radride

The ride might be the same but the handling is definitely sacrificed along with the feel of the car as explained by the OP.

R.K.

ctravis595

update - been riding on the struts for months now with absolutely no problems. i have minor rubbing on the plastic of the rear wheel well over large bumps/gutters but i think it's due to the fact that i have 20 inch staggered rims and two boxes for subwoofers in my trunk (2 12's and 2 10's box). car does not handle the same at high speeds as it did when it was lowered with abc but i think its partially because of the amount of air thats getting underneath the car as opposed to before. no rubbing in the front even with slamming on the brakes to avoid a ticket at 130 mph. i think the combination of the sheer weight of this car and the caliber of the struts/springs keep it handling well even without the sway bars. at first i missed the abc suspension and being completely flat through sharp/fast turns but these strutmasters struts (bilstien i believe) still keep the car relatively flat without sacrificing ride quality. passengers still say it rides like a dream even with my skinny tires and 20 inch rims. overall im very satisfied with the price difference as opposed to maintaining abc and the added reliability of the conventional suspension. in my opinion, this nearly 100k german sports car can be affordable for average people to drive with the absence of the abc system.

dont get me wrong, the abc system is very amazing, but perhaps a little ahead of its time/materials as noted by the hundreds of complaints/reports of abc related failure. it'd probably suck to have your abc fail a few hundred miles away from your home on a vacation, and afterall i believe these cars are meant for traveling long distances with ease. i did not enjoy the paranoid feeling of waiting for my abc to fail, which became worse the further away from home i got (towing expenses). but at least i can say when it did in fact fail, i was expecting it....

MiguelsC2CL

I agree. These are highly refined cars. MB engineers spent thousands of hours and millions of Euros researching this suspension.

I don't see how this conversion will even come close to MB standards.

I would love to see an actual track test between an original and a conversion.

ctravis595

I as well, i'm located by tampa bay

LandSeaAir

What do you guys think about the fact that they are just caping the ends of the hydraulic lines, the ABC system is still active! If any of the lines in the car spring a leak, won't the power steering pump lose fluid and fail? I wish you could cap the hydraulic lines coming out of the reservoir, not at the wheels, that would leave a lot less room for problems.

Also, is it possible to get sway bars for the w220 or 215?

ctravis595

i understand what youre saying but it doesn't make sense, your logic states the pressure for the abc system first passes through the reservoir which it doesn't, the pressure comes straight from the pump itself

i installed a power steering pump from a s430 and have had no problems with the conversion

allenfield

Hi, I am a new member based in Australia, can anyone that has had the strutmaster conversion on the suspension on a cl500 comment on there experience.

Many thanks

ctravis595

learn how to read

allenfield

The forum is new to me so I missed your previous comment which is very helpful.

ctravis595

i understand, sorry if i came off as brash. i've just gotten a lot of emails recently about my conversion and i appreciate that people are coming to me for advice, but often i find the information they're inquiring about has already been discussed at length in one of my many posts on the matter. good luck with your conversion and PM if you run into any issues

beisenhauer24

Two questions 1 do u still have old struts and will they fit 03 s600? 2 did u remove all abc parts. Strutmasters said I can remove it all. I too will and can use the airmatic power steering pump from a 600. But I want to remove lines, dis blocks, all fluid and fluid reservoirs, everything. They say I can do that instead of the capping off. But I race my 600 and these kits they told me will not be good for racing. They gave me all info and I will be call ichbac cause that is who makes the springs. Strutmasters says they can maybe do a threaded body with different spring rates. With adjustable strut valving to tune but will cost more but still have life time warranty. Will also be seeing how much sway bars will add weight as for my reason to do this is weight. Car still scaled in at 3970 with me in it. Any info will b great and if u have strut s yet send message and any extra accumulator as they go bad fast with a 1.40 ish 60 ft on slicks. Thanks for help.

duhdenmark

Hi from what I have read, you would - as you say yourself - need a power steering pump from a non ABC W220, but since the pump still need the fluid you need a reservoir so you might as well keep the abc one.

All other lines, blocks, are no longer of any use and could be dumped, but if I were you I would keep them in place until you are sure you don't want to reverse the installation.

as Ctravis595 posts there is quite a difference in the ride feeling, but if you are racing your car, then comfort might not be your primary concern

David

beisenhauer24

The power steering resivor is seperate from the big abc resivor and I would only need the small one for power steering. I found they can do adjustable coilovers with the thing to shut off my abc light for only 300 more but I was considering fixing abc this time and if big repair bill then then dump the system. But also was asking who posted this if he or she had struts that were removed and would they fit my car to buy used good one would be a lot less then a new strut.

snoop562

has anyone tried this?

ctravis595 what mileage did your abc fail at?

OCKlasse

I will be doing so very soon

beisenhauer24

I would use arnott industries set up talked to strut masters and final say is kit is not ment to even take wind gusts on high way it is a air matic delete just with the abc module. But has a lot of body roll even on highway off ramps. I was going to order custom set up but found the Arnott industries set up for the air matics. And if abc not air matic it cost less cause their system is 1399 plus ship and a 300 core for kit for air matics. So u pay 1699 the same as strut masters but u can sell them your abc struts and it's easy for they give prepaid shipping label and all and u get 200 per strut is what they give. So u get 800 in a real check minus the 1699 so u only spent 899 for kit and it works a lot better I talked to their lead tech and soon will be released for abc set up they r just finishing module and figuring real way around abc pump with the kit other then brass caps. But anyway their kit has better springs and struts. I would stay away from strut masters who own tech says yeah it is very spongy to drive. And not able to handle wind guts accross highway. So if going that way be careful. But Arnott says their system is valved better and spring rates are set up to compensate for swat bar less car yeah little ruff but stiff to be safe. Not spongy. Good luck and when I do the LUK is best power steering pump cause 600 for a new pump with lifetime warranty. Then u can remove all other stuff and sell cheap and basically do coilovers for free.

tusabes

I thought Arnott gave up the idea of making a abc conversion kit , that's what Arnott themselves said on the forums

See their April 15 2013 post here
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=418545&page=4



I agree for airmatic cars I would go with Arnott over strutmasters , but for abc the only company available Is strutmasters

beisenhauer24

Strut masters is weak springs and any shop can switch car over with sds. But strut masters is is bad if u even drive on a windy highway

benz_addict

I love the ride with ABC too much and will never do the conversion. Interesting thread though!!!

mercedes02

I have strutmasters on my W220 and the rear struts are bad. Car handles very poorly. Bought the car with them already installed so they're not honoring the lifetime warranty. Does anyone know if i can remove and match up a strut a strut from another manufacture?

beisenhauer24

I would buy Arnott system get a shop to order and save 20% . But they are so close without sway bars as u will ever get and order online they will not ask vin. And thier lifetime is a real anything goes wrong lifetime not o if it's just normal wear so not covered. And if anyone near maple grove race way this year I will be running my s600 with my new setup and riding on Arnott setup. On Friday night s and on moneytrail weekends for points. So if you want to run my s class come try. Message me if up to it.

ctravis595

i wasn't aware arnott finished their coil over design

mercedes02, how old are your struts? they don't last forever. these cars are quite heavy

beisenhauer24

Arnott s setup is for the airmatic cars but all still the same. On my 03 600 we deleted it all and used sds to shut everything off so no lights but their springs and strut setup is just better. And again they don't sell it as for the abc cars but it works just the same don't tell me about front control arms or any of that it works great! Call Arnott and dial ext 100 he will set u up tell him brad eisenhauer sent u or a shop call him u will get 20% off. Good luck and so u know mine sees drag and auto cross and near no roll. But if u want bars call dealship and or the minus kit for the abc parts department will know when u tell them. Mercedes Benz does make a kit to delete the abc as in sway bars front and rear new with brackets and bolts. Bot I don't use with Arnott set up cause I barely see a difference.

ctravis595

my strutmasters set up is very similar. they say you need roll bars and sway bars but how come the stock suspension didn't come with them? without them the suspension is a true independent set up and handles better (or at least smoother)

OCKlasse

The stock suspension didn't come with them because ABC acts as the sway bar. ABC compensates for roll by sending additional hydraulic fluid to the side or corner leaning.

Sway bars are great around corners but less ideal going straight while hitting dips or bumps. That's what makes ABC such a great suspension, and why it rides smoother than Airmatic on a bumpy road