels off. You need two people because its hard to maneuver the bar around.

Once you get that set up in, you will be very suprised.