99 C230K Suspension is now gone too High ...HOW to reset?

[Deano]

My 99 C230k went it for new tyres and alignment together with some suspension rubber replacements .. all the correct parts were fitted.. The car was jacked up such all four tyres were airborne and hanging down.

Normall the car sits quite low ..always loved the look of it like that... now after the above work it is sitting quite high.. initially i just though it needed to settle but it gone a good few weeks no with no change.. The C230K owners and knowledge of it in South africa is very limited as it was limited edition here.. one of the guys that i managed to speak to indicated that he had the same problem and he took it to a shop and they had to set it to stage 2 or something to that effect ,,,it didnt make sense to me what he was saying.. But the car is definely sitting noticebably higher than is should? anyone can offer any advice on this please

[Vetruck]

The suspension was most likely sagging due to worn spring pads (rubber inserts above the coil spring that dictate the exact ride height). As they wear the car will lower in stance over many years. What happens is the suspension geometry enters a phase where the alignment of the wheels can not be properly corrected within specs- so what most likely happened is the shop replaced those spring pads with new ones to raise the car back up so the suspension arms sit at the proper angles to get the car aligned in a proper range for even tire wear.

[RemoLexi]

Make sure they torqued the lower control arm bushings with the vehicle on the alignment rack and not in the air.

[Deano]

Make sure they torqued the lower control arm bushings with the vehicle on the alignment rack and not in the air.

Are thanks RemoLexi... I think that is the fix i was looking for... i remember sometime coming across this that it had to be done with the tyres on the ground and not in the air.. hope it works !!!

[Vetruck]

Are thanks RemoLexi... I think that is the fix i was looking for... i remember sometime coming across this that it had to be done with the tyres on the ground and not in the air.. hope it works !!!
I would not advise that. You will most likely throw your alignment out of wack. I assure you if that is binding at all it is not more then a 1/4" of ride height at very most.

To add a little food for thought- No one does an alignment on a car with the wheels hanging. it is impossible. The car had to be sitting on the rack when the alignment was performed and the bolts are easily tightened from underneath the alignment rack with the car weighted.

[Deano]

I would not advise that. You will most likely throw your alignment out of wack. I assure you if that is binding at all it is not more then a 1/4" of ride height at very most.

To add a little food for thought- No one does an alignment on a car with the wheels hanging. it is impossible. The car had to be sitting on the rack when the alignment was performed and the bolts are easily tightened from underneath the alignment rack with the car weighted.


thanks for the info.. I know what you saying. I bought the car as it was .. and i know it sitting too high.. i assume they replaced the joints or something on it and did it with the tyres in the air hence the ride height is too high for the c230k
yes the aligment has to be done with the wheels down ... but before that is down it needs to sit a bit lower like a sedan and not a 4 x 4 lol

[RemoLexi]

Normally people replace the bushings on a normal lift with the wheels hanging. So yea, by loosening and retorquing the control arms may alter the alignment specs, not doing so will tear the new bushings up shortly since they are constantly stressed.