CLK 320 Can/should suspension be stiffened?

[MB Novice]

My CLk 320 C209 Elegance is lovely to drive on a table top smooth road but it is awful on a rough road as it rolls all over the place. I bought it as a used car and thought there must have been something wrong with the shocks or springs not that i know anything at all about these parts. Mechanic says it is normal.

I don't want or like the sports suspension of the Avantgarde as its too hard so don't want a full sports suspension. In any case MB dealer refuses to do this alteration.

Does anybody else experience this as a problem and can anybody give me any advice on what could be done or if they think there may be a problem which mechanic has missed.

 

[darrenb1707]

My CLk 320 C209 Elegance is lovely to drive on a table top smooth road but it is awful on a rough road as it rolls all over the place. I bought it as a used car and thought there must have been something wrong with the shocks or springs not that i know anything at all about these parts. Mechanic says it is normal.

I don't want or like the sports suspension of the Avantgarde as its too hard so don't want a full sports suspension. In any case MB dealer refuses to do this alteration.

Does anybody else experience this as a problem and can anybody give me any advice on what could be done or if they think there may be a problem which mechanic has missed.

Before you go to the expense of replacing parts, I would arrange for a 4 wheel laser alignment to be done on the car. MBs can be very sensitive to the geometry being out and as a result can get skittish on rough roads.

 

[MB Novice]

Thank you Darrenb1707

I will have the laser check carried out but it is more a body roll problem as if the springs are too soft or not working properly.

 

[moneyman]

Elegance will have the softer suspension. What size wheels are you running? You may be able to get a slightly firmer ride by changing to a bigger wheel. ( I stand to be corrected on this point by more knowlegable members). I have a W209 Elegance that had sport suspension factory fitted with 17" wheels and I find the ride perfect.
Regards

Steve

 

[darrenb1707]

I will have the laser check carried out but it is more a body roll problem as if the springs are too soft or not working properly.

Is this feeling of it rolling only happening when cornering or does the car pitch on 'straight' but uneven roads? If it pitches & rolls on straight uneven roads I would still suspect the alignment. If it happens more when cornering I would (after the you've had the laser alignment check), get the anti-roll bar bushes checked. Might be worthwhile checking the usual stuff at the same time...ball joints, control arm bushes etc.

 

[MB Novice]

Moneyman and DarrenB1707
Thanks for yourb replies. In answer to your queries:
I am using 16" rims. I had initally thought that 17" rims with the wider tyres may help but it seems to me that as it is a sideways roll when travelling in a straight line that they may not do much and it may just be the softer springs of the Elegance. I find the sports suspension too hard and am hoping for something in between.

Darren, if it was an alignment problem, would it not be pulling to one side or the other. This does not really happen and it is fine when cornering - provided the road is smooth. It is just as if whatever it is, that should stop a car from rolling from one side to another on a rough road, isn't working. This is even the case at slow speeds.