Lowering a W202 - anyone done it?

[veedweeb]

I've seen a few aftermarket suspension kits and lowering springs, but they all seem to be for 4 cylinder cars, and mine's a V6.

Are the springs the same, or if not, does anyone know where I might get some from?

Thanks,


Steve

 

[C220GJS]

The suspension setup on the W202 chassis 4cyl and 6cyl cars is the same but as standard there are 9 different front springs to suit the weight difference and trim levels of the various models. Your Elegance has the highest suspension setup of the three trim levels so you might find something to suit you in the standard range if you speak to an MB dealer.
Otherwise seek advice from someone with experience in lowering these cars as you can go drastically wrong if you chose the wrong length and rate of spring.
With luck someone with that knowledge will come on to advise you.
Cheers, George.

 

[type49]

There is also another way. All 202s have large rubber inserts on the top of the springs front and rear. These inserts are of differnt thicknesses and will raise or lower the car depending on what ones you have fitted ( at a cost of £5 each! ) Jack the car up on one corner pref the front. Look at the large black rubber that the spring sits in at the top, the rubber will have pips or nipples on it, very close together, ranging from 1 to 5. Each "pip" makes about 5mm difference, 5 being high, 1 being low. If you have 5s on your car, putting 1s on it will drop it 20mm but keeping exactly the same poundage or spring rate, so retaining exactly the same ride comfort. Obvliously, if you have 4s or 5s already, then new springs is the only way to go.

 

[veedweeb]

Thanks for the replies... both very interesting...

I'll have a look for the rubber inserts.

In the meantime, I have found some lowering kits that state they are suitable for 6 cylinder cars, so I might be able to proceed...

This is the kind of look I'm hoping to acheive:

I know they're not to everyone's taste, but I like, and I think the Azurite Blue/Cream colours will work well together, plus I think the Merc's shape will lend itself to this treatment very well.

I'll mirror polish the standard Elegance wheels too.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

This is the kind of look I'm hoping to acheive:......

......I know they're not to everyone's taste, but I like, and I think the Azurite Blue/Cream colours will work well together, plus I think the Merc's shape will lend itself to this treatment very well.

Sorry Steve, and I don't want to cause offence, but......
I think that colour scheme is awful. Not very subtle, conservative, refined, infact not at all mercedes like. I am all for personalising a car but I prefer something a little more discreet, not quite so 'in your face'.

On the other hand I will definitely know when I pass you while out and about (I have probably already seen you without realising, what with only living in the next village!). Hopefully when we do meet you will still shake my hand and say hello rather than ramming my front teeth down my neck for making the above comments

 

[type49]

I didn't realise you wanted to deck it and have the most uncomfortable ride and dreadfull handling merc this side of California. Forget my thread about the spring rubbers then, this will not have the effect you want. Good luck finding and fixing the rattles you'll inherit after fitting your new springs.

 

[Blobcat]

No accounting for taste as they say, there was a forum member who made a low rider. Did a very professional job of it.

 

[turnipsock]

I'm not a fan of lowering, have you seen the state of the roads? Snow isn't much fun in a low car.

My car had lighter springs than it should have had, they both broke within a year.

If you really must lower your car, I would use the correct springs and use the thin rubber bits.

This might be worth a read...

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=21440

 

[veedweeb]

I realise that lowering a car to any great extent will have a detrimental effect on the ride quality, but that's not a concern for me... If you'd seen some of the other stuff I've driven you'd realise that

And there is actually a good practical reason for the colour sceme: a previous owner has opened the driver's door against a post or something; it's dented and has now started to go rusty. I am more than capable of painting a car in a straight colour, but the pearlescent/metallic blue is beyond me. By doing it this way, I can do the work myself, make a decent job of it, and not have to spend thousands at a body shop.

For the record, this is my other car...

Although it currently looks like this:

So you see, practicality and comfort are not that high on my list :mrgreen: