No I left the rear spring pads alone as my car was OK at the back but high at the front. It now has a better stance a more poised look to it. The back has remained at the same height and the front has gone down 10mm but if you continue the line forward the front bumper has also gone down by even more.
Suspension setup...
- Thread starter R2D2
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GrahamC230K said:
I think you will be shocked (if you ll excuse the pun!) at the difference!
Having had a chance to drive some more today I would say that the car is considerably more sporty in its handling. Your car Graham may not feel as big a change as mine because yours is a sport model already but you will notice a massive improvement.
I think my car is firmer than when new, very controlled and accurate, Nil dive on braking (with hindsight my car was diving noticable when braking now it barely dives at all !)
My wife who doesnt follow this forum or what I was doing to the car commented this morning "the car feels secure today...." and she is right it feels brand new again except with sportier handling
GrahamC230K
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R2D2 said:
You hadn't lost your keys had you?
Hehe, no really, I am hoping it will make an improvement. Just one of the few things that need extra attention with the increasing miles. I know mine are actually leaking.
It was your report of how easily you could compress the old shocks that spurred (no bad puns in my post!) me into action.
altreed said:
Looking at the Sachs Super Touring catalogue the shocks that I have fitted and Graham is fitting, namely 450 and 451, should fit a C280 (C36?). BUT I think the book assumes your car has standard sports suspension which if the H and R'shave lowered it still further might not work. There is another shock with a different number listed for lowered c280's. Hope this helps, I suggest you check with Jimmy's dealer listings before doing anything. In principle though, I'm sure Super Tourings will work just fine for you. It will be interesting to see what Graham thinks after fitting the his shocks to a suspension which is still 25mm lower than mine.
Altread can you measure from the centre of the wheelto thebottom of the wheel arch on all four wheels please? That will give us a better idea of how loweredyour car is.
A follow up on yesterdays comments. I have now hadtime to drive on all different types of road and last night fully tested the handling 
This mod has transformed my car it handling. It handles like a go cart, steering and braking are transformed. I cant believe it!
This mod has transformed my car it handling. It handles like a go cart, steering and braking are transformed. I cant believe it!
GrahamC230K
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R2D2 said:
Tomorrow I am fitting new shocks (Boge, not the Super Tourings), #1 Spring shims all round, a new lower ball joint and collecting 4 Goodyear Eagle F1's
jimmy
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GrahamC230K said:Tomorrow I am fitting new shocks (Boge, not the Super Tourings), #1 Spring shims all round, a new lower ball joint and collecting 4 Goodyear Eagle F1's
We could only get Boge, somebody had the last 4 Sachs ones last week!!!
Quite good really as Boge are much, much, much better than Sachs.
I hope all this messing about with tyres is worth it, the Ultracs have not arrived as yet.
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Greg,
I have stripped my boot lining out ready for Jimmy.
On your drivers side (where the cubby hole is), did you also have a large vent?
The vent fair enough, but I was amazed a the crud and size of the stones that had accumulated down there under the carpet boot lining!!
Was yours the same?
I have stripped my boot lining out ready for Jimmy.
On your drivers side (where the cubby hole is), did you also have a large vent?
The vent fair enough, but I was amazed a the crud and size of the stones that had accumulated down there under the carpet boot lining!!
Was yours the same?
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R2D2 said:
I must stop the rallying then
jimmy
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It took a bit longer due to a unforeseen mishap but we got their in the end. Don't think Graham will have time to report back today, hes probably in the dog house.
We fitted 4 new shocks and replaced all four spring pads with #1 pads and replaced the NS front, lower ball joint. Doing the bounce test the car felt much firmer than before, it will take a few miles for the springs and pads to settle down to see what difference they have made.
No doubt we shall hear soon.
but we got their in the end. Don't think Graham will have time to report back today, hes probably in the dog house.We fitted 4 new shocks and replaced all four spring pads with #1 pads and replaced the NS front, lower ball joint. Doing the bounce test the car felt much firmer than before, it will take a few miles for the springs and pads to settle down to see what difference they have made.
No doubt we shall hear soon.
GrahamC230K
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My head hurts.
No mishap. Controlled experiement!
Car felt good on way home - I was in a hurry so probably a good job I had new shocks!
Less pitching when braking. It's heavy car so it still rolls when you dive into a bend or roundabout rapidly but it's the way it returns to level that is soooooo different. It like rolls a little then katapults it'self level!! Odd sensation. Felt a bit twitchy actually but I was gunning it home and the roads went from dry to wet so I was probably asking too much.
I didn't have time to unload my spare tyres last night, but the ride height was slammed at the rear when I got home.
I'll see how it looks when it's weight free, but I think it's going to be OK.
I have a feeling my ball joint hasn't fixed my odd sensation but I'm glad it's done. It was the most likely part and probabaly a MOT failure soon rewgardless anyway.
The part my steering damper fits on was also in a good state, so any other ideas? Please post in the other thread.
Big thank you to Jimmy.
No mishap. Controlled experiement!
Car felt good on way home - I was in a hurry so probably a good job I had new shocks!
Less pitching when braking. It's heavy car so it still rolls when you dive into a bend or roundabout rapidly but it's the way it returns to level that is soooooo different. It like rolls a little then katapults it'self level!! Odd sensation. Felt a bit twitchy actually but I was gunning it home and the roads went from dry to wet so I was probably asking too much.
I didn't have time to unload my spare tyres last night, but the ride height was slammed at the rear when I got home.
I'll see how it looks when it's weight free, but I think it's going to be OK.
I have a feeling my ball joint hasn't fixed my odd sensation but I'm glad it's done. It was the most likely part and probabaly a MOT failure soon rewgardless anyway.
The part my steering damper fits on was also in a good state, so any other ideas? Please post in the other thread.
Big thank you to Jimmy.
