Koni and Eibach on C43 rubbing - any advice?

[e harmon]

I just installed Koni externally adjustable shocks and Eibach Pro-Kit springs on my C43. It rides and looks great :), though the drop is way lower than I expected, especially considering I am using #4 pads in the rear. I have almost 2 finger gap in front, and barely more than a finger in the rear, with stock Monoblock wheels and no spacers.

The really unexpected thing is, the right rear wheel rubs occasionally, even when I am alone in the car. It usually happens on certain dips when going 30+ mph.

The shop checked over the installation and it seems fine. Even when pushing down on that corner with someone sitting at that seat, there seems to be plenty of clearance above the tire (thanks to factory rolled fenders). The leading edge corner of the bumper seems to be the closest thing. Even then, I don't see any evidence of where the contact might be, either on the tire or any of the surrounding surfaces.

I have increased the stiffness of the rear shocks from full soft to 1/2 turn toward stiff. I might go more, but to be honest, I really like the very nice ride it has now. Compared to the stock AMG/Bilstein suspension, it is quite supple.

Any advice on what to do? I am okay with the ride height where it is (or up to an inch higher) but I am hoping to avoid the rubbing. Thanks in advance.

e harmon

[Cschilderink]

Is the ride similar to the beautiful stock feel you had before?
I ask because I too want to get koni shocks and h&r springs, but I am just concerned that it will make it a lot more harsh than my already extremely soft and smooth ride.

[hvmercy]

e harmon: I had the same set up as your car. Except mine is a 97 C230. I made several adjustments to the shock in order to get the utmost
ride and performance however, I wasn't satisfied and I took it off
after using it for 2 weeks. If I had it adjusted to a more stiff
setting my car would feel like it rides stiffer than my s2000 and in between feels like it's more bouncy and my tires would rub the
fender well even if I'm alone in the car (like you).

I've heard/read from this forum how much better Bilsteins are so I think I'll give that a try when I get the chance.

I suggest that you play around with those settings.

Good luck,

Hvmercy

[e harmon]

Originally posted by Cschilderink
Is the ride similar to the beautiful stock feel you had before?
I ask because I too want to get koni shocks and h&r springs, but I am just concerned that it will make it a lot more harsh than my already extremely soft and smooth ride.

I have not spent a lot of time in the non-AMG w202s, but to my taste, the stock AMG suspension on the C43 is far from soft and smooth. I like the ride of the Eibachs and Konis more than the stock AMG/Bilsteins, even purely from a comfort standpoint, not to mention the much more confident handling.

Unfortunately, I can't say how it compares to your suspension. From what I've read, many are satisfied with the ride quality of the Konis.

e harmon

[e harmon]

Originally posted by hvmercy
e harmon: I had the same set up as your car. Except mine is a 97 C230. I made several adjustments to the shock in order to get the utmost
ride and performance however, I wasn't satisfied and I took it off
after using it for 2 weeks. If I had it adjusted to a more stiff
setting my car would feel like it rides stiffer than my s2000 and in between feels like it's more bouncy and my tires would rub the
fender well even if I'm alone in the car (like you).

I've heard/read from this forum how much better Bilsteins are so I think I'll give that a try when I get the chance.

I suggest that you play around with those settings.

Good luck,

Hvmercy

Thanks Hvmercy. It turns out that if I didn't have that slight rub (and maybe a cm or 2 more height in the rear), I am otherwise very happy with the results. I was concerned at first because I took a road trip the next day after install and it was very stiff and "jiggly" over certain surfaces.

It turns out the shop left my tire pressures up at 39ish. When I dropped back down the to 30/33 (as stated on the gas filler cap), it smoothed out big time and feels planted and supple.

I will probably play with the rebound stiffness settings, and am thinking about lining the wheel well with paper and driving over the dips, hoping to see where the tire makes a mark on the paper.

regards,

e harmon