Springs and shocks

[Raymond]

I've just completed a springs transplant on my car.  Wow! What an improvement!     With help from a new Pagoda owner (who I am encouraging to join), we installed 20% stiffer linear rate springs in the front and progressive rate to 20% stiffer in the rear.  New spring rubber pads (thinest available), Koni Classic shocks and new rubber for the sway bar were also added.  I followed Jim Villers procedure from the Blacklick 2005 video.  

Keeping in mind that I replaced some tired Bilsteins that are of unkown age, (but were gas charged) and probably original rubber parts, this is what I noticed.

Nose diving is drastically reduced.  Likewise body roll.  The car still understeers at first, but a gentle increase in power throws the weight just right and the rear loosens up with outside tires digging in really well.  My lady noticed the passenger ride felt firmer but thought it was not harsh at all.  We went through a right-hand sweeper so sure-footedly, she said, "Wow that's not scary like it used to be."  I agree.

I'm running Yokohama Avid 205/60 14s.  The Konis are set at 1.5 turns out of 3. Now even in a tire-sqealing hard turn in 2nd, the tires don't rub.

The first try resulted in ride height being up 1-1/2 inch.  We removed the one shim we had added from the front and cut two linear inches off the coils of the front springs and cut 4 linear inches off the back springs.  The ride height is now 13-3/4 front and back.  

  Springs $383, Konis $451, Mercedes rubber $425, odds & ends. After just one day of cruising around town, I am tickled $1400 worth .

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[jmela]

Ray, what was your source for the springs? That price sounds quite reasonable.

[JimVillers]

Raymond ..... Good job.  I share your feelings about stiffing up the suspension.  It makes the car much more enjoyable to drive.  

In cutting the springs, I cut a little off of each end so that it would have a good notch to sit like the original spring.

I also came upon a 35mm sway bar manufactured by Cox Racing a few years ago.  That results in very flat cornering.


Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor, MGB 5-Speed

[psmith]

I tried to contact Cox about polyurethane bushings a few years ago but never heard back from them.  I would guess that the springs came from John Olsen http://www.slmarket.com/springs.htm


Pete S.

[Raymond]

I bought my springs from CoilSprings.com  It's an outfit in Kansas.  The fellow I spoke to went to a computer database and pulled up the exact specs for our factory springs.  The numbers he got conformed with what I had previously found from other sources.  I told him what I was trying to do and we had a nice discussion about the springs and his thoughts on linear vs. progressive.  They also had the specs for the compensating spring, but I opted to leave that one stock.  Then they custom made the springs.  It took about five weeks to get them.  



Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[JimVillers]

Raymond .... Coil Springs in St Mary's KS makes springs for John Olson and they also made progressive springs for the 190SL Group.  

If you are looking for linear springs, try CV Products.  They list all Eibach spring by mechanical specifications.
http://www.cvproducts.com/cv/products/brands.aspx?brandID=38

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor, MGB 5-Speed

[harleydan]

Raymond,

The price that you paid for the springs are great.  At least compared to buying from John Olson.  Mr. Olson charges $799 for a set of four and $965 with the compensator spring.  If in fact Coil Spring makes the springs for John Olson, then why would anyone buy from Mr. Olson directly at over twice the cost.  If I had to got it over again, I would have bought from Coil Springs and save some money.  Is there a difference between the W113 springs from Coil Springs and from John Olson that would account for the huge difference in price?

Danny
1970 280SL Euro silver manual

[JimVillers]

Danny .... John Olson's springs are made to his specifications, either progressive or linear.  The springs that Ramond bought are not the same as "John Olson" springs.  

Raymond mentioned that he cut off part of the springs to obtain the ride height that he wanted; John's springs will not require trimming. John stands behind his product and will insure that they perform properly.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor, MGB 5-Speed

[Raymond]

Jim's right.  I never spoke to Mr. Olson because I had a pretty good idea what I wanted the car to do.  The impression I get is that Olson helps people figure it out based on their particular car and desires.  The Kansas folks work from spec sheets and customer requests.  Oslon, I guess, has done a lot of experimentation.  I feel I estimated right -- for me.  If I wanted sheer performance, I would not have opted for progressive rate rears.  I'll let the CS folks know what I found with their springs.  

My car had the thinnest rubber parts installed to start with and I replaced them with the same size. I cut two linear inches of steel off of the front springs and four off the back. After the first hundred miles the front ride height (Full fuel/hardtop on) measured nearly 14" the back is a near perfect 13 5/8". If your rubber is thicker, you might not need to cut the springs and can just use thinner rubber.  I'll let the rubber set in a bit and measure again in a couple hundred miles. I might want to go in and cut another inch off the front.

I am    happy with my results.

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe