[dcohen13]

Hey everyone. I am stoked to find this forum. Building my GLA to compete at local track events in SoCal. I have loved my first 6 months ownership so far.

Part list so far to be installed in 2 weeks:
-KW V3 Coilovers
-Forge Motorsports BBK
-Whiteline Performance Anti Sway Bars
-Forge Motorsports CAI
-TSW Sector wheels

Already installed:
-AMG Performance Exhaust
-Exotic Car Gear Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel
-TSW Paddock wheels
-Gladiator HP Tires 265/35/20
(also adding an F1 inspired livery)

 

[oneskinnyleg]

the kw v3 are undersprung for a track car. plus it voids the warranty if they are used on a track. why not get something that has custom rates and is valved properly for track use

i can't remember what the rates on them are, but they are more for comfort

 

[dcohen13]

the kw v3 are undersprung for a track car. plus it voids the warranty if they are used on a track. why not get something that has custom rates and is valved properly for track use

i can't remember what the rates on them are, but they are more for comfort

The car will still be a daily driver, but track events each month. Mercedes will never be able to find out the car is on the track? Also the coilovers were free from KW, so I cannot complain...

 

[oneskinnyleg]

That’s a good deal. I meant the KW warranty would be voided if you track the car.


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[dcohen13]

That’s a good deal. I meant the KW warranty would be voided if you track the car.


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ahhh I had no idea about the KW warranty. Thank you for the heads up! Are you located in the Southwest USA by chance?

 

[oneskinnyleg]

I guess you’d consider Colorado the southwest. So yeah

 

[dcohen13]

 

[Zee]

Hey everyone. I am stoked to find this forum. Building my GLA to compete at local track events in SoCal. I have loved my first 6 months ownership so far.

Part list so far to be installed in 2 weeks:
-KW V3 Coilovers
-Forge Motorsports BBK
-Whiteline Performance Anti Sway Bars
-Forge Motorsports CAI
-TSW Sector wheels

Already installed:
-AMG Performance Exhaust
-Exotic Car Gear Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel
-TSW Paddock wheels
-Gladiator HP Tires 265/35/20
(also adding an F1 inspired livery)
View attachment 27431 View attachment 27432 View attachment 27433

How do you like the White line swaybars and endlinks? How do they compare to the stock performance? Do you know the spring rate on the coilovers you are using?

 

[oneskinnyleg]

My guess is under sprung. Too soft in the corners and never felt like the power of the car was being properly transferred out of the apex.

The KWs are great for street but not meant for the track. We’re talking about a car that has many similarities to the QX30, suspension wise.

Sway bar, fit a QX. Endlinks, fit a QX. So much of this car control arm wise is an Infiniti QX30. Not that it’s bad, just we are Mercedes people and expect better.

It’s an awesome track car(engine wise). Just needs the right attention for suspension.

Love to hear others feedback.


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[Zee]

Inte

My guess is under sprung. Too soft in the corners and never felt like the power of the car was being properly transferred out of the apex.

The KWs are great for street but not meant for the track. We’re talking about a car that has many similarities to the QX30, suspension wise.

Sway bar, fit a QX. Endlinks, fit a QX. So much of this car control arm wise is an Infiniti QX30. Not that it’s bad, just we are Mercedes people and expect better.

It’s an awesome track car(engine wise). Just needs the right attention for suspension.

Love to hear others feedback.


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Interesting. Never knew it shared so many suspension parts with the QX. I'm going to install a set of coilovers. Still deciding on the spring rate though. Hard to decided since there is so little data on what the actual spring rates for these cars are and if those numbers are reliable. I'm thinking 6.8kg/mm front and rear along with Whiteline swaybars and endlinks. Are you doing the swaybar installation yourself? I hear it's quite a nightmare.

 

[oneskinnyleg]

It just depends on how you’re using the car. How low you’re planning to go and the hardest part, personal preference. I went 10k front and 8k rear with Swift springs from BC. I’ve talked to nearly every company that provides coilovers for this car and I felt almost all were focused on comfort over performance.

I still think the rates I went with would be too low for a dedicated track car, but it’s going to see more street use than track at this time. I’m sitting pretty even front and rear now and definitely prefer the new coilovers over the stock suspension.

Since this a strut car, they came with camber plates for the front to help dial in the camber. I probably didn’t need the Swift springs but I’ll benefit from them when I do track the car since they are more linear.

Also be aware some coilovers manufacturers will change the mounting location for the endlinks so the stock ones won’t fit(you should get adjustable shorter endlinks to get the sway bar back into alignment) and the adjustable ones from Whiteline will be too long even at their shortest. My company is a reseller for Whiteline/SuperPro and I was fortunate to get them to send me some shorter tubes for my adjustable endlinks to make them work.

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[Zee]

So with 10k and 8k springs how stiff is the ride on the street? With the Whiteline swaybars is bodyroll still an issue?

 

[oneskinnyleg]

Well you get damping adjustment on the BCs and I feel like the ride is better than stock. I always thought the stock suspension was harsh for a Mercedes. If I hit a pothole it’s not nice, but it wasn’t with the stock suspension either. So avoid potholes. Highway driving doesn’t seem as loud and rough as it was before.

For damping I went full stiff and then backed it off 15 clicks in the front and 10 in the rear. I could adjust it down more for a “softer” feel but I like the ride as it is.

I haven’t installed sway bars yet on my car. I’ll be going with the H&R sway bars here soon. They are larger than the Whiteline bars, but obviously more expensive. Adding stiffer sway bars are roughly the equivalent to having stiffer spring so will definitely help with body roll.


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[Whiterabbitt]

H&R on full stiff will make the car 3 wheel out of steep driveways. Can;t say if bodyroll is still an 'issue', but I don;t know what could be done more to combat it from the swaybar side.

 

[Zee]

H&R on full stiff will make the car 3 wheel out of steep driveways. Can;t say if bodyroll is still an 'issue', but I don;t know what could be done more to combat it from the swaybar side.

How about on its softest setting? Are they too stiff for street?

 

[dcohen13]

How do you like the White line swaybars and endlinks? How do they compare to the stock performance? Do you know the spring rate on the coilovers you are using?

the sway bars added a ton of performance to the handling. The coilovers also greatly improved handling and speed in the corners. The car drives night and day. @oneskinnyleg might have had a difference experience than myself. I would highly recommend this setup. I will let you know on my exact spring rates. The suspension/sway bars are extremely stiff for daily driving, and you do feel every pebble, but I enjoy that with my vehicle. I knew going into this build, that the car would lose some comfort. If you can get your set of the KW V3's you will not be disappointed. The craftsmanship is incredible as well.

 

[dcohen13]

My guess is under sprung. Too soft in the corners and never felt like the power of the car was being properly transferred out of the apex.

The KWs are great for street but not meant for the track. We’re talking about a car that has many similarities to the QX30, suspension wise.

Sway bar, fit a QX. Endlinks, fit a QX. So much of this car control arm wise is an Infiniti QX30. Not that it’s bad, just we are Mercedes people and expect better.

It’s an awesome track car(engine wise). Just needs the right attention for suspension.

Love to hear others feedback.


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actually, the complete opposite. The car was not soft at all in the corners, and multiple track instructors that test drove the setup were blown away at the handling and speed that the car carried through the corners. Power was transferred perfectly out of the apex. Couple that with the Xcomp HP tires, and you have a winning formula. Try a set, if you feel inclined to give a smaller brand a try.

 

[Whiterabbitt]

How about on its softest setting? Are they too stiff for street?

Never tried it. Well, not for more than a day.

So, thing about me. I don't drive fast on the street. Not compared to tracking. There is frankly too much "stuff" on the road from hazards to low quality tarmac to 'upset the car'. Not wise IMO to pull 1.25 lateral G on a surface like that. So, for me, the only thing contributing to ride quality on the street is the spring stiffness.

So, I leave my sway bars at full stiff and it's fine. I only notice it on driveways.

 

[Whiterabbitt]

actually, the complete opposite. The car was not soft at all in the corners, and multiple track instructors that test drove the setup were blown away at the handling and speed that the car carried through the corners. Power was transferred perfectly out of the apex. Couple that with the Xcomp HP tires, and you have a winning formula. Try a set, if you feel inclined to give a smaller brand a try.

Treadwear 260? probably get quite a few track days out of a set, I imagine?

 

[Whiterabbitt]

Are your wheels forged, and what offset did you go with? any issues rubbing? I have fantasies that will never happen about cramming 18's over our brakes so I can run maxxis slicks @ 265/275 class width as dedicated track tires. Backup plan to run 19's or mayyyybe 20's to run Hoosier R7's. It'll all never happen.