124 coupe front suspension height

[anfieldassasin]

Hey guys rebuilt the front suspension on my 124 coupe over the weekend

New lemforder control arms
New drag link
New the rods
New front and rear springs Sachs matched with mercedes part number after getting dealer to check via car VIN
1 bump spring pad in front 2 bump at rear
New ilder arm bushing kit

After lots of swearing as balljoints didn't want to go into the steering knuckles, 4 days, a few injuries, some tears and a few codeine I now have a car that sits quite high at the front!

I'm soo dejected, I feel like a right pillock going down the street the car looks like those gangster Cadillacs in the American movies with the air suspension.

I followed all the instructions did up the control arm pivot bolts on the ground with car as it would ride.....

Anyone had same issue with Sachs springs? I know they will settled but I doubt by 3 inches or so!!

 

[notsofast]

I sympathise - I did exactly the same with my 230TE. In addition to looking bad it also rolled a lot more around bends..... I would suggest you measure the wire diameter of the new springs and the number of coils and compare with the removed items. You will need to measure the wire with a vernier caliper or such like as the difference is likely to be pretty small.
I ended up replacing the springs with shorter springs to get the look I wanted (which was pretty much the original).

 

[anfieldassasin]

The matched Sachs springs were slightly longer than the original ones but with the 1 bump pad was the same height as the orignal spring with 2 bump pads

Will measure the wire when I take them out next week's as I've ordered a set from mercedes directly. Oddly the rear Sachs springs are perfect sit at exactly the same height as before with orginal rear springs!

I put the antiroll bar on while the car was still jacked up and the arms where dangling down....could that be contributing to the height?

 

[notsofast]

I would not think the roll bar could cause the problem - The bar rotates freely in the bushes so offers no restriction other than across its length. Out of interest, I lubricated the bushes on my W124 with silicone grease anytime I had them apart and they never wore.

 

[carat 3.6]

Did you get the springs from ecp per chance?

 

[anfieldassasin]

I just massaged them with red rubber grease, my neighbour gave me a funny look though

 

[anfieldassasin]

Yes I did Carat

Why?? Known problems?

 

[carat 3.6]

Yes I did Carat

Why?? Known problems?

I've had the same problem as you, twice, both times the springs came from ecp. The part number was confirmed as correct, so with the customers approval I cut a coil off the bottom of them. Sit's perfect after that.

 

[anfieldassasin]

Doesn't that affect the spring rate?

 

[notsofast]

Very interesting - The springs I bought from ECP are no longer listed (P/N 627220075) but it was a few years ago......
They seem to list at least four different front spring for my old W124 today - The images show 11 coils (P/N: 627220461) or 12 coils (P/No: 627221820)......

 

[anfieldassasin]

What's annoying is a can't find Sachs parts catalogue to check their part number and match them my self, febi and bosch both have useful online catalogues where you can look up the part numbers by car, I emailed them a while back for info but got no reply. I thought they had made the oem springs so not sure why the height difference!!

 

[carat 3.6]

Doesn't that affect the spring rate?

Yes, but not in a bad way.

 

[Codger49]

I had an issue when I attempted to source Sachs coils springs for my CLK.

Being a long-term BMW maintainer, I have high regard for Textar brake products and ZF group products (ZF,Lemforder, Boge and Sachs), so when I needed to replace the rear coil springs I looked up the ZF webcat for the Sachs part number.

I found a comment there that stated 'not for UK' against all likely Sachs springs. I emailed ZF customer service to ask how I purchase Sachs springs in the UK. They replied that ECP are the Sachs spring distributor and I would have to contact them.

As usual, the ECP website was not sufficiently specific to positively identify the spring I needed (MB 210 324 36 04) so I phoned them to crosscheck their part number against the MB number.

When I aked them to confirm the manufacturers number of their most likely Sachs spring, they replied with a manufacturers part number that I didn't recognise and certainly not a Sachs number. Afterwards I found out it was actually a Lesjofors part number.

I have nothing against Lesjofors, but did read they have been buying spring makers in Slovakia and Asia. I therefore bought my springs from MB.

I future I will be buying any Textar and Sachs parts I need direct from Germany as it seems there may be some doubt that the UK sourced parts are actually the brand you expect.

PS To look up Sachs partnumbers I found it easiest to tell the ZF webcat that you are located in Germany but to display in English.

 

[anfieldassasin]

I think you make an interesting point, it's been a frustrating process.

Thing is I find it hard to trust ecp and carparts4less even more so, as originally I purchased the springs from them they sent the wrong ones so I returned them and went to ecp in Basildon who had a set in stock....

In high insight I should have asked on the forum first before buying the Merc springs today as I would have got carats advice and happily cut a coil off the springs now I'm stuck with 2 extra spring not sure if any one will buy them!

 

[carat 3.6]

You could fit the merc springs and return the ecp springs as incorrect.

 

[anfieldassasin]

Will they take them back even though they have been fitted?

 

[carat 3.6]

You cant tell they are incorrect until fitted, so they should take them back. If not threaten them with trading standards.

 

[anfieldassasin]

Thanks carat will give it a go

 

[anfieldassasin]

well the woe continues, was driving the car today. The rear springs are creaking like made at low speed over bumps and even if i accelerate from a standstill they creak and make a knocking sound.

I can recreate the creaking by pushing down on the rear and it comes from both sides.

If i rock the car side to side, it wobbles like jelly for a second

is the creaking normal for new springs, does it settle and go away or once there, always there?

The front springs dont creak at all

 

[grober]

I think you are a victim of the "one size fits all " syndrome where ECP stock a limited range of springs to cover all W124 models. A quick look at the catalogue shows the same EPC numbers listed for the 2.3 and 3.0 litre models. My guess is that the lighter 2.3 engined car rides higher due to this effect because the spring is simply less compressed. This would not effect the rear end so much as the cars are of similar weight back there.