i have a 1989 190e2.6, which i sometimes drive briskly.

my suspension is stock and i use 205/60-15 Pirelli P600 tires. When i corner hard, the body leans a lot, and when i push it beyond a certain point, i can feel through the seat of my pants the rear suspension suddenly stepping out a little WITHOUT any tire squeal. This is a repeatable behavior which i often probe on one of my favorite winding roads.

now this feels like some bushing in one of the five rear suspension links is giving in due to the cornering loads and making the outside rear wheel toe out.

is this normal behavior, or are my rear suspension bushings due for replacement (it's a 10+yr-old car)? One of the five rear links is a toe control link, and one would normally expect it to produce toe-in when the suspension is compressed (thereby counteracting any impending oversteer).

For the record, i do not experience any handling vice at high speeds on the highway that i can attribute to the rear suspension.

bobbyv:

Man, I think you've just found the limits of what your suspension/wheel/tires can handle :) I don't think there's anything wrong with the vehicle. If you want to *extend* those limits, I'd suggest starting with upgrading your wheels (16" or 17") and tires. As always, when exploring the limits of your car; "Keep the shiny side up" :D

Brian