NathanCarroll

I have a question about lowering the suspension on my 300TE,at the moment the self leveling is null and void,,it needs fixing,,do i actually need the self leveling,i mean can it be removed and just use the suspension like a normal car,,shocks and springs? or do i have to keep the self leveling,,it will never carry anything move than 4 people,,so it makes the self leveling bit redundant,,i have been told it can be removed and very easy,,,because id like to lower her abit to give it a move agressive look on the road...any ideas?

ZedStyle

they sell lowering springs for the TE (H&R), and i believe you can buy struts to replace the SLS once you've sealed off the system. there was a guy on ebay i saw one time that sold them. i'm sure there are other options though as well. look into what's wrong with your SLS though, from what I hear if it's just the spheres those can be replaced fairly easily and affordably.

edit: this is the website i came across when i was thinking about a wagon purchase. no idea how reliable the system is.

Jim's500E

The whole system is pretty easy and uncomplicated to keep running...either the spheres are bad as said (about $100 each and very easy to replace) and/or the hydro-struts are bad and they are not cheap at all but also rather easy to replace. Once working, you can adjust the level about 1/2-3/4" down by lengthening the threaded connecting rod from the swaybar to the SLS unit by the right rear tire.

Removing the whole system isn't hard but it is a messy PITA IMO (BTDT) . It is a nice feature to have tho (when working). You can't just block off the lines; you'll have to connect them because the pump for the system runs off the power steering and is circulated in a closed system. Or you can delete all the lines, etc and get a non-SLS power steering pump and install along with conventional a shock set-up. For all that work and money; fixing the SLS might be the cheapest route.

How low do you want to go? I bet there is an air-bag kit that will do the job too...but it's got to be big $$s I would think.

ds190

Every TE made by MB had SLS. EVERY ONE OF THEM. The hydraulic struts AND the springs hold the rear end level, whether loaded down or not.

There are no MB replacement parts suitable to replace SLS on the TE. Some guy on one of the forums put Monroe air shocks to hold up the back, as the springs alone will NOT do that.

Search at benzworld dot org and peachparts dot com for threads just like yours, and you will not find any proper way to replace SLS on a TE.

YNVDIZW124

Really? I guess I did it wrong then...

neanderthal

Completely wrong.

For the North American market, maybe, but my uncles TE doesn't have SLS. It's in Africa.

ds190

So...I'm not "completely wrong", just wrong not to qualify my comment "Every TE made by MB had SLS" by adding for delivery to the USA. I stand corrected.

You could do so many people a big favor by using your uncle's TE vin to get the part number of those African MB factory non-SLS springs, so that they can delete the SLS on their USA delivered TE. As you know, someone asks about that every few months on the MB boards.

Thanks in advance.

ds190

I saw this back in April, when you put on H & R springs and said a future mod would be to delete SLS. So, is that pic of the car with SLS, or after you deleted it?

If you have deleted it, it looks good. You could save so many people a lot of time by posting the parts and part numbers of all you did to lower it, and then to delete the SLS on that TE.

A full part list with numbers would make you a hero to so many that have dreamed of removing the tandem pump, and never replacing an accumulator ever again. Please show them the way.

neanderthal

African delivery W124s generally have taller "safari(?)" springs so they won't work with the ones we have here. Unless you want to have a dragster look with a low front and a high back.