Topic: W124 and W201 suspension mod

We are looking at this car with all the stuff gone and see that it's sitting very very high.   For those of you that have lowered this car, how much coil did you cut off?   The one thing one of my race team members said is those springs are really heavy and hard to get off safely.    Can the other benzers out there give me a little guidance?

Thanks!

Team Captain - Questionable Compression Racing
1992 Merc-B 400E "Benz Green Machine"
total noobs....

Re: W124 and W201 suspension mod

Haven't worked on those cars in particular but in general I've found you have to chip away at it to find the cars happy height.  I generally find that  when you cut a quarter/half spring out for the first coil you don't see much of a difference.  Sometime after that first coil though, you start to see a big drop with each cut.  Whether that starts after 1 or 1 1/2 coils seems to depend on the car.  It's really easy to go too far with an extra quarter turn cut out so unfortunately you have to spend a bunch of time removing/cutting/replacing the springs.  Also note that one corner can hold up the car so I cut one side, measure height, go to the other side, cut/measure and so on.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: W124 and W201 suspension mod

When I've cut springs the spring usually had the last coil at each end flatten so that the spring sat square on it's perch.  To duplicate that I usually heated the last 3/4 of the cut spring and at the same time applied pressure to the spring. If done right it can result in a near "stock" look. This is not always required, it depends on the spring perch and how the spring sits in it. It will also lower the car more then just cutting the last 3/4-1 coil and leaving it as is.

Re: W124 and W201 suspension mod

Those springs are serious business, I borrowed the $800 spring compressor that fits and will remove them safely.

I would say that going to H&R or Eibach springs is worth the money. We tried lowering our MB by cutting springs, it bottomed out at a few places at Buttonwillow and this was not optimal. Put in H&R, no further issues. I still think it should be lower than it is, but the front end has trouble getting on the trailer, so maybe not.

Tradewinds Tribesmen Racing (The road goes on forever…)
#289 1984 Corvette Z51 #124 1984 944 #110 2002 Passat
Gone but not forgotten, #427-Hong Kong Cavaliers Benz S500
IOE (Humber!) Hell on Wheels (Jaguar)

Re: W124 and W201 suspension mod

Type44 wrote:

Those springs are serious business, I borrowed the $800 spring compressor that fits and will remove them safely.

I would say that going to H&R or Eibach springs is worth the money. We tried lowering our MB by cutting springs, it bottomed out at a few places at Buttonwillow and this was not optimal. Put in H&R, no further issues. I still think it should be lower than it is, but the front end has trouble getting on the trailer, so maybe not.

Yes they are.  My experienced partner is pretty fearful of them.   I bet I can find that tool to borrow.   For round 1 of Lemons I’ll risk a bit of speed, but I need to get this baby lower to the ground.   It looks like a Chevy 4X4 at present

Lol

Team Captain - Questionable Compression Racing
1992 Merc-B 400E "Benz Green Machine"
total noobs....