1998 Mercedes-Benz CL420 (C140)

[bolidemichael]

r129sl said:

As for seats, you may wish to scour American eBay from time to time. These cars were more common there. A right-side seat in America is the passenger seat and will be a lot less worn. For my 129, I obtained a used right-side seat back from America and, while not cheap (about £200 all told), it was considerably less expensive than the alternatives and almost as good.

In the absence of colour codes, how do you purchase with confidence?

[Stegel]

bolidemichael said:

r129sl said:

As for seats, you may wish to scour American eBay from time to time. These cars were more common there. A right-side seat in America is the passenger seat and will be a lot less worn. For my 129, I obtained a used right-side seat back from America and, while not cheap (about £200 all told), it was considerably less expensive than the alternatives and almost as good.

In the absence of colour codes, how do you purchase with confidence?

You’re dealing with people here who happily buy a whole car from the other side of the country and set off with a one way train or plane ticket, buying half a seat from the other side of the world is child’s play! Unless you’re dealing with Designo colours, you will only be playing with half a dozen colours anyway. Black / Anthracite dilemmas are nothing compared to the mushroom / beige / Java / Helios trap!

[Stegel]

tobinen said:

Thanks Stegel, I was not aware of that but it makes sense so something more to ponder. I would really like to pay the garage just one more time as the labour costs add up each time he removes the springs. Plus I think he's tiring of me though he accepts it's definitely a lot higher.

The pads are £3ish on Autodoc, probably not much more from MB, but as you allude to swapping multiple times is not quite as straightforward as buying every pad variation. I think the important first move is to check how many pips are on the pads already on the car - it’s a blind alley if they are already the thinnest single pip pads.

[bolidemichael]

Stegel said:

bolidemichael said:

r129sl said:

As for seats, you may wish to scour American eBay from time to time. These cars were more common there. A right-side seat in America is the passenger seat and will be a lot less worn. For my 129, I obtained a used right-side seat back from America and, while not cheap (about £200 all told), it was considerably less expensive than the alternatives and almost as good.

In the absence of colour codes, how do you purchase with confidence?

You’re dealing with people here who happily buy a whole car from the other side of the country and set off with a one way train or plane ticket, buying half a seat from the other side of the world is child’s play! Unless you’re dealing with Designo colours, you will only be playing with half a dozen colours anyway. Black / Anthracite dilemmas are nothing compared to the mushroom / beige / Java / Helios trap!

So if it looks like a duck and quacks like one... point taken.

[tobinen]

Stegel said:

The pads are £3ish on Autodoc, probably not much more from MB, but as you allude to swapping multiple times is not quite as straightforward as buying every pad variation. I think the important first move is to check how many pips are on the pads already on the car - it’s a blind alley if they are already the thinnest single pip pads.

Yes, a fair point. I used an unofficial points calculator here http://www.catcar.info/mercedes/?lang=en&l=Y2x... and if I totted-up correctly I should have the thickest shims (or 2nd thickest). Shims are £12 each from MB.

[tobinen]

Stegel you are correct with regards to the shim thickness: from the SACHS catalogue note the small print (the height change is double the shim thickness). I need to find out what I have fitted now.



Hobson's choice for front springs from SACHS:

[nullogik]

i didn't know about the double thickness outcome, that is interesting. Well, it looks like this is a promising route to follow assuming you aren't already on the thinnest pads at the front. Taking a ruler to the car how much do you think you need to lower the front by to get an acceptable result? Are you going to see if you can raise the rear too using different pads since it looks a bit low?

tobinen said:

Hobson's choice for front springs from SACHS

A question about the Sachs springs. They quote 997 025 for the front for both the 420 and 500. That is ok because its the same engine with different displacement (i.e. sprung weight should be pretty much identical). They also list 997 025 for the 600. Given the 600 has 50% more cylinders than the V8, the engine block is much heavier. How can the same spring (part number) achieve the correct factory front ride height for both a V8 and a V12 engined car? Surely for one of those cars it would either ride too high or too low given the weight difference? That is the same problem I had with my W140 which is a V8 and resulted in it looking like a Dakar rally car. The springs I had fitted would probably have produced an acceptable ride height in a heavier front end 600. Like your image the part number was the same for a V8 and V12.

Edited by nullogik on Friday 16th April 18:11

[honevo]

I know it’s pointing up an incline but what’s the verdict on front wheel / arch ratio?

[honevo]

[honevo]

[nullogik]

honevo said:

Yes, that is pretty much what my W140 looked like when I had the Sachs springs fitted. In fact I think mine might have been a tad higher than yours! You say its parked on an incline so that will have an effect, but I'd say you need to reduce the front ride height by about 50%.

I think the spring pad info that Tobinen has dug up (particularly the x2 outcome) maybe a viable path for you to follow as well. It all depends on what thickness you currently have installed on the front and much you can go further down by.

Edited by nullogik on Friday 16th April 17:56

Edited by nullogik on Friday 16th April 18:12

[honevo]

Anyway, I got the parking sensor fitted by the bodywork guy but the system still doesn’t work - know it was daft asking bodywork guy but he had to take bumper off tr repair a patch of rust ...he told me that there was a fault in relay module(?) so I have it booked in to the garage for them to look at (and rebond the interior mirror which has returned to its floppy state)
The repair of the seat continues to occupy me as it now detracts from the rest of the car - I attach a photo of the base side panel which has well and truly been bodged by a previous owner...

Edited by honevo on Friday 16th April 17:54

[nullogik]

honevo said:

Anyway, I got the parking sensor fitted by the bodywork guy but the system still doesn’t work - know it was daft asking bodywork guy but he had to take bumper off tr repair a patch of rust ...he told me that there was a fault in relay module

Did he scan the car with MB Star to identify which one was faulty?

The next thing I would look at is the wiring for that sensor. It can get quite weather beaten down there and I have read elsewhere about this being another cause of the problem you are having. If the harness checks out then I suppose that just leaves the PTS control module. I think it is quite rare for the control module to be faulty - its usually the sensor, the wiring, or the sensor not being plugged in properly (the connector not mating properly).

Edited by nullogik on Friday 16th April 18:29

[BigBen]

nullogik said:

honevo said:

Anyway, I got the parking sensor fitted by the bodywork guy but the system still doesn’t work - know it was daft asking bodywork guy but he had to take bumper off tr repair a patch of rust ...he told me that there was a fault in relay module

Did he scan the car with MB Star to identify which one was faulty?

If replacing it hasn't fixed it then the next thing I would look at is the wiring for that sensor. It can get quite weather beaten down there and I have read elsewhere about this being another cause of the problem you are having. If the wiring checks out then I suppose that just leaves the PTS control module.

It is fun scanning them with STAR, it goes from the 'modern' windows interface into some kind of MS DOS based tester which reports on each sensor. The other test you can do is put the car in reverse and listen to each sensor, they actually make a clicking sound so you can spot a dead one.

[nullogik]

Yes, that would be the HHT emulator that is built into Star for older cars like the 140 series. Listening to the sensor for clicks is another method but worth plugging into Star anyway to see what else it might be reporting on that circuit.

[tobinen]

honevo I think yours is sitting a bit higher than mine. I forgot to take a picture after the SACHS springs were fitted and I am now on MB springs. The part number on my bill for the SACHS springs is not 997025 and isn't returned in any internet searching so I have no idea from where the garage sourced them.

I'll take a picture today as I want to measure the height as it is now, just in case I am fortunate enough to not have the thinnest shims already.

[tobinen]

I took it out for a three-figure blast down to Whitchurch and back. The battery is low as it cranked over slowly but it caught first turn. I measured the height of the SACHS springs still in the boot and they are 497mm.

I didn't know if one could find out what shim is fitted without removing the springs but it's remarkably easy. Run your finger across the shim at the top of the spring and one can feel the 'bumps'. I have three therefore my shims are 18mm. I could fit the 8mm shim and thus I should drop by 20mm, which I think should be OK and more cost-effective.

The height from the top of the arch to the middle of the wheel is 405mm

Edited by tobinen on Saturday 17th April 13:23

[honevo]

I’ve got mine booked into the garage on Wednesday - will mention the shims and see what can be done.
Re seat: a half hide of M-B leather will cost £350&VAT😳.I’ve asked for a sample to be sent to me....

[tobinen]

Having slept on it I think I will ask the garage to put the SACHS springs back with the 8mm shims.

If anyone wants some MB springs with barely any mileage on them I will have a pair at a good price.

[tobinen]

8mm Febi shims for £12 the pair. Now to book in with the garage.