Koni Shock Asorbers
I have Koni schocks( Raid) on the back of my 463, despite fiddling with the adjustment, can't seems to get them how I would like them.
When the schocks are off the Car, and I compress them fully they seem to take a long time on expanding to full travel, not the same as De Carbon and Bilstein that I have used before, is this normal?
De Carbon on the front , may be they don't work well in Tandem. Too much pitching between front and back, and on normal springs bottom out too easily on large pot holes etc.
Would have bought De Carbon again but couldn't fine anyone selling them.
Before you fit your s/absorber work it by hand a few times up and down and keep the s/absorber upright at all times, do not lay it down after the work out.. Install after work out. Check with the fitting instructions.
Ideally, s/absorbers should be fitted as a complete set of four, secondly, as a set per axle.
Your rear shockers should be: rear 8240-1197SPX - these are a relatively low pressure shocker, the adjustment trims rebound forces only. If set high the rod returns very slowly, which is what you are experiencing.
http://www.koni.com/car-racing/technology/adjustment/
Carefully check your coil springs, rear coil spring breakages are easily missed. Jack the body and support with axle stands before crawling underneath the vehicle to inspect the springs.
Generally speaking, they are fine. Spring longevity depends upon vehicle usage, conditions of s/absorbers etc, etc...
To check s/absorber, compare performance with the other side, yes you will need to remove them or else find a garage that is equipped with a test rig which tests for shockers on the vehicle.
If you opt for after market coil springs make a note of the colour coding from your originals and keep this record safe and with the vehicle.
Measure also the height of the unsprung coil, the wire diameter, coil diameter and the number of coils within the height.
I do not know the manufacturer of the M/Benz coils but I do know you source them from any where else other than M/Benz themselves.
I have some links for after market coils springs.
The two listed below cover W463 models. There is Lesfojors or something similar, they do only W460 coil springs.
KYB Coil Springs - http://www.mpdonline.co.uk/steering-and-suspension/coil-springs
http://www.monroeshop.co.uk/info-monroe-what-fits-my-car?make=Mercedes+B...
Hi Jason,
The springs bottoming out isn't anything the do with the shocks. I've found it happens if people with long wheelbase vehicles fit short wheelbase springs, but very rarely otherwise, even if the spring is broken. It's difficult to see the break at times, which often happens right at the top of the spring. My G passed an MOT with a broken spring which wasn't spotted by my eagle eyed mechanic. Fooled him that time!!
It sounds as if you need two new rear springs. When you've sorted that I'd look at the shocks. It's best to fit the same manufacturers shocks all round as Rakesh says. It's difficult to say whether 'a long time' is normal. Koni's are damped in both directions of travel, but then, so are Bilsteins. Pull them as well as pushing them. The resistance should be about the same in both directions.
I did have pattern standard springs on the back which were fine for the 1st year or so, but gradually they started to go lower. I then fitted KYB heavy duty springs which have solved the bottoming out but the ride is awful as front still on the original springs.
I notice the KYB springs have gone close together( all bunched up) on the top coils leaving space between the coils at the bottom, when I looked at the new 461at AGM all the same distance between the springs.
Was talk at AGM about buying spares direct from Factory, would be interested if the price was better?
Hi Jason,
I have the heavy track raids fitted to my G, but on all four corners. I find them very very good: the car behaves much better, no wallowing or pitching at all. Mine is a LWB and the springs are heavy duty Eibach springs (although not bought from ORC: another source in Germany).
You will find the Koni's are much stiffer than deCarbons or Bilsteins and what you described is quite normal: mine take a huge amount of effort to compress when they are out. They do offer a greater degree of damping and the heavy tracks also have an internal stopper so don't over-extend themselves, which is useful given that the G doesn't really have fantastic rear axle articulation and the wheels in the air is a distinct possibility off road. I think yours will also have this feature built-in. I think the problem that you're having is from not having the heavier damping front Konis as well. (Years ago, I tried out MANY many combinations of dampers on my LRs and only found good solutions when using the same make/type all round. I can't explain why, but only then did the cars actually feel properly dampened.)
Hope than helps,
Ph
Thanks for that.
Bit reluctant to splash out on front Koni as front dampers still ok though if it improves it I may try them.
Is your suspension very hard with these springs? Any link for supplier?
Thanks
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Rakesh,
What is your expereince with the Genuine Springs, in terms of life expectancy?
Anyone know who makes them for MB?
Think the ORC are made by Eibech?
Just wonder if my Koni faulty, but unfortuantely out of guarentee now.