ABC replacement with standard suspension
02-11-2016, 01:40 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2002 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG
ABC replacement with standard suspension
Where did I see a thread here about a guy who replaced his ABC system with standard struts, anti-roll bars and the pump with a single PS pump? IS that a valid possibility for these cars or do you end up with a poorly handling machine?
02-11-2016, 07:52 AM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Of course you end up with a poor handling machine, why do you think they fitted ABC?
The W215, 216, 220 & 221 were all designed around self-levelling suspension (be it air or hydraulic) so they don't have enough travel to work properly with passive suspension.
But some people want a car that never goes wrong, and of course they can have what they want.
There are lots of threads about this - just do a google search for Mercedes abc.
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...-complete.html
Nick
The W215, 216, 220 & 221 were all designed around self-levelling suspension (be it air or hydraulic) so they don't have enough travel to work properly with passive suspension.
But some people want a car that never goes wrong, and of course they can have what they want.
There are lots of threads about this - just do a google search for Mercedes abc.
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...-complete.html
Nick
Last edited by Welwynnick; 02-12-2016 at 09:24 AM.
02-11-2016, 10:30 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: In my garage
Posts: 8,424
Received 1,003 Likes
on
810 Posts
E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350
Put it this way, if it keeps more CL's, and SL's on the road, I'm all for the conversion. I will convert my SL when there is a good conversion offered for the V12 models. Right now, there is nothing that's proven. The SL/CL 550 has been available without ABC for a few years so to say it won't handle well without ABC is not 100% correct. BMW and Porsche make great suspensions on their cars without the use of hydraulics. MB adds a layer of complexity there that it doesn't need. There are better and more reliable suspension products on the market. Look at the Cadillac magnetic ride control. It's so good even Ferrari uses it.
02-11-2016, 06:10 PM
#5
Senior Member
Put it this way, if it keeps more CL's, and SL's on the road, I'm all for the conversion. I will convert my SL when there is a good conversion offered for the V12 models. Right now, there is nothing that's proven. The SL/CL 550 has been available without ABC for a few years so to say it won't handle well without ABC is not 100% correct. BMW and Porsche make great suspensions on their cars without the use of hydraulics. MB adds a layer of complexity there that it doesn't need. There are better and more reliable suspension products on the market. Look at the Cadillac magnetic ride control. It's so good even Ferrari uses it.
Wrenching is not as fun as driving I don't care what any one says.
02-12-2016, 09:08 AM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Are you guessing, or is that just wishful thinking?
Do you think its only Mercedes owners that suffer complex, expensive, unreliable systems?
Nick
Do you think its only Mercedes owners that suffer complex, expensive, unreliable systems?
Nick
Trending Topics
02-12-2016, 09:39 AM
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: In my garage
Posts: 8,424
Received 1,003 Likes
on
810 Posts
E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350
If BMW and Porsche use a crank driven hydraulic pump for their suspensions, please correct me if I'm wrong. Most of their suspension electronically adjust the damper and rebound via an electronic valve inside of the shock. BMW uses active stabilizers on the axels to counteract body roll but I believe that is electro hydraulic. Again, educate me if I'm wrong.
02-12-2016, 11:33 AM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Do any these parts look familiar?
180 bar tandem pump:
Valve block:
Valve solenoid:
Hydraulic hoses:
They look like ABC parts, but actually they're all from BMWs.
Electronic damper valves? That would be a success on the part of somebody's marketing department if a car enthusiast thought that was active suspension. Mercedes use electronic damper control as well, but its not ABC. Active suspension is where engine power is used to dynamically compensate for body roll. It does not dynamically stiffen either the springs or the dampers in response to what the car is doing, neither of which can eliminate body roll. Active suspension can (depending on how its implemented - for example BMW and Land Rover only eliminate body roll up to about 0.5 - 0.6g) and it can do it while still using soft springs and dampers.
There's no avoiding that its a complex and expensive system, though Porsche and BMW take a simpler approach by using active anti-roll bars. That means there are only two channels instead of four (so its cheaper) and the active components don't bear the weight of the car. Therefore failures aren't as catastrophic as they are with ABC. Incidentally, Mercedes also have a cheaper active anti-roll bar system; its called Active Curve System.
Nick
180 bar tandem pump:
Valve block:
Valve solenoid:
Hydraulic hoses:
They look like ABC parts, but actually they're all from BMWs.
Electronic damper valves? That would be a success on the part of somebody's marketing department if a car enthusiast thought that was active suspension. Mercedes use electronic damper control as well, but its not ABC. Active suspension is where engine power is used to dynamically compensate for body roll. It does not dynamically stiffen either the springs or the dampers in response to what the car is doing, neither of which can eliminate body roll. Active suspension can (depending on how its implemented - for example BMW and Land Rover only eliminate body roll up to about 0.5 - 0.6g) and it can do it while still using soft springs and dampers.
There's no avoiding that its a complex and expensive system, though Porsche and BMW take a simpler approach by using active anti-roll bars. That means there are only two channels instead of four (so its cheaper) and the active components don't bear the weight of the car. Therefore failures aren't as catastrophic as they are with ABC. Incidentally, Mercedes also have a cheaper active anti-roll bar system; its called Active Curve System.
Nick
02-13-2016, 04:48 AM
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
Ironically funny, that. If I was EVER to move over from a Mercedes S600, it would probably be to a BMW 550i or 650i manual with dynamic drive. Nothing else.
Nick
Nick
Last edited by Welwynnick; 02-14-2016 at 06:12 AM.
