As I was driving the other day on my normal route to work I hit a bump and it felt like the backend of the car wanted to slide. I actually thought I had a flat, but no, so I continued on to work. Since then I have noticed this several times. I have on the car 85 300sd for a year. and the gentleman I bought it from said he had installed shocks a few years earlier. I can mash sown on the rear end of the car pretty good and it will bounce 4 or 5 times before stopping. Is this my shocks. If so do I use standard Bilstiens or go with the heavy duty ones. Thanks so much

If your car will bounce 4 or 5 times, you definitely need shocks. I personally like the Bilstien sports on my 300D, but it's a matter of personal preference.

is inadequate on bilsteins. they can pass that test and still be no good. they dont fail catastrophically but the ride quality can be shot. then they ride very bouncy. i think maybe they wear enough to lose the gas charge. the fluid may still be there but no gas. then they are bouncy. and time to replace. bounce test no workee for bilsteinee.

tom w

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[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.

Question:

I know there is a lot of info here about what shocks to use on a w126 body...

I am most likely going to go bilstein and here is my situation:

Rear rides just SLIGHTLY low on a full tank of fuel. Empty tank its good but is quick to dump the back end on takeoff.

Front rides good but I know atleast the drivers side shock is toast...going to replace both obviously.

Bilstien offers Comfort, Sport, and HeavyDuty?

What should I run on the front/back? I want a ride that will handle well and not give me every bump in the road but one that I can put some stuff in my trunk and not drag my tail on every little crack on in the road.

HD in the back and comfort up front?
Sport?

Thoughts/sugesstions would be appreciated

that prob is a good compromise. the new shocks will bring the car up. maybe as much as 2" pending on how worn your old shocks are.

tom w

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[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.

Firstly, consider the fact that the suspension on these vehicles is fairly stiff initially, without any shocks attached.

Then, consider that the W126 is a large sedan and the vehicle won't be a racecar if you bolted a brick in place of the shocks.

My personal feeling is that the comforts are more than stiff enough for this vehicle. Heavy duty shocks will really hurt the ride quality..........and for what benefit?? The few times that you want to really push it?? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

The SDL has new Bilsteins up front with 215-65-15's and I think it searches and finds every crack in the pavement. I couldn't imagine anything stiffer.

Furthermore, new shocks will increase the ride height slightly, but it won't be anywhere near 2". If the ride height is incorrect, then you can modify it with the rubber spacers and/or different springs. I've got custom springs on the SDL which makes it ride slightly too high when completely empty and low on fuel. It will get down to dead level with full fuel and a loaded trunk. So, if it really bothers me for the lighter loads, I'll select the 14mm pads (it currently has the 19 mm).

i have never measured so the 2" thing was just an estimate. it is quite noticable visually.

the oversized tires and their extra weight will increase unsprung weight some so that will contribute to harsh ride too.

and a benz even with comfort shocks will never ride like a caddy....(thank God).

different strokes.......etc.

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.

The tires are one size larger than stock. I'd guess that they are 2 lb. heavier in weight as compared to stock.

............2 additional lb. contributing to a harsh ride??? Glad I don't have steel wheels.

Thanks again guys , I will go for the regular shocks since I am all about ride smoothness.

Brandon,

Shocks, as they are mistakenly called, do not affect the height of the car unless they are air shocks or have springs attached to them. That is the job of the springs, which are the real shock absorbers.

The jobs of the "shocks" is really to damp the oscillation of the springs.

P E H

wiht hainges (sorry if i spelled wrong).

a new gas filled placed in place of a worn out gas filled will definately raise the car some. it is quite noticalbe visually.

as further evidence, note that many gas filled shocks come with restraining straps that you cut during installation as the shocks want to extend.

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.

Oh I am aware of what shocks do and "don't do"...I've been around a mechanic for awhile

Dad and I had a huge deabate about this as well.

The line of thinking is, if all it takes is very light amount of force to bring the car back to its "normal" ride height when running full tank of fuel (we are talking a matter of a few pounds of lift) Then I think the new shocks with a new charge compared to these (which I can bounce very badly) will hold it slightly higher since they put some force into lengthening themselves...whereas my old ones are..well...wet noodles.

I didn't know HOW stiff the heavy duties are but it sounds like they are too stiff. I'd rather have ride and let my tires take care of the handling.

Looks like comforts all around.

Thank you guys for the info

(BTW the car has old KYB's on it right now and they are done...you can push them to full compression and they do not come back...and can be bounced)

I noticed when I changed the shocks on my car to Bilstein comforts that the front and rear rose a small amount. With comforts I find the ride to be MB like and about what I would expect with one of these cars. I think the HD's would be better suited to the coupe then the sedans.

If your car has a sagging rear new shocks won't fix it but they might help.

fyi new Bilsteins are extremly hard to compress by hand, it almost cannot be done.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Its not so much sagging as just not being held up?

I can take a finger or two and lift the back end up to its proper position...so I am thinking a good new shock will address this.

A finger or two won't move the back end more than 1/4". A firm tug with both arms might get 3/4". The new shocks will probably get you 3/4". So, it sounds like you'll be a happy camper when you are done.

Note, however, that if you do all four shocks at the same time, the attitude of the vehicle will remain the same. All four corners will rise up, in theory, by about the same amount.