Yes, I noticed that too. I drove an S320 and it handled like a local/municipal transit bus. An S500 was much better....and the S600 better yet. I believe the suspension is matched to the differing engine capabilities.
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Hmm interesting bits here.
Personally I think my 500 (150k) rides well with dips and ripples, but it's completly jolting and jarring over high frequency bumps, like frost heaves or rail road crossings. I can't put my finger on it. I no longer have rear SLS, actually I have 300SE springs. Bilstein HDs all around too. Yet the ride doesn't make sense to me, smooth and compliant over dips but sharp and BMWish like over expasion joints and the itty bitty cracks in the asphalt on cold mornings, my car seems to be good at finding them and telling me all about them.:surrender:
.. If only one side of the suspension hits a bump its ok, but when the car rides over a bump perpendicular to its direction of travel, it's no good. Rear suspension, really soft springs when no dampers present, seems to ride harsher than the front....
I get this sensation, if you can try to imagine: Looking out the front windscreen, then hitting a sharp bump, the chassis doesn't comply, the seat takes the initial shock as I see the A-pillar and general frame out of the windsheild move as if it was disconnected from me, because my body has been bounced by the seat cushion.
It's all confusing I know, but for goodness sakes my friends, fathers 87 300TD (137k orig susp) rides better, as does his 85 300D (223k orig susp + new HDs), though less refined in feel these cars take larger bumps with no care.
Am I insane? Would really prefer that gliding feeling in a car this big, I'll let the swaybars take care of the bends.
The next step may be trimming the bump stops on the dampers, the car practically sits on them anyhow.... Why did Mercedes do this?
Personally I think my 500 (150k) rides well with dips and ripples, but it's completly jolting and jarring over high frequency bumps, like frost heaves or rail road crossings. I can't put my finger on it. I no longer have rear SLS, actually I have 300SE springs. Bilstein HDs all around too. Yet the ride doesn't make sense to me, smooth and compliant over dips but sharp and BMWish like over expasion joints and the itty bitty cracks in the asphalt on cold mornings, my car seems to be good at finding them and telling me all about them.:surrender:
.. If only one side of the suspension hits a bump its ok, but when the car rides over a bump perpendicular to its direction of travel, it's no good. Rear suspension, really soft springs when no dampers present, seems to ride harsher than the front....I get this sensation, if you can try to imagine: Looking out the front windscreen, then hitting a sharp bump, the chassis doesn't comply, the seat takes the initial shock as I see the A-pillar and general frame out of the windsheild move as if it was disconnected from me, because my body has been bounced by the seat cushion.
It's all confusing I know, but for goodness sakes my friends, fathers 87 300TD (137k orig susp) rides better, as does his 85 300D (223k orig susp + new HDs), though less refined in feel these cars take larger bumps with no care.
Am I insane? Would really prefer that gliding feeling in a car this big, I'll let the swaybars take care of the bends.
The next step may be trimming the bump stops on the dampers, the car practically sits on them anyhow....
Why did Mercedes do this?
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