00' C280 Sport / Need advice for 2" drop

[c280sportSE]

After many years of being garaged I think i'm finally ready to work on my car.

I want to be clear. I DO NOT want to be slammed.

I want to achieve a modest gentleman drop of roughly 2" all around. Further, I will also be keeping the factory wheels as it is my opinion that Monoblocks belong only on AMG's.

With that being said. I want to also keep as much of the factory suspension settings in tact. ( Camber etc )

If a spring kit is all I need please give me a brand and or part number. thanks in advance.

PS. I do not want my vehicle to be HONDA "bouncy" when the drop is achieved.

[Vetruck]

You can drop a Mercedes using different spring pad choices. There are 5 different heights available that fit atop the springs on each corner of the car. They are available through the dealer or places like Pelican Parts.

[Vetruck]

From what I am seeing in searching is you probably have a #4 or #5 pad thickness in front from the factory, and either a #1 or #2 spring pad height in the rear. They vary upon car based on installed height of the springs and the car's option package weights overall. MB used different spring pad heights to get a desired finish ride height on all cars to be close to the same.

With that said, you can definitely go down to a #1 pad up front to get some lowering, the rear you may have to trim the spring a little or buy new lowered performance springs.- unless you have a #2 and can go down to #1 back there plus like a little "rake" look to the car.

[Denlasoul]

A 2" drop would change the geometry a bit, particularly the camber and such.

The standard lowering springs available lower about 1.5", and like Vetruck said, a change in spring pads would make up the difference in that last 0.5"

[wichipong]

the lowering springs available for the w202 has vogtland springs at the lowest... then eibach and h&r drops about the same.... IF im not mistaken...

[Vetruck]

Here is some important info for all to calculate with. These are the spring pad part #'s for our cars. The earlier ones are hard to come by ('94-some '96). They are different in the spring design in the later years and accept the helix end springs The helix end of the top spring fits into the index slot of the pad. The earlier ones use a flat end on top of the spring against the pads for the earlier year Helix top spring design.

From what I have researched in the past, you can use the later springs AND spring pads in the earlier years- BUT, you have to do both. Meaning you can not use early spring and late pads, nor can you mix late springs and early pads. It is either Early/early, or Late/ late.

For W202 mid 96-00
Front :
210 321 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 321 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 321 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 321 04 84 pad#4 17 mm
210 321 05 84 pad#5 21 mm

Rear :
210 325 01 84 pad#1 5 mm
210 325 02 84 pad#2 9 mm
210 325 03 84 pad#3 13 mm
210 325 04 84 pad#4 17 mm


For W202 94-mid 96
Front :
201 321 09 84 pad#1 8 mm
201 321 10 84 pad#2 13 mm
201 321 11 84 pad#3 18 mm
201 321 12 84 pad#4 23 mm

Rear :
201 325 09 44 pad#1 8 mm
201 325 10 44 pad#2 13 mm
201 325 11 44 pad#3 18 mm

Now it is important to note the spring in motion ratio of the wheel is at about 50% leverage point. What this means is the distance between a thicker pad and a thinner pad will yeild TWICE that amount of drop at the wheel.

So now to the 2000 280 Sport. If the fronts as a #4 pad (you will have to pull them out of the car and count the rubber dots to see if you have 4 or 5 dots for a #4 or #5 pad up front) the the #4 pad will be 17mm thick on that car. Going from a 17mm #4 pad to a 5mm #1 pad will decrease the spring height by 12mm- However, the overall drop will be twice that at the wheel which is 24mm (Just shy of an inch drop. 1"= 25.4mm)

The reason why I only listed doing a pad change is if you go any lower then a pad change you may and probably will start having Camber difficulties.

[Vetruck]

What would I recommend? Cutting the spring by a half coil and call it a day

Why? these sprock coils are so tall and have so many winds (free coils) that by cutting a half coil or even two full coils off them will not hamper spring frequency which causes most cars like Hondas to bounce downt he road. That will NOT happen with our long spring design I promise you.

Regardless of what you decide to do, you will need a Mercedes type spring compressor tool to do any of this work without a long day of needless pulling suspension parts apart. I would get the tool and cut very small increments at a time until you get the height you want. Each time be sure to reinstall the spring and then DRIVE THE CAR AROUND THE BLOCK to settle it before taking your next measurements. Then repeat until you get the desired ride heights. I would start with only 1/2 a coil wind to see what that yields on both front springs first.

[Denlasoul]

Now it is important to note the spring in motion ratio of the wheel is at about 50% leverage point. What this means is the distance between a thicker pad and a thinner pad will yeild TWICE that amount of drop at the wheel.
Wow, had no idea.

This information is so valuable.

[c280sportSE]

Can any one please provide a picture of these so called PADS on the factory springs? Thanks. I will more than likely go that route.

[Vetruck]

Your car has them already. They sit on top of all four springs. When you get a Mercedes spring compressor tool and pull your current springs out you can read the dots and see which numbers you currently have.

[Vetruck]

2692

It is sitting on the floor next to the spring. The black dounut looking rubber pad.

[MikeD]

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc287/hgpolak/20120801_134610.jpg

Here are what the spring pads look like. From left to right: #4 pad, #2 pad, #1 pad. The size of the pad can be identified by the little "bumps" on top of the pads.