[W126 Coupe] with regards to the tire/wheel discussion please add ride comfort question

[Mark Clemence]

Dick, there was a real easy fix to the Trans Am ride
handling problems.  All you needed to do was install
subframe connectors, and decrease the diameter of the
real anti-roll bar.  Worked wonders for mine.  Mark 


--- Dick Spellman <spell.yy at verizon.net> wrote:


> Doug Gavin wrote:

> > Dick Spellman wrote:

> >

> >   

> >> Hi Gary:

> >>

> >> That's quite correct.  You lose the Mercedes ride

> when you lower with 

> >> HD vs. Comfort and couple this with a change from

> a 60 to say a 40 or 

> >> 35 sidewall.  It's noticeable even at 50 sidewall

> with Mercedes 

> >> factory springs.  The ride becomes harsh and you

> feel every depression 

> >> as a jolt rather than a quiet lift typical of a

> Mercedes.

> >>

> >> That's the trade off, no two ways about it.  I

> love the ride comfort 

> >> in my sedans and enjoy the looks while in the

> coupe with the 18 inch 

> >> Lorrinser rims, lowered ride (Comfort Springs)

> and Lorrinser body 

> >> kit.  It's a question of the look vs. the feel at

> the end of the day.  

> >> I have trouble expecting too much in performance

> from the SEC in terms 

> >> of performance.  I expect more power at the

> wheels from an LS6 such as 

> >> was the case in this Trans Am we had here for a

> year or two with the 

> >> WS6 package.  Handles like crap anything above 80

> with the body 

> >> flexing but, it had plenty of get up and go.  We

> dumped it when the 

> >> fuel pumps and other issues cropped up at 43k

> miles.  Now if we could 

> >> all 'easily' migrate our chassis's to the power

> plant Satish has 

> >> fitted that would be a different story.

> >>

> >> Dick

> >>

> >> Gary wrote:

> >>

> >>     

> >>> got a question...was wondering...with the advent

> of these big wheels 

> >>> resulting in tires with less sidewall...my

> questions is;  is not 

> >>> having more sidewall make for a smoother ride

> than those skinny 

> >>> sidewalls.  it seems like the car is almost

> riding on the 

> >>> rims/wheels...seems like there's not enough

> cushion.  

> >>>

> >>>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >>>

> >>> The MB Coupes Website!

> >>> W126 SEC Mailing List

> >>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

> >>>

> >>>       

> >>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >>

> >> The MB Coupes Website!

> >> W126 SEC Mailing List

> >> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

> >>

> >>     

> > In regard to Gary and Dick's e mail exchange

> regarding ride comfort of 

> > the MB.  I own a 90 SEC with 72K miles, one former

> owner, all services 

> > performed as required through MB dealer. I have

> owned the coupe for 5 

> > months and have not owned any other MBs but have

> ridden in a few sedans 

> > over the years but not on a regular basis so I'm

> not real familiar with 

> > the appropriate ride or handling experience to the

> degree as the 

> > majority of you so my question may be elementary.

> >

> >   My question is; Are coupes inherently a stiffer

> ride than sedans and 

> > do the rest of you "feel" the road both front and

> rear in regard to road 

> > seams, small bumps etc as I feel? I run my Pilots

> at 35 lbs and run on 

> > stock  15 " wheels. I read allot about the rear

> stabilizers on this site 

> > and wonder if they need to be replaced. I suspect

> they are original. In 

> > a nut shell, the ride feels like other cars I've

> experienced  with too 

> > much air in the tires. The car is very tight with

> not even one rattle or 

> > vibration what so ever, handles like a dream in

> corners, straight line 

> > and all other respects it's just that hard tire

> ride that makes me 

> > wonder. Thanks

> >

> > Doug

> > The MB Coupes Website!

> > W126 SEC Mailing List

> > Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

> >

> >   

> Hi Doug:

> 

> You might try lowering the air pressure on all 4

> tires to 32 or even 30 

> to see if that helps.  I run the sedans at 30/32

> with all season tires.  

> The one coupe I've driven extensively was and is my

> 83 SEC.  When I 

> first purchased it, the ride had been completely

> reconditioned by an 

> independent MB shop.  I have their service report

> for $2500.  I drove 

> this car stock for 6 months or so and the ride

> comfort was just smooth.  

> Certainly as smooth as the sedans I maintain.  So,

> short answer is the 

> coupe should offer the same luxury ride as the

> sedans IMHO.  Now, I've 

> since lowered the coupe with H&R Comfort, added

> factory approved 18 inch 

> Lorrinser wheels (fit the R107 and 126 chassis) and

> aside from rolling 

> the rear fender lip it's been trouble free.  The

> ride is however, 

> noticeably harder than the factory set-up I had when

> first purchased.

> 

> To renew a ride requires the following and there may

> be some overlap on 

> parts that also influence handling but, my intention

> is to simply 

> outline parts that effect the feel of the road...

> Rear sub-frame rubber mounts

> Rear differential rubber frame/mounts

> Front (dog-bone) rubber sub-frame mounts

> Front sway bar bushings and the rubber mounts up

> inside the firewalls in 

> the engine bay (a real PIA to get to)

> Springs and rubber pads (nibs)

> Shocks and new rubber bumpers (where the shock meets

> the chassis)

> Upper control arms come with the attached ball joint

> and new rubber bushings

> Engine mounts and the transmission rubber mount

> 

> That's about it on ride.  Now if you ever had just

> the shock absorbers 

> replaced and the mechanic did not adhere to the

> precise torque 

> requirement of the first nut that is compressed on

> top of the shock 

> piston where it passes through the chassis you could

> easily experience a 

> harsh ride and feel every bump even with new shocks.

>  It's my 

> understanding that this is a common mistake when the

> shocks are 

> replaced.  So, best to pay attention and meet the

> torque spec in the 

> manual to get the best possible ride when doing the

> shocks.  Mercedes 

> specifically states the correct torque on the first

> upper shock nut used 

> to secure the shock piston to the chassis.  Starting

> with a steel plate 

> new lower rubber bushing then up through the chassis

> followed by yet 

> another new rubber bushing, steel plate then the

> correct torqued nut and 

> finally the second nut to lock the whole set-up in

> place.

> 

> Dick

> > The MB Coupes Website!

> W126 SEC Mailing List

> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.



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