[W126 Coupe] lowering suspension

[Divov]

Thanks for the input Mike.
Who are H&R? presumably a US outfit. Do you have any contact details?
Unfortunately class rules preclude my using 17" or 18' rims. I 'may' be able to go to 16" without anyone noticing or being too bothered.
I got given a new AMG suspension kit for the W126 with a computer which controls shock adjustment according to speed, senses cornering, braking etc and sends a message to the gismos fitted on the top of each shock. The kit assumes no self levelling rear suspension so all I did was use the shocks (Bilstein) and set them on the hardest setting. The rest of the kit is still in the box. 
Spectators say when I brake, the nose dives dramatically... I do also find now that the brakes are grabbing and its too easy to lock up the front brakes.
Re your experience of brake failure at Laguna Seca - I had the same experience going into the hairpin in practice. Very sobering indeed!
New brake fluid and removing the backing brake plates and fitting Ferodo ceramic platinum pads seemed to have done the trick.
I also removed the fog lights from the bumper and ducted air to the general vicinity of the centre of the discs.
The Merc OE Tektar pads were a disaster - the resin bled out due to the extreme heat and the pad surface looked like someone had smeared solder onto the pads. The discs were still fine.
My car is an 84 model. (direct import from Germany)
I have a situation where I am on probation racing in Historic car races as the cut off date is strictly 1977. The first 500SEC was built in 1980. 
My continued participation relies partly on the feed-back from my competitors. If I behave like a pig I'm out. Also they accepted my participation due largely to the fact that the car is pristine - it is a 5 times concours winner. (why am I racing it? - I'm bored with polishing cars and would rather use it.) & that I have previous racing experience.
What they don't know is there is another ugly sister in the workshop - a 85 500SEC with a 560 motor & box already fitted. This one is being stripped of all the superfluous stuff like aircon, SLS, all electric motors - windows, sunroof, aerial, seats etc and I am hoping to pull out at least 200kgs whilst still leaving a standard  interior 'appearance' - which is the class requirement. We are only allowed a racing seat and boy, does that merc seat weigh a ton!
My idea is that they get used to a Benz in their midst for half the season (I'll run the pristine & very stock example) and then I'll slip in the 'new' one without causing too much stress - I hope!    I am still at phase 1 so I don't want to do irreversible stuff to the present car.
I believe (?) the 560 has bigger discs than the 500. True or false?
Regards
Alec D
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike R. 
  To: 'Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists' 
  Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 5:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] lowering suspension


  In a stock condition, the SEC is indeed pretty bad in a corner, but it is a world class highway cruiser  that can be modified into a car that does just fine on a track. Kirk Salvatore campaigned one in the Seattle area for years.

   

  For your purposes, put in a set of H&R lowering springs. That will stiffen up the suspension and lower the car. New shocks will help and in your case since it won't spend much time on city streets, the heavy duty Bilsteins will do fine or a set of adjustable Koni's. H&R makes a set of springs for an SEC with self-leveling suspension and a different set for a car without the SLS. To keep the car balanced, put on all four springs from the lowering kit.

   

  Get a set of 17" or 18" rims, 8.5" wide on the front and 9.5" on the rear. The front roll bar is VERY difficult to replace so it's pretty much what you have to use. The back one isn't hard to replace but without changing the front one at the same time, it will unbalance the car. I'd suggest at least a set of ATE slotted rotors all around and some semi-metallic brake pads. Larger rotors would be a good thing, but they're hard to find for an SEC this old. Brand new brake fluid is a must. I didn't flush the system on my SEC and after four laps on Laguna Seca track, my brakes had faded away completely. It made the hairpin at the end of the front straight VERY interesting!

   

  You have a very heavy car that is very rarely put on a track in earnest. Not much specialty technology out there that will assist you but the normal race car prep will help. Lighter is faster, more power is faster, wider tires help as well. A 500SEC is lighter than a 560SEC but the 560 has more power. You might want to look into the differences to determine which one will give you a quicker path to a faster car. FYI, an '86 and newer 560 engine won't drop into an '85 or older SEC without a significant rewiring. 

   

  Later,

  Mike R.


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  From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Divov
  Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 9:41 AM
  To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
  Subject: [W126 Coupe] lowering suspension

   

  Hi,

  I have embarked on racing my W126 500SEC in a standard production class of Historic racing.

  The car is absolutely stock standard and I would like to gradually improve it for each race meet.

  Of course the car is not ideally suited for racing, particularly on a tight circuits - but boys will be boys...

  After the first race I can report that she's a pig in the tight corners. (we are on road tyres!)

  Mercifully I kept her on the black stuff and didn't make too much of a fool of myself!

  I really had a lot of fun but I want to go faster next time out.

  My car has always stood particularly high in the front.

  The first thing I want to do before the next race is to lower the suspension.

  I see from the members cars that many are lowered so I hope to get some tips from the guys who have done it.

   

  How do you lower the rear suspension with all that self levelling kit?

  Lowering the front, do you get shorter stiffer springs or lop a piece off the standard springs?

   

  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

   

  Regards

   

  Alec Divov

  (Kyalami - South Africa)



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