W123 200T lowering - Anybody lowered an estate?

[cheesyget]

I want to slam my 200T. Has anybody got any experiences / advice / recommended products to share? I assume shortened springs will be available somewhere - haven't checked Euro Car Parts yet - but also haven't ruled out hydraulics if a low cost, simple system was available.

Do any modifiers read this forum? - We shall see!!

 

[njpumphrey]

Are you joking?

Seriously, why bother?

If you want a lower suspension, just wait, and eventually it will sag! If you do manage to intentionally lower the springs, it won't look good, just knackered.

 

[gregit]

Not quite knackered

Wish I could make mine like this,Lorinser I think!

 

[marshie001]

aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh dribble

what a beauty!!!! if mine looked half as good as that i'd be a happy man!!!

 

[LANDR0VER]

what a beauty!!!! if mine looked half as good as that i'd be a happy man!!!

If you are going to lower it you will need the right wheels and body kit otherwise it will just look clapped out.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

There were times I was tempted to lower mine too.....

from a crane...... through the dealer's showroom roof.....

Try some of the parts suppliers listed in Mercedes Enthusiast, but seriously, it's not to be recommended.

 

[LANDR0VER]

By lowering the car you will change the camber of the wheels and the tyres will wear on the inside.

 

[cheesyget]

What a wide spectrum of opinions!

My humble view is that very few more modern cars' looks can't be improved by lowering by some amount. ( 4X4's excepted Landrover! ). The mid 60's seems to be when designers ( or more likely engineers ) started making them 'too tall'.

I'm sure this will be a contentious idea - let's hear both sides.

 

[marshie001]

like this one??

 

[gregit]

Inspiration

Some amazing pictures of TE's on Benzworld.com the have a picture area in the 124 section just for wagons,as they call them.Page 2 guy called RafMAR,put a link to a Japanese club,lot of them lowered.Inspiration for 'cheesyget' perhaps,by the time I've loaded mine with tools,parts,few commercial batteries I need the pump up hydraulics it has just for wheels to turn :0)

1940's Mercedes 4x4

 

[angus falconer]

I lowered my last car (Nissan 200SX) to improve the handling (not looks). What I really wanted were uprated springs and dampers running the same ride height but couldn't get any. So the result was springs and dampers uprated 20% or so and an unwanted inch-and-a bit drop in ride height. Also uprated wheels (see comment by Landrover).

End result? Handled like a go-kart at high speed on smooth tarmac but lost a lot of bump absorbsion and ground clearance. In other words great for a track (which is no use to me) but very mixed on real roads.

What would I recommend? Heavier duty springs and shocks running original ride height.

Unfortunately a lot of the "tuning" industry is more interested in image than actual handling so no one supplied what I wanted.

Will I drop my C43? Nope - why spoil the factory ride/handling compromise and scrape the exhaust over every second speed bump?

 

[TimN]

You can lower the rear just by adjusting the link from the torsion bar to the self levelling valve. The front can be lowered by replacing the springs or attaching clamps if the job is being done on the cheep. However be warned what might have been a minor bump in the car park will end up being a bent tailgate or broken headlamp.