KW Variant 2 Coilovers

[K1 Motorsport]

KW Variant 2 Coilovers for W202

http://www.kw-suspension.com/images/content/produkte/variant2_2007.jpg

Application: 1994-2000 C-Class
Lowering: 1.5~2.7 Front, 0.9~2.1 Rear

Part #15225018 (4-cylinder)
Part #15225019 (6-cylinder)

Forum price $1599.99.
Free shipping to US & Canada!
Complimentary K1 T-shirt.

[Renn 208]

Sorry to ask again, but would you mind posting up pictures of an actual w202 application?

I know that it might seem like a minor detail to you, but as the Admin of the site, it's in our best interest that we strive to give readers the best information possible. There is a common misconception that mcpherson strut coilovers, such as the ones in your picture will work on a w202 chassis, and this is simply not the case.

Because the w202 has a double wishbone suspension with the shock absorber assembly separate from the spring, to accommodate any adjustably in ride height , the springs must be coupled with an adjustable spring perch.

I and many others have pushed for years to end confusion about "coilovers" and double wishbone suspensions amongst other internet spread misconceptions. Including pictures like the one above only sets our efforts back. Sorry if I sound like I'm coming down harshly, as I appreciate your presence on the forums. However, here at Club 202 we must keep the quality of the information on the boards as the #1 priority. I hope you understand.

[Proven Guilty]

Renn,

I certainly agree with your frustration of the talk about struts and an application for the W202. However, it's to my understanding the K2 are simply a shock with adjustable rate spring, meant to serve adjustment similar to a coilover, but it doesn't affect spring rate.

If I recall, SLAMMED_C purchased the K2 setup, and suggested the replacement shock was a strut-style adjustable, and it also came with a set of complimented lowering springs (which he hasn't gotten to install yet due to the weather, and incorrect spring perches being shipped with the set).

Perhaps someone can chime in and provide better details for its application on the W202, because I'm skeptical.

[K1 Motorsport]

KW does not have official photos of Variant 2 for W202.
Below are customer's actual Variant 2 photos (W202 4-cylinder).
This was one of the first sets sold in North America! ;)

http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-1.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-2.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-3.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-4.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-5.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-6.jpg

[Pagz]

Originally posted by K1 Motorsport
KW does not have official photos of Variant 2 for W202.
Below are customer's actual Variant 2 photos (W202 4-cylinder).
This was one of the first sets sold in North America! ;)

http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-1.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-2.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-3.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-4.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-5.jpg
http://k1motorsport.com/img/w202v2-6.jpg

Yep,that is Ross's Set,i believe they have sent him the correct height adjusters now.


How much would it cost to ship to Auckland New Zealand?
Regards,
Paul

[K1 Motorsport]

Shipping to New Zealand via EMS is approximately $400. Airmail Parcel is about $260 but no tracking number is provided.

[Pagz]

Originally posted by K1 Motorsport
Shipping to New Zealand via EMS is approximately $400. Airmail Parcel is about $260 but no tracking number is provided.

ok thanks.

[Renn 208]

Thanks for putting those up! Now doesn't that just make much more sense?

[Nitrogenbalance]

Sooo.......from what I see it is a similar setup to stock with the difference being an adjustable spring perch in place of the spring pads we change out.

...yes, no, maybe???

[Renn 208]

Originally posted by Nitrogenbalance
Sooo.......from what I see it is a similar setup to stock with the difference being an adjustable spring perch in place of the spring pads we change out.

...yes, no, maybe???

the adjustable perch goes on the bottom of the spring...you would retain the rubber spring pads on top. The cup design of the upper spring mount would make any "adjustable" mechanism problematic.

The springs and perches are upside-down in the pictures.

[SLAMMED_C]

Renn 208: Actuallly to correct you, the springs and adjustable perches are in the correct orientation in the pictures above. the spring perches replace the stock shim pads, the spring sits in the bottom control arm as normal, but the top of the spring is flat and the adjustable perch is placed on the top (going in place of the stock shim pads)
just to clarify, the springs and perches need to be removed to adjust ride height, then installed again. the only downfall to the kit in my opinion. so its not a true coil over kit obviously.. but its a "coil over kit"!!

23k: I did indeed recieve the correct perches directly from KW, so its just a matter of waiting out winter till I can install the springs and perches!
And I recommend getting the kit Paul!!.. its really a solid set up, so far I have the KW shocks in my car and I am very impressed with them. they are just so much more solidly constructed then anything Ive seen (Koni, Bilstien...) the shafts of the shocks themselves are about twice as thick as that of stock or even aftermarket (Koni), the housings are made of stainless steel, and just are a very nice piece or engeneering.

K1 Motorsports: Im hoping to get some better pics of the kit Tom, something a bit better quality you can use then what I have now (those are taken with my phone and in bad lighting!)
hopefully the pics will be useful for people to see and understand the W202 "coil over" kit.
good to see you on the boards.

[Renn 208]

Ooooh, thanks for the correction Slammed...it's a little counter-intuitive, no?

My apologies!

[SLAMMED_C]

In my opinion its the only downfall to the kit.
I can see why KW did what they did in designing it this way. as its the easiest thing to do, just replace the shim pads with the adjustable perches.
the only way to get around this is to go the way Jeff went with his "coil over" set up on his now R.I.P. C43. but I bet cost wise to produce it would be expensive.
Either way.. I am still impressed by the kit. and once I set ride height in it I wont be changing anything, unless I need to!

[SLAMMED_C]

2 pics.. first is of my old Koni shock beside a KW shock, second pic is of the KW shock installed in my car.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/266000-266999/266992_492_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/266000-266999/266992_493_full.jpg

[Pagz]

I too thought the adjustment would have gone at the bottom!...why did they send the adjusting spanner with the kit?:D

Those shocks look great!!,look very robust!....One reason i really want them is for what looks like shorter suspension travel?!?,they must have been alot easier to get in?!?...
im very keen on getting a set...but im just in the middle of ordering somthing else right now;)

[SLAMMED_C]

Originally posted by 23K
I too thought the adjustment would have gone at the bottom!...why did they send the adjusting spanner with the kit?:D

Those shocks look great!!,look very robust!....One reason i really want them is for what looks like shorter suspension travel?!?,they must have been alot easier to get in?!?...
im very keen on getting a set...but im just in the middle of ordering somthing else right now;)

lol.. I dont know why they sent the adjusting spanner!!.. but at any rate KW did what they did!

the shocks are great.. tehy are honestly amazing. so much beefier then anything esle.. the shock shafts themselves are literally twice the diameter of my Koni shocks I had in there before.

and yes the KW shocks are indeed shorter.. they were lots easier to get in!! as you can see in the pic comparing the Koni and KW shock.. both shocks are both all the way in. they KW shocks are at least an inch shorter in length.
so what ya ordering right now Paul?!! hmmm...??!

[Pagz]

Originally posted by SLAMMED_C
lol.. I dont know why they sent the adjusting spanner!!.. but at any rate KW did what they did!

the shocks are great.. tehy are honestly amazing. so much beefier then anything esle.. the shock shafts themselves are literally twice the diameter of my Koni shocks I had in there before.

and yes the KW shocks are indeed shorter.. they were lots easier to get in!! as you can see in the pic comparing the Koni and KW shock.. both shocks are both all the way in. they KW shocks are at least an inch shorter in length.
so what ya ordering right now Paul?!! hmmm...??!

Yeh from the pics they look much shorter!
Must be nice not having to jack the car on its side to take a wheel off:D

haha cant say...secret until i get it =)....Put it this way...i had to negotiate with Rissa for approval lol....

[SLAMMED_C]

Originally posted by 23K
Yeh from the pics they look much shorter!
Must be nice not having to jack the car on its side to take a wheel off:D

haha cant say...secret until i get it =)....Put it this way...i had to negotiate with Rissa for approval lol....
yeh its much shorter!!.. car comes off the ground a lil sooner!!

lol.. well it must be something good if you had to persuede the miss's!! can ya pm me a hint!!??

[Pagz]

Originally posted by SLAMMED_C
yeh its much shorter!!.. car comes off the ground a lil sooner!!

lol.. well it must be something good if you had to persuede the miss's!! can ya pm me a hint!!??

lol...yer ill include it in the long overdue reply =)

[Nitrogenbalance]

Are the shocks available to purchase seperatly??

For example I am happy with my current ride height and H&R springs. I do however want to change out the bilsteins sometime this spring. I would really like to try these. The picture alone shows some pretty beefy construction. I see no reason why they couldn't be used for us 202'ers with H&R's, Konis, and Eibach etc..

[K1 Motorsport]

Originally posted by Nitrogenbalance
Are the shocks available to purchase seperatly??


No, they are only available as a set.

[pscords321]

I was wondering if Kw made coilovers for a C43.

[K1 Motorsport]

Originally posted by pscords321
I was wondering if Kw made coilovers for a C43.

It may require additional work with spacers and fenders. There are W202 AMGs running Variant2 setup.

[Nitrogenbalance]

Thread back from the dead,

Wonding if anyone else has since tried the KW setup and what their thoughts where.

I really like these and I'm thinking of swapping out the H&R/bilstein setup. I'm really wondering about the adjustable aspect of this kit. Is it really any easier than using the spring pads on the OEM configuration?

The quality looks top notch on the shocks too.

[515]

Originally posted by Nitrogenbalance
Thread back from the dead,

Wonding if anyone else has since tried the KW setup and what their thoughts where.

I really like these and I'm thinking of swapping out the H&R/bilstein setup. I'm really wondering about the adjustable aspect of this kit. Is it really any easier than using the spring pads on the OEM configuration?

The quality looks top notch on the shocks too.

I would say NO GOOD on the adjustable height with this kw. it's basically almost the same as spring pads, you still have to take the whole spring out in order to adjust it.

[sensoryx]

Originally posted by 515
I would say NO GOOD on the adjustable height with this kw. it's basically almost the same as spring pads, you still have to take the whole spring out in order to adjust it.

I loved ur ride height tho.
Perhaps ur willing to sell your KWs to me?

[515]

Originally posted by sensoryx
I loved ur ride height tho.
Perhaps ur willing to sell your KWs to me?

I would sell it BUT...
sending it all the way to B.C, canada. man that's gonna cost heaps.. :confused:

[sensoryx]

Originally posted by 515
I would sell it BUT...
sending it all the way to B.C, canada. man that's gonna cost heaps.. :confused:

id be really interested. ill send you a PM now.;)