jma318

Do not let your dealer rip you off on airmatic repairs, Both of my local dealers wanted $600 labor and $1200 for the part to replace one of the blown struts.. This is a 15 minute repair that a monkey could do... open hood, remove top 4 small nuts on strut, unplug electrical, unscrew airline connection. Raise car min 3' off ground, remove bottom strut bolt, lower strut from car, insert new strut from bottom, replace the bolt, lower car. reintall 4 nuts, plug in electrical, screw back air line done...
Their $1200 strut has only a 1 year warranty on it.
Arnott industries 321-868-3016 out of Titusville Florida has rebuilt ones with better rubber seals etc for high performance cars with a LIFETIME warranty for only $400 and they include a shipping label for you to send the core back to them.. Awesome guys to deal with. saved my butt. They also have the compressors for the airmatic, same manufacturer as MB but for 1/3 of the price that a MB dealer charges.

Esleeper

YOur 550 was already out of warranty?

I'm thinking yes. I've heard good things about Arnott. Good guys over there. Thanks for the tip.

jma318

yup out of warranty, Was delivered to me on July 2006, It was the first 2007 CLS550 to hit the states, was special ordered in May of 06, Has 93,000 miles on it...

gnma

Tks. for the writeup!! Pics woulda been awesome!!

So I guess u don't need a spring compressor??

jma318

Nope no spring compressor needed.. The strut is by itself.

One other tip is once you have the strut go bad, and since the vehicle isn't drivable best thing to do is pull the fuse for the compressor otherwise you risk burning it out until you get the strut replaced. It will keep cycling on an off trying tto pump air into the bad strut.... reinstall the fuse after the strut is done.

also the compressor is just as easy to replace, its on top of the engine compartment and very accessible, just remove all connections, remove mouning bolts, remove and replace about 30 mins with simple hand tools..

locomercedes

thanks for the tip. i wish i had know this about 1 years ago. i still have my E500 and CLS, so this might come handy in the future

lexnoir

I just replaced my CLS airmatic strut. The dealers should be ashamed at how much they charge. Not only was the job super easy, the strut from Arnott looked 10x more durable. Specifically the boot which seemed to use a hard plastic versus the cheap flimsy original rubber boot.

I too must second the original poster and say DO IT YOURSELF! PS: Thank you jma318, you saved me a ton of money.

adelekem

Guys, Can you give direction on how to change out the compressor? I would like to do it myself since my local shop already raped me on replacing my arnott struts. OBTW, arnott is the best!!! I live in Guam and I ordered them on friday, got them on Monday!!!

The struts were replaced but I think that the compressor is failing since I get the vehicle raising visit workshop! after I drive for like 10 to 15 mins.

Jma318, how were you able to get the new strut in without compressing it in STAR? I have read a lot of DIY projects that said that that portion without STAR was almost impossible.

UPDATE:
I just got it hooked up to STAR and the fault was:
RECOVERY TIME DURING FILLING OF THE CENTRAL RESERVOIR IS TOO LONG
POSSIBLE CAUSES & REMEDY:
- CHECK FOR POSSIBLE LEAK IN PNEUMATIC LINE BETWEEN COMPRESSOR AND CENTRAL UNIT AND CENTRAL RESERVOIR.
- PNEUMATIC TEST OF COMPONENT A9/1 (AIR COMPRESSOR UNIT)

Any thoughts?

konigstiger

Compressor “may” need replacement in having to compensate for strut failure(s) but I would suggest checking for leaks @ central valve and central reservoir before replacing compressor. PM your email address and I will send instructions for leak test & compressor replacement. BTW if this is in regard to 03 e500 question should have been posted in w211 forum.

pottertj2002

pottertj2002@yahoo.

Thanks.

rbelz

I have 06 CLS-500 with about 78,000 miles. Much Earlier in life I had each of the front struts replaced. Now one of the rear ones collapses from time to time. It will rise back up and stay there with the car running, and the button pressed to raise the vehicle. Most times it will stay up even when I park overnight. However, sometimes it collapses.

Can you help me determine how to diagnose whether it's the air strut, the valve, or compressor?

Thanks for you thoughts and help.

konigstiger

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.eXY&cad=rja

http://workshop-manuals.com/mercedes...on/page_16466/

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...87269000,d.eXY

http://workshop-manuals.com/mercedes...ce_and_repair/

http://workshop-manuals.com/mercedes...er/page_15250/

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...87269000,d.eXY

rbelz

I want to thank you very much for the help. This will certainly give me an opportunity to find out where my problem originates.

veeiinxx

Ok so I replaced the pump, the strut, the relay, and the fuse and still there is no sound or movement of air from the compressor. currently my 200o cls550 is sitting on the ground on the two front struts. Help!!!!

nolazack

RebuildMasterTech in Florida has factory rebuilt struts with the lifetime warranty as well. $365.00 for the front. Just got one replaced.

unlukky

3' (feet) off of the ground? I assume 3 inches.
John

Lawsco

Konigstiger is the MAN!!! You sir probably saved a lot of people a lot of money! Thank god there are people like you for us less informed unfortunates who are struggling to figure out these problems. Many many thanks!