PaNoS617

Hey guys, I'll be replacing the suspension on my ML500 Sport. What do you guys recommend? Blistein or Koni...does Koni even make shocks and struts for the ML? I checked on their site and didn't find anything. What about lowering springs? I've looked Eibach and H&R. What do you guys recommend? Also, any good places online i can order these parts from? Thanks for any info!

fkong777

from what I know only Bilstein make front and rear shock/strut for ML as a matched set.

Monroe makes their reflex line for the front only.
SACHS premium replacement strut is for rear only.

Eibach and H&R make springs for the rear. Front does not have springs you just adjust the torsion bar to lower the truck.

PaNoS617

Cool, thanks for the info man. Any suggestions on where to order the Bilsteins online?

Darkmann

I have same truck as you and I already have a set of B'Steins for all four corners and H&R lowering springs for the rear. The fronts will have to be lowered to match, using the torsion bar screws. The 'Steins will give you a harsh ride if you drive a lot on bumpy roads. I do 98% h'way with the ML so I don't mind the 'Steins on all corners. If you do mostly city, consider them only on the front. The truck gets pretty bouncy (softy ride) when the front is lowered. Thus the need for something to compensate. Good lusk, there are quite a few who have this setup and they love it. If you drive on DC or NY streets (tons of moon craters), don't stay with the OEM shocks if you lower using H&R. You'll eventually break something.

BTW, as for Koni, nothing available for the W163 - after I couldn't anything on the net, I called them last year and asked.

fkong777

Darkmann - so you think the bilsteins are harsh? I'm thinking about changing just the front shocks on my 55 without lowering it.

I wonder if the ML55 shocks are already pretty harsh to begin with because I can use a softer ride. I feel like my car is loosing damping and contact at some bumpy patches. Maybe its the Torsion Bar inability to react to quick movements or Maybe its worn shocks. But at 97k miles I think new shock will do it some good regardless.

Darkmann

I think that on both ends, they'd be harsh if you drive predominantly on DC/NY type streets. Correction - if lowered also. If not lowered, I have no idea how the ride would be. It'd certainly be better than stock.

The 55's stock shocks aren't harsh. But, I'm not sure they'll work for the 500 though, sport or not, since the 55 is approximately 1" lower than stock 500. Sounds to me like you want to keep the OEM ride. In that case, have the truck checked and if shocks are recommended, get OEMs from any of the numerous internet outlets. However, I totally agree that at that mileage, there's no harm done with a new set of shocks.

ruey220

i'm about to put the suspension next week and started reading up on torsion bars as one mechanic warned me about messing with the torsion bars on the ML might make it too "soft". He was charging me double of what I budgeted for install, claiming that he would need to remove the torsion bars and turn them to compensate the different spring rate.

my question is does changing ride height in front with the torsion bar setting actually twist the bars to adjust height, or does it merely change the angle of the bar from front to rear to adjust the height?

If it is twisting it, then my assumption is that there is a spring rate change because of the way it is already loaded as compared to being in the neutral sitting position. If it is changing angle, then it should not have a big impact because the springs should still be able to twist as it's design for.

Darkmann

I think I know what you mean but what suspension components exactly is it that you're planning to put?

No, he doesn't have to remove the torsion bars. All he has to do is turn them. Infact, he will not remove the torsion bars. He will turn the bars and then charge you as if he removed it. Get away from him or educate him.

Check Wolfgang's page for details. But, adjusting the torsion bars by loosening/tightening the adjusting bolts actually lowers/raises the front of the truck. The lower you go, the "softer" the ride becomes upfront - thus the spring rate change. However, if you drop the rear via lowering springs only, the only way I know to have a balanced ride is to drop the front by adjusting the torsion bars. There are ways to compensate this somehow - stiffer springs or replacing the entire torsion bar with something stiffer such that your lowered spring rate is equivalent to or better than the OEM "normal" torsion bar setting.

I think you know the answer to this.

ruey220

I'm putting Billstein HD's all around and H&R rear springs, with the H&R front & rear sway bars.

I got everything except the shocks come in yet so I'm waiting for the shocks so I can begin install of everything next week

I'll let you guys know how it goes

hanniep

85,000 miles on my ML when I changed to Bilsteins, I kept the stock springs, ride/handling has improved quite a bit, but the harsh ride is a definitely harsher!

ruey220

I just had the billstein shocks, H&R springs rear and front and back sway bars installed yesterday. The ride is much better but as everyone has mentioned the front end is soft after lowering it. It is not as stiff as I feel a lowered car should be.

My question is, are the ML55 torsion bars different from the ML500? Can I change the front torsion bars to be more stiff?

Darkmann

Even though your post seems to have it all mixed up, I believe I understand what you're saying. However, just in case I'm wrong, you do have B'Steins on all four corners and the H&R springs only at the rear end (that's the only place it can go). What's this with the back sway bars? Why was that replaced?

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd think that the bars on the 55 would be somewhat stiffer than those on the non 55 ML to limit body roll, especially around curves.

ruey220

nothing is mixed up on my car, it's running fine with all the new components.

I have 4 billsteins on each corner,
Front H&R 38mm Sway Bar,
Rear H&R 23mm Sway Bar,
the H&R rear coil springs.

The front end torsion bars were loosened to drop the car ~1 inch.

I am trying to find out whether the torsion bars (not the sway bars) that I loosened to drop the car are thicker on the ML55 vs the Ml500.

Porschenut

Hey Ruey, I have the Bilsteins and Eibachs installed on my ML55 and I find the cornering to be remarkably flat with the OEM sway bars. I'll bet you're wondering about the difference between the OEM sways and the H&R's. Well, I have a set of H&R sways sitting in my garage waiting install and I'll post up the before and after once I can get around to installing them.

ruey220

Yep I'm kinda curious how the difference was with the stock sways and billstein/lowering spring combo. All I know is that the feeling is day and night and it makes me want to take a cloverleaf going 60mph.

one thing i know about fixing up these cars, is that the threshold is upped only slightly more than stock unless you did a complete overhaul of suspension geometry and weight reduction on the car. All it really does is make it more neutral vs having understeer and a better wheel/tire set will only give up when you're about to really lose it. Manufaturers usually make a car understeer early on purpose so that you won't take it to a dangerous limit. Truly a car that can take a 80mph turnoff can do it with or without modified suspension. Lowering will only give you a better feel.

smo0othride

This is an old post but I have to call BS on the post above. Lowering does a lot more then give you a better feel. It increases spring rate and lowers the center of gravity both of which allow you to grip the road better when turning

spawn_x

yes this is an old post and I have to correct you - you are not changing spring rate because our cars have TORSION BARS - the rate remains the same, you are not changing spring rate by lowering it. You have to go to a thicker (stiffer) bar to increase spring rate