Do you really need Sway Bars Upgrade?

[digital2620]

Just wondering how badly I need this.
Got a 99 C230K which is my daily driver. I commute about 40 miles per day mainly through the city.

I have dropped the Suspension with the Eibach Pro kit and the Bilstien HD sport shocks. (Rear camber arms paid and waiting for delivery from Speedy)

Got new tires and rims: 18" replica wheels and 225/40/18 Goodyear F1 GS-D3. (Originally thought I would make the 245 fit but the body mods would be too much.)

I have enough money to get one of either: 1) chip upgrade, 2) Pulley upgrade, 3) Eibach Sway bars.

Funny thing I actually have not driven on the new setup yet. Just thougth I would throw it out there.

[OCKlasse]

Originally posted by digital2620
Just wondering how badly I need this.
Got a 99 C230K which is my daily driver. I commute about 40 miles per day mainly through the city.

I have dropped the Suspension with the Eibach Pro kit and the Bilstien HD sport shocks. (Rear camber arms paid and waiting for delivery from Speedy)

Got new tires and rims: 18" replica wheels and 225/40/18 Goodyear F1 GS-D3. (Originally thought I would make the 245 fit but the body mods would be too much.)

I have enough money to get one of either: 1) chip upgrade, 2) Pulley upgrade, 3) Eibach Sway bars.

Funny thing I actually have not driven on the new setup yet. Just thougth I would throw it out there.

meh...do a pulley kit first, IMO

[chewiguy]

I don't know if you will want to do sway bars. I just installed the front bars myself last weekend but I now realize that I have to drop the rear sub-frame to install the rear bars and I'm not at all experienced with that. I got a quote from an independent shop for 8 hours of labor (~$900) and 5.5 hours from the MB Dealer (~$800) so I'm extremely sad.

Seriously, if someone in the Bay Area is willing to do the DIY with me for a couple hundred and some beers I will be more than happy!

So without someone to help you out, installing sways will be a good $1k easy. But after installing the front sway, I think the car really sticks a lot better and the ride quality isn't compromised much at all.

Either way, whatever you end up doing to your car, Good Luck!

[RemoLexi]

the rear sway bar isnt easy to put in. if your not installing it yourself find out how much a shop will charge, then decide.

front one takes 15minutes but id have both put in since they work together to reduce body roll.

just some comments for you. :)

[Proven Guilty]

Originally posted by OCKlasse
meh...do a pulley kit first, IMO

+1

[MTI]

8 hours to drop the rear subframe . . . clearly that's "book rate" which means that the shop is expected to undo the brake lines, unbolt the flex disk from the diff and drop the exhaust.

In reality, you don't need to do all that, just undo the sway bar links and drop the subframe (via undoing bushings) just enough to clear the sway bar past the diff.

Find a shop that will charge you the actual time for the R&R, not the book rate.

[chewiguy]

Originally posted by MTI
8 hours to drop the rear subframe . . . clearly that's "book rate" which means that the shop is expected to undo the brake lines, unbolt the flex disk from the diff and drop the exhaust.

In reality, you don't need to do all that, just undo the sway bar links and drop the subframe (via undoing bushings) just enough to clear the sway bar past the diff.

Find a shop that will charge you the actual time for the R&R, not the book rate.

Thanks MTI. I'll definitely look around some more and not give up on the rear sway. How many hours in your opinion is fair for what you described? Thanks!

[OzC36]

I'd do the C36 upgrade, but then again I am biased!

[C280_Spawrt]

Originally posted by OzC36
I'd do the C36 upgrade, but then again I am biased!

What exactly is the C36 Upgrade?

[digital2620]

C36 upgrade.... I thought of it after I got the car.

This was my Dad's car. But the cost to get a C36 is more than the upgrades.

[OzC36]

C36's are becoming very cheap to buy!

[MTI]

The basic steps: Get the car, or the back end, up in the air; remove the rear tires, undo the sway bar links; with a jack under the diff, loosen the subframe bushings and sway bar brackets and slowly lower it; when the bar can be pulled stop the lowering, keeping an eye on the brake lines to avoid any tugging. Slip the new bar in and reverse the procedure..

For a driveway DIY, it's going to take a few hours, mostly spent getting the car up and down; for a shop with a lift and tools . . . maybe 90 minutes, if that.

[Lensolo]

You don't need sway bars.

[chewiguy]

Originally posted by MTI
The basic steps: Get the car, or the back end, up in the air; remove the rear tires, undo the sway bar links; with a jack under the diff, loosen the subframe bushings and sway bar brackets and slowly lower it; when the bar can be pulled stop the lowering, keeping an eye on the brake lines to avoid any tugging. Slip the new bar in and reverse the procedure..

For a driveway DIY, it's going to take a few hours, mostly spent getting the car up and down; for a shop with a lift and tools . . . maybe 90 minutes, if that.

MTI You're my savior! I'll try it out on my driveway in a couple of weeks and I'll let you know how it goes. I'll try to take some pictures too. Seriously thanks for your help.

[MTI]

Keep in mind, the subframe bushings are tight like a SOB, so you're going to need a good sized breaker bar and probably some help to get it torq'd back on.

If you think you might want to replace the bushings (highly unlikely, but better check), now would be a good time to have it done, but I would suggest that a shop do it unless you have the bushing puller and insertion tools. It's the "two birds" idea

[chewiguy]

So lets say I have a breaker bar and a torque wrench for putting things like my wheels back on. How much do you think I will need to torque it? Thanks again MTI!

[jnolte]

your wheels to 80 lbs

[chewiguy]

Originally posted by jnolte
your wheels to 80 lbs

Haha thanks jnolte but I was wondering how much I will need to torque the subframe bushings. :)

[digital2620]

seems like lots off work.

Already cost me $400 to get my shocks and springs installed.

I am going to hold off with the sway bars. The ride is great with the new setup.

Still getting used to it. Not sure if the limited body roll is due to the new suspension of if the front tires are rubbing/bumping up against the fender.

the offset is 30 so its pretty close.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Wayne