Would like some advice

[wobleyjojo]

I have a 1990 mercedes 190e and would like to slam it, whats the cheapest most effective way of doing this? I have $2000 to play with. I am new in respects of the account but I've been wandering around here for about 6 months.

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Do you want to be on air or static? You could get into a basic air system for around $2k if you're willing to have a manual system and do some fab and the installation yourself.

Static options are limited. The common wisdom is E36 coilovers in the front and something custom in the rear, or Yellow Speed Racing coilovers all around, but we're beginning to see front strut tower failures from coilovers.

[wobleyjojo]

Do you want to be on air or static? You could get into a basic air system for around $2k if you're willing to have a manual system and do some fab and the installation yourself.

Static options are limited. The common wisdom is E36 coilovers in the front and something custom in the rear, or Yellow Speed Racing coilovers all around, but we're beginning to see front strut tower failures from coilovers.

Thanks for the reply. I am willing to go with air if i can do it and have money left over for little do dads like spacers and such. How much is it going to cost me to go with static? What do you mean by manual?

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Thanks for the reply. I am willing to go with air if i can do it and have money left over for little do dads like spacers and such.

You can pick up a very basic paddle valve system from Bag Riders for $800. Add $400 for bags and another $300 or so for brackets, miscellaneous hardware, and wiring, and that puts you at $1500 or so for a system. That's assuming you can fab your brackets yourself and do all the installation. If you can't do the fab work, you can also get Jay Marshall's bracket and bag kit from Bag Riders, which would probably put you in the $1750-$1800 range.

How much is it going to cost me to go with static?

Depends on what you go with. A lot of people run Raceland E36 coilovers up front and then come up with something custom for the rear. Oftentimes that means cut springs with Saab 900 shocks. Racelands are $350 or so, and then a lot of people sell off the rear coilovers, since they won't fit. Then you've got to figure out what to do with the rear of the car. Figure $300-$400 for this option if you can sell off the rear Racelands.

YSR is your other coilover option, and they run about $1k for a set.

I recommend neither until someone adequately addresses the strut tower failures we're beginning to see with coilovers.

Were I going static, I would run Bilstein B8s all around and find or have made a set of shorter springs to fit the existing spring pockets. Hell, I wouldn't even cry about cutting the stock springs if you install stiff enough dampers to control them. I've done exactly zero research in that area, however, so I can offer no recommendations.

What do you mean by manual?

A manual air ride system is one which offers no automatic height or air pressure management - you'll have a set of gauges mounted in the interior and bank of switches that let air flow into and out of each bag. It's a primitive system, but the vast majority of air ride systems out there are manual. It's cheap, it's simple, it's reliable, and it works.

[wobleyjojo]

You can pick up a very basic paddle valve system from Bag Riders for $800. Add $400 for bags and another $300 or so for brackets, miscellaneous hardware, and wiring, and that puts you at $1500 or so for a system. That's assuming you can fab your brackets yourself and do all the installation. If you can't do the fab work, you can also get Jay Marshall's bracket and bag kit from Bag Riders, which would probably put you in the $1750-$1800 range.




Depends on what you go with. A lot of people run Raceland E36 coilovers up front and then come up with something custom for the rear. Oftentimes that means cut springs with Saab 900 shocks. Racelands are $350 or so, and then a lot of people sell off the rear coilovers, since they won't fit. Then you've got to figure out what to do with the rear of the car. Figure $300-$400 for this option if you can sell off the rear Racelands.

YSR is your other coilover option, and they run about $1k for a set.

I recommend neither until someone adequately addresses the strut tower failures we're beginning to see with coilovers.

Were I going static, I would run Bilstein B8s all around and find or have made a set of shorter springs to fit the existing spring pockets. Hell, I wouldn't even cry about cutting the stock springs if you install stiff enough dampers to control them. I've done exactly zero research in that area, however, so I can offer no recommendations.




A manual air ride system is one which offers no automatic height or air pressure management - you'll have a set of gauges mounted in the interior and bank of switches that let air flow into and out of each bag. It's a primitive system, but the vast majority of air ride systems out there are manual. It's cheap, it's simple, it's reliable, and it works.

Awesome, thanks for the wealth of knowledge. I think im going to go with air, for reliability. I can do the fab work and installation. Now I just need to sell my 300D

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Glad to help.

One last thing to consider about air. You can technically get away with the stock shocks and struts with an air system on this car, but I don't recommend it. I'm still on stock dampers on my W124, and I get away with it, but it is a little under-damped. At the very least, plan on running R129 top mounts up front if they'll fit the W201 chassis to get you a little more range out of the stock struts. You'll also have to remove the bumpstops, but that's dead easy. Even better would be to invest in a set of Bilstein B8s all around.

[wobleyjojo]

Glad to help.

One last thing to consider about air. You can technically get away with the stock shocks and struts with an air system on this car, but I don't recommend it. I'm still on stock dampers on my W124, and I get away with it, but it is a little under-damped. At the very least, plan on running R129 top mounts up front if they'll fit the W201 chassis to get you a little more range out of the stock struts. You'll also have to remove the bumpstops, but that's dead easy. Even better would be to invest in a set of Bilstein B8s all around.

ill probably end up with the b8's ill see. thanks

[wobleyjojo]

Glad to help.

One last thing to consider about air. You can technically get away with the stock shocks and struts with an air system on this car, but I don't recommend it. I'm still on stock dampers on my W124, and I get away with it, but it is a little under-damped. At the very least, plan on running R129 top mounts up front if they'll fit the W201 chassis to get you a little more range out of the stock struts. You'll also have to remove the bumpstops, but that's dead easy. Even better would be to invest in a set of Bilstein B8s all around.

where do you recommend buying the parts from?

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

R129 top mounts can be had from Pelican Parts for a reasonable price. Most people seem to say the OE ones are worth the extra price for a daily driven car, as they tend to hold up the longest. You do not want to see what happens if those mounts let go. Some people also think the Corteco ones are good, but I have zero experience with them.

I think Pelican Parts might be able to get you a set of Bilsteins as well, though I don't know whether their prices are competitive or not.

You might double check that the R129 mounts actually fit on the W201. I think they do, but I don't know for sure.

[wobleyjojo]

R129 top mounts can be had from Pelican Parts for a reasonable price. Most people seem to say the OE ones are worth the extra price for a daily driven car, as they tend to hold up the longest. You do not want to see what happens if those mounts let go. Some people also think the Corteco ones are good, but I have zero experience with them.

I think Pelican Parts might be able to get you a set of Bilsteins as well, though I don't know whether their prices are competitive or not.

You might double check that the R129 mounts actually fit on the W201. I think they do, but I don't know for sure.

oh, sorry. i was meaning for the air suspension.

[wobleyjojo]

Awesome, thanks for the wealth of knowledge. I think im going to go with air, for reliability. I can do the fab work and installation. Now I just need to sell my 300D

ok, so ive got in my cart everything, but doesthe w201 kit come with bags?

[delvin]

Sam killin it with actual advice not a google.com link

Props sir

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

oh, sorry. i was meaning for the air suspension.

My recommendation is to get everything you can from Bag Riders. Their kits are excellent and their customer service has been superb for me. They're also a site sponsor and make a real effort to be a part of the community.

The only thing I would get from elsewhere is the primary wire / fuse block to power your compressor(s) and if you're going to fab your own brackets, you'll need to source materials from a metals supplier, obviously. If you're fabbing brackets and you decide to go with Slam Specialties bags, get the bag plates directly from them. They're cheap and they're cut perfectly for their bags.

ok, so ive got in my cart everything, but doesthe w201 kit come with bags?

The Jay Marshall kit that Bag Riders sells comes with four Slam Specialties SS-5 bags, though I do think that kit is on intergalactic backorder right now.

[wobleyjojo]

My recommendation is to get everything you can from Bag Riders. Their kits are excellent and their customer service has been superb for me. They're also a site sponsor and make a real effort to be a part of the community.

The only thing I would get from elsewhere is the primary wire / fuse block to power your compressor(s) and if you're going to fab your own brackets, you'll need to source materials from a metals supplier, obviously. If you're fabbing brackets and you decide to go with Slam Specialties bags, get the bag plates directly from them. They're cheap and they're cut perfectly for their bags.




The Jay Marshall kit that Bag Riders sells comes with four Slam Specialties SS-5 bags, though I do think that kit is on intergalactic backorder right now.

awesome, thank you. i dont even own it yet cause im waiting for my 1992 300d to sell. also i posted in the meet section if you were interested in the meet this weekend

[wobleyjojo]

My recommendation is to get everything you can from Bag Riders. Their kits are excellent and their customer service has been superb for me. They're also a site sponsor and make a real effort to be a part of the community.

The only thing I would get from elsewhere is the primary wire / fuse block to power your compressor(s) and if you're going to fab your own brackets, you'll need to source materials from a metals supplier, obviously. If you're fabbing brackets and you decide to go with Slam Specialties bags, get the bag plates directly from them. They're cheap and they're cut perfectly for their bags.




The Jay Marshall kit that Bag Riders sells comes with four Slam Specialties SS-5 bags, though I do think that kit is on intergalactic backorder right now.

do i need a power kit and a water trap kit? im thinking im just going to buy the bag kit for the merc then buy the manual managment package. will that include everything i need?