Front suspension mounting

[cfm65@me.com]

Hi Gents,
The cover plates in my photo has a rubber pad and from the pictures in the parts manual and parts web sites, it seems as if the plate should be mounted with the rubber buffer facing up.
It does not make sence. What is the function of the rubber pad.
I was under the impression that the plate was a suspension buffer, designed to limit the suspension upward travel and thereby also limiting the engine upward movement in order to protect the hood from the cam cover.
Regards
Chris

[Tyler S]

The plate is mounted rubber pad down. They are stops for the large subframe bolts. Idea being it limits upward travel of the subframe and engine on extreme dips, bumps or rough roads. The SL engine to hood clearance is very close. Sedans have more clearance, is why they are not used/needed

[cfm65@me.com]

TKS Tyler,
I agree and it makes sence.
However, I am suprised that it is pictured upside down in the Mercedes spare part catalogue, as well as catalogues of the usual part vendors.
Regards
Chris

[cfm65@me.com]

Tyler,
Is the cover plate also intended to be a distance piece or only a cover with a buffer underneath?
In other words, does it go on top of the subframe mounting as buffer, travel limit stop and distance piece to increase bonnet clearance OR does it go on top of the chassis mount, mearly closing the hole and limiting sub frame travel?
Regards
Chris

[Shvegel]

The rubber goes down.  One of the reasons many catalogs might show it incorrectly is quite a few vendors just copy Mercedes images.  The rubber buffer doesn't contact anything until you hit something hard enough to push the subframe up to the point that the center mount bolt contacts the rubber on the plate so in effect it is just a limit stop.  As mentioned previously this keeps the engine from being driven up into the hood.  That tiny bit of rubber just quiets the blow a little.  If you think about it installing it rubber up would put the rubber in the engine compartment where it would serve no purpose.

[mbzse]

.../... The rubber buffer doesn't contact anything until you hit something hard enough to push the subframe up to the point that the center mount bolt contacts the rubber on the plate so in effect it is just a limit stop.../...

A further purpose for this plate ( found in the W113 cars ) is to serve as an "emergency stop" for when, with age, the rubber subframe mount has degraded, separated. The plate then prevents the engine from making a bulb in the hood, from beneath!
The hex head of the large center mount bolt will rest against the underside of this stop plate. The "feel" of the wheel mounting/suspension at the front of the SL will then be very harsh indeed

[Shvegel]

A photo of the the "Holy Grail" unrestored 280 showing the plate as installed at the factory.

[cfm65@me.com]

Thanks Gents, much appreciated.
Regards
Chris

[ja17]

Tyler, actually  the sedans do have a engine movement limiter also. The front right of the sedans have a bracket and a small shock rod which limits engine movement. It worked well enough that the stop plates on the motor mounts were also deleted on the later sedans.

[Tyler S]

Joe, Yes the torque damper. Its designed to dampen the twisting motion of the engine under hard accell or decell.