[hamada128]

I would like to get your suggestions regarding the front/rear heights.
I replaced the rear springs and the front shocks in the past 6-12 months. I have pads #2 in the front and the back.
My questions is, should I lower the front using spring pad #1 or raise the rear height?

Edit: I mean by lowering the front by just using thinner spring shim/pads, which in this case will be pad #1.

 

[sc_rufctr]

I had no idea you could use lower spring pads in a W140. :eek

Lower is better IMO but I've never liked lowering springs. (They look great but create a harsh ride. Ride quality is especially important in our cars)

 

[samosali]

i have original setup at rear end which means new oem springs and original shocks. front end is new however it consists of aftermarket springs and shocks. my rear end is as low as yours but front end is lower than yours so i voted for lower front end.

 

[hamada128]

I mean to lower the front by using thinner spring pad, which will be pad#1 as I currently have pad#2 front and back.

 

[hamada128]

I had no idea you could use lower spring pads in a W140. :eek

Lower is better IMO but I've never liked lowering springs. (They look great but create a harsh ride. Ride quality is especially important in our cars)

No, I don't want harsh ride. I already have a W201 and W210 with less comfort than the W140, so I wanna keep the OEM ride quality.

 

[samosali]

I mean to lower the front by using thinner spring pad, which will be pad#1 as I currently have pad#2 front and back.

most probably this is best you can do under these circumstances. i think the difference is only a couple of millimeters (4 mm?) between #1 and #2 ... but what else you can do? do not cut your springs because the input heat due to cutting can result in a failure later.

 

[hamada128]

most probably this is best you can do under these circumstances. i think the difference is only a couple of millimeters (4 mm?) between #1 and #2 ... but what else you can do? do not cut your springs because the input heat due to cutting can result in a failure later.

Not planning to cut the springs either, but not sure if the 4 mm will be noticeable which I doubt.

 

[JLCampbell]

It depends on the amount of height difference you are looking for. If you are looking for a subtle difference in height from front to rear, than the #1 up front will do it. But, if you want even more of a rake, you will have to start raising the rear with #3 or 4 pads.
You have to remember that Pad adjustment only allows for a few millimeters of adjustment per pad size. So, if your looking for dramatics, your going to have to do both.

 

[hamada128]

It depends on the amount of height difference you are looking for. If you are looking for a subtle difference in height from front to rear, than the #1 up front will do it. But, if you want even more of a rake, you will have to start raising the rear with #3 or 4 pads.
You have to remember that Pad adjustment only allows for a few millimeters of adjustment per pad size. So, if your looking for dramatics, your going to have to do both.

I am just trying to have it level and not sagging in the rear. I thought new rear springs will raise it but didn't.

 

[samosali]

if the car drives fine you can leave things as they are (and/or replace front pads). even now it is not so bad.

 

[V12 Al]

It looks pretty level in the pictures... What springs did you fit to the rear and how did they compare to the originals?

 

[hamada128]

It looks pretty level in the pictures... What springs did you fit to the rear and how did they compare to the originals?

Bilsteins same as original. I even still have the originals which are in excellent condition.

 

[daidnik]

There are specs for the front & rear.

Unfortunately, it requires special MB tool as they didn't spec the angle, but the length measurement of plumb line relative to '0'.

Rear is measured as angle of the half shafts pointing downward toward the outside.

I wouldn't lower front, but look at adjustment to rear instead.

I assume that you have std rear shocks (not SLS). If so, the specs on the half shaft angle is ~4X the value of that for the SLS/ADS case. The reason for this is to compensate for the loading in the rear. For non-SLS/ADS car, there will be no assist to level the car.

Your car looks about right for an SLS/ADS car. It doesn't look low in the back in the pics, but it might get low with passengers & luggage.

Given that, you might want to add the next 8mm shim. You said you had 2 'nubs'. The next up would be 3 'nubs'. I think the shortest (8mm) has no 'nubs'. That would mean that you have 2X 140-325-0384 @ 18mm (I think). Next stop would be 140-325-0484 @ 23mm.

Since the spring is in between the pivot & the wheel, the height change is a bit more than the added height of the spring pad; maybe about 1.5X so adding 8mm would equate to a ride height change at the wheel of about 12mm.

That would be your extra height to accommodate loading of passengers + luggage.

 

[V12 Al]

Presumably the same length/number of coils/spring thickness?

Might simply be that the springs are starting to bed in...

 

[hamada128]

Presumably the same length/number of coils/spring thickness?

Might simply be that the springs are starting to bed in...

Yes, identical.

 

[MAVA]

Beautiful car !! It looks very peaceful there...

I'm looking at my S320, and mine is lower in the front, but higher in the rear than yours. I got the stock rims with 225 tires...

Hope it helps,

Martin

 

[hamada128]

Will leave it for now. Less work for me.

 

[Nate D. Rector]

I know on w126 the diff mount will flatten out.