My w215 CL55 ABC Delete Thread - Yellow Speed Racing Coilover Conversion and Review
06-10-2022, 10:49 AM
#201
Senior Member
With the front lowered to 25.75 inches from ground to bottom of fender, wheel alignment revealed -2 degrees front camber. Prior to 4-wheel alignment, stock MB camber bolts were placed in the front W220 lower control arms, and in the stock rear lower control arms. Turning the camber bolts, the technician was able to bring front camber to -1.5 degrees. Raising the front 1" to 26.5 inches brought camber to spec. and still gave a lowered appearance. The rear height was left at 27.5 inches, an inch higher than my liking. Dampening: from softest setting; 20 front, 15 rear. Road manners and handling: flat roads with corners felt smooth and handled with ease. At high speeds (75+ mph) moderate road dips (troughs) caused the suspension to bounce excessively. The Rennen's fitted with 295's and spacers rubbed with the outer lip of the fenders. This loss of suspension control at 75+ mph got hairier with corners with moderate road dips...the bouncing caused the rear to almost slide out and the front to under steer. The ride home from office: dampening was set at 25 front, 20 rear. This firmed the ride a bit but an absence of moderate dips in the road didn't allow for testing road manners at 75+ mph. The car handled corners better when it was lower and front camber was -2 degrees. The next ride height adjustment to lower the rear will necessitate another alignment, here I'll instruct the technician to allow for a small amount more negative camber, perhaps -1.5 degree. Tomorrow the front 255/35 19" Yokohamas are being replaced by Hankook Ventus to match the rear Hankook Ventus 295/30 19". Impression: despite continuing to adjust the Yellow Speed Sport coil-overs, the weight of the 2003-06 CL55 AMG may be too much of a match for the YSP 20k/14k struts/springs, this despite losing approx. 100 lbs. from deleting some exhaust and all ABC suspension components (next week the car will be weighed; 4250 lbs to 4150 lbs?). Higher rate springs? If this; will they overcome the strut dampening. As an attempt to lessen bounce, the next trial involves lowering the rear 1" to 26.5". If this proves to help, the rear fenders will have to be rolled as a means to clear the tires under full compression. From install, the YSP have approx. 400 miles on them. Today the Strut Master ABC delete module goes in to turn off all ABC warning messages.
06-10-2022, 02:17 PM
#202
MBWorld Fanatic!
I'm about to convert my S55 to coilovers in a few days. When I get out of town, I have been known to hit triple digit speeds and I'm wondering if the problems you describe were every remedied. I would hate to feel like or actually lose control when cruising at highway speeds. I have accumulated all the parts necessary to add sway bars, both front and rear. I'm hoping that it will be enough to offset some of the issues you have described.
yellowspeeds are fine for daily driving, or having a lowered ride height without costly abc maintenance and modifications. But anybody saying the yellowspeeds are not prone to bounce at high speeds or aggressive driving should be a bit ashamed of themselves
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06-13-2022, 08:06 AM
#203
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Central NJ
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2008 SL550, 1999 S320, 2004 CL55
What a great review! Thank you for doing this. I am a non-mechanic who owns a 2004 CL55 AMG with 72,000 miles in pristine perfectly working condition. However, I have a few questions regarding the ABC issue:
1. I know that ABC issues are common in these cars. Each reported case of ABC failure/problem on such forums is, in effect, an anecdote. We need the denominator to determine the likelihood of failure. Does anyone know the actual frequency of these problems given that ABC suspension was commonly used by MBZ on so many cars in the 2000's? Is the problem related to the age of the vehicle? The mileage? When do such problems tend to show up?
2. I hear diametrically different opinions on how to maintain the ABC system. I've had an indy MBZ mechanic tell me to "leave the system alone if it's working properly". Yet, other say regular (how often?) maintenance is required. Is this all a matter of opinion, or based on objective evidence? What is the recommended maintenance protocol?
I plan to keep my CL55 as long as possible but recognize there may be a looming problem with the ABC system. I'd appreciate a sense of the probability of this actually happening. Are 1 in 3 cars affected, or 1 in 30 cars? Should I be losing sleep over this?
Thanks!
1. I know that ABC issues are common in these cars. Each reported case of ABC failure/problem on such forums is, in effect, an anecdote. We need the denominator to determine the likelihood of failure. Does anyone know the actual frequency of these problems given that ABC suspension was commonly used by MBZ on so many cars in the 2000's? Is the problem related to the age of the vehicle? The mileage? When do such problems tend to show up?
2. I hear diametrically different opinions on how to maintain the ABC system. I've had an indy MBZ mechanic tell me to "leave the system alone if it's working properly". Yet, other say regular (how often?) maintenance is required. Is this all a matter of opinion, or based on objective evidence? What is the recommended maintenance protocol?
I plan to keep my CL55 as long as possible but recognize there may be a looming problem with the ABC system. I'd appreciate a sense of the probability of this actually happening. Are 1 in 3 cars affected, or 1 in 30 cars? Should I be losing sleep over this?
Thanks!
06-13-2022, 11:38 AM
#204
MBWorld Fanatic!
What a great review! Thank you for doing this. I am a non-mechanic who owns a 2004 CL55 AMG with 72,000 miles in pristine perfectly working condition. However, I have a few questions regarding the ABC issue:
1. I know that ABC issues are common in these cars. Each reported case of ABC failure/problem on such forums is, in effect, an anecdote. We need the denominator to determine the likelihood of failure. Does anyone know the actual frequency of these problems given that ABC suspension was commonly used by MBZ on so many cars in the 2000's? Is the problem related to the age of the vehicle? The mileage? When do such problems tend to show up?
2. I hear diametrically different opinions on how to maintain the ABC system. I've had an indy MBZ mechanic tell me to "leave the system alone if it's working properly". Yet, other say regular (how often?) maintenance is required. Is this all a matter of opinion, or based on objective evidence? What is the recommended maintenance protocol?
I plan to keep my CL55 as long as possible but recognize there may be a looming problem with the ABC system. I'd appreciate a sense of the probability of this actually happening. Are 1 in 3 cars affected, or 1 in 30 cars? Should I be losing sleep over this?
Thanks!
1. I know that ABC issues are common in these cars. Each reported case of ABC failure/problem on such forums is, in effect, an anecdote. We need the denominator to determine the likelihood of failure. Does anyone know the actual frequency of these problems given that ABC suspension was commonly used by MBZ on so many cars in the 2000's? Is the problem related to the age of the vehicle? The mileage? When do such problems tend to show up?
2. I hear diametrically different opinions on how to maintain the ABC system. I've had an indy MBZ mechanic tell me to "leave the system alone if it's working properly". Yet, other say regular (how often?) maintenance is required. Is this all a matter of opinion, or based on objective evidence? What is the recommended maintenance protocol?
I plan to keep my CL55 as long as possible but recognize there may be a looming problem with the ABC system. I'd appreciate a sense of the probability of this actually happening. Are 1 in 3 cars affected, or 1 in 30 cars? Should I be losing sleep over this?
Thanks!
Regarding maintenance the fluid and filter should be changed on a regular schedule, perhaps every year or two depending on budget. The abc components will usually only last longer because of it. And the system should absolutely be flushed and refilled during any repair work, rather than some technicians attempts to simply top off the system after repairs
if anyone needs abc or coilover work in the SE USA please reach out
10-30-2022, 01:00 PM
#205
Sway Bar Install?
Disclaimer
Please note that I will not be held responsible for any issues that may arise from others if they attempt to repeat this process. I am NOT a mechanic. If you choose to pursue a similar conversion please realize that you do so at your own risk.
I am only writing this up because of the wealth of knowledge I have received from the forums. I am not affiliated with any of the companies discussed in this write-up.
Lastly, thank-you to anyone that has put up with my constant e-mails, questions and harassment – you know who you are.
Introduction
Please note that I understand that there are quite a lot of purists out there that believe converting from an ABC suspension to a coilover suspension is akin to blasphemy. Some would argue that coilovers replace an otherwise ingenious system with one that cannot simply compete with a precision engineered Mercedes solution. I understand your points and acknowledge your decisions to stay stock. However, frankly speaking, the W215 chassis is now well over 10 years old and the plummeting prices of W215 cars are evidence that Mercedes-Benz over-engineered tried-and-tested part of the automobile.
While I understand that hydraulic suspensions have been around for decades, IMHO it just does not make any sense to pressurize and contain expensive flammable liquid in rubber hoses within close proximity to heated engine components. Don’t blame the dealer guys – they did not design the cars nor do they manufacture the parts. In fact, my local dealer and service advisor have been very supportive of all my efforts to keep my ABC running in tip-top shape at minimal cost.
From my standpoint, I am prepared to accept a minor level of ride degradation (if needed) as a trade-off for reliability. Let’s just be honest, it is darn near impossible to design any intricate suspension system for reliable, long-term use based on computer controlled pressurized flammable fluids or pressurized air. It would be different if we could replace or fix the entire system for peanuts in the event of any failure. However, we all know that we cannot – hence my post…
History
My addiction is a pristine Tectite Gray, 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL55. I purchased this car in 2013 with 54k miles and I completed a coilover conversion on April 28th, 2016 with 71k miles on the odometer.
After 3 years of ownership, I decided to convert my Mercedes ABC suspension to a Yellow-Speed Coilover suspension not because of an ABC failure, but simply because I wanted to drive the car without any concern for ABC issues in the future. This car is a classic design and Mercedes did us all a dis-service by releasing this chassis with an ABC only option.
Although the prior owner had the ABC system replaced in 2008 @ 30,000 miles, I have not had any significant ABC issues with my car over the last 3 years. This is because I watched it like a hawk. During the last three years, I have had 3 ABC messages flash on my dash at start up. These were fleeting messages that always went away after a full ABC inspection followed by a FLUSH-N-RODEO. And yes, I was told to sell the car before it cost me $8,000 to $10,000 to repair. Here is the real kicker… after sitting for a while, my car never sagged nor were there any visible signs of any hydraulic leaks – and yet I received transient warning messages that would have had me invest thousands for no reason! I come from the school of preventive care which involves a religious “FLUSH-N-RODEO” and ABC system full inspection each year. The point is I have maintained my car and yet I have always been on the lookout for ABC failure.
As a helpful note to owners, if you are receiving the ABC red or white dashboard “hot flashes” and you are told that something needs replacing without any visible symptoms … FLUSH-N-RODEO before accepting a $2,500 service bill that accomplishes nothing for you. I have avoided some costly repairs because a FLUSH-N-RODEO has purged a lightly contaminated ABC system. Particles Happen!
Research
So for my last 3 years of ownership, I did my research to find out as much information as possible about my options for replacing the ABC system in my car.
Here is a listing of the most informative posts I have found to date. If there are any others, please let me know and I will update this list. Hopefully this will help the community – so please no naysayers and PAY-IT-FORWARD.
1) Darren B - The BIBLE - Hands-down the best definitive blog on ABC, its components and issues: Mercedes Benz ABC System Blogspot
2) Seyath - ABC Coilover FAQ – Sevath – https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...imate-faq.html
3) OCKlasse – The Early Pioneers – Fantastic Effort - My ABC Delete Thread
4) ctravis595 – Another Pioneering Efforts – ABC to coil over conversion guinea pig here
5) 4themasses –New and informative – My approach - Coilover Option??
6) petergaryoakley – New and informative – My approach - w215 55 AMG ABC Delete
Please note that I will not be held responsible for any issues that may arise from others if they attempt to repeat this process. I am NOT a mechanic. If you choose to pursue a similar conversion please realize that you do so at your own risk.
I am only writing this up because of the wealth of knowledge I have received from the forums. I am not affiliated with any of the companies discussed in this write-up.
Lastly, thank-you to anyone that has put up with my constant e-mails, questions and harassment – you know who you are.
Introduction
Please note that I understand that there are quite a lot of purists out there that believe converting from an ABC suspension to a coilover suspension is akin to blasphemy. Some would argue that coilovers replace an otherwise ingenious system with one that cannot simply compete with a precision engineered Mercedes solution. I understand your points and acknowledge your decisions to stay stock. However, frankly speaking, the W215 chassis is now well over 10 years old and the plummeting prices of W215 cars are evidence that Mercedes-Benz over-engineered tried-and-tested part of the automobile.
While I understand that hydraulic suspensions have been around for decades, IMHO it just does not make any sense to pressurize and contain expensive flammable liquid in rubber hoses within close proximity to heated engine components. Don’t blame the dealer guys – they did not design the cars nor do they manufacture the parts. In fact, my local dealer and service advisor have been very supportive of all my efforts to keep my ABC running in tip-top shape at minimal cost.
From my standpoint, I am prepared to accept a minor level of ride degradation (if needed) as a trade-off for reliability. Let’s just be honest, it is darn near impossible to design any intricate suspension system for reliable, long-term use based on computer controlled pressurized flammable fluids or pressurized air. It would be different if we could replace or fix the entire system for peanuts in the event of any failure. However, we all know that we cannot – hence my post…
History
My addiction is a pristine Tectite Gray, 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL55. I purchased this car in 2013 with 54k miles and I completed a coilover conversion on April 28th, 2016 with 71k miles on the odometer.
After 3 years of ownership, I decided to convert my Mercedes ABC suspension to a Yellow-Speed Coilover suspension not because of an ABC failure, but simply because I wanted to drive the car without any concern for ABC issues in the future. This car is a classic design and Mercedes did us all a dis-service by releasing this chassis with an ABC only option.
Although the prior owner had the ABC system replaced in 2008 @ 30,000 miles, I have not had any significant ABC issues with my car over the last 3 years. This is because I watched it like a hawk. During the last three years, I have had 3 ABC messages flash on my dash at start up. These were fleeting messages that always went away after a full ABC inspection followed by a FLUSH-N-RODEO. And yes, I was told to sell the car before it cost me $8,000 to $10,000 to repair. Here is the real kicker… after sitting for a while, my car never sagged nor were there any visible signs of any hydraulic leaks – and yet I received transient warning messages that would have had me invest thousands for no reason! I come from the school of preventive care which involves a religious “FLUSH-N-RODEO” and ABC system full inspection each year. The point is I have maintained my car and yet I have always been on the lookout for ABC failure.
As a helpful note to owners, if you are receiving the ABC red or white dashboard “hot flashes” and you are told that something needs replacing without any visible symptoms … FLUSH-N-RODEO before accepting a $2,500 service bill that accomplishes nothing for you. I have avoided some costly repairs because a FLUSH-N-RODEO has purged a lightly contaminated ABC system. Particles Happen!
Research
So for my last 3 years of ownership, I did my research to find out as much information as possible about my options for replacing the ABC system in my car.
Here is a listing of the most informative posts I have found to date. If there are any others, please let me know and I will update this list. Hopefully this will help the community – so please no naysayers and PAY-IT-FORWARD.
1) Darren B - The BIBLE - Hands-down the best definitive blog on ABC, its components and issues: Mercedes Benz ABC System Blogspot
2) Seyath - ABC Coilover FAQ – Sevath – https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...imate-faq.html
3) OCKlasse – The Early Pioneers – Fantastic Effort - My ABC Delete Thread
4) ctravis595 – Another Pioneering Efforts – ABC to coil over conversion guinea pig here
5) 4themasses –New and informative – My approach - Coilover Option??
6) petergaryoakley – New and informative – My approach - w215 55 AMG ABC Delete
Has anyone done the front and back sway bar install? What is the verdict here?
@aarkaah: any update here on your vehicle? Assuming you still have it. Would love to hear more here.
10-30-2022, 02:31 PM
#206
Member
Thread Starter
@INEEDIT ,
Hope all is well. I eventually sold my cl55 with the yellowspeeds because I wanted to try some other amg offerings. Since then I have owned a w211 e55 and a w212 e63 amg. The CL was a beautiful car.
I have since moved on to building Rotaries.
I hope you enjoy the ride.
AA
Hope all is well. I eventually sold my cl55 with the yellowspeeds because I wanted to try some other amg offerings. Since then I have owned a w211 e55 and a w212 e63 amg. The CL was a beautiful car.
I have since moved on to building Rotaries.
I hope you enjoy the ride.
AA
10-30-2022, 05:04 PM
#207
Senior Member
@INEEDIT
I've installed Yellowspeed's on my W220 and have also installed sway bars front and rear. It seems the car stays relatively flat when cornering. However, I tolerate the bounciness which might be attributed to the Yellowspeed's having shocks that are not quite up to the task of doing their job as they are incorrectly matched to the weight of the vehicle. I would have preferred to install the KW system which is not available for the W220 though. There is no reason to worry about going outside in the morning and seeing my car sitting on top of the wheels due to leaks in the system, which I got tired of fixing.
The ABC pump was removed and I installed a regular power steering pump in it's place. My first go around with that involved the mistake of not getting the pump with the correct bracket. It was only being held in place with two bolts and ended up cracking one of the mounting holes off of the timing cover. Now, I have the correct pump installed with three out of four bolts holding it in place. I'm going to have to either weld the broken piece off or replace the timing cover if it fails again. That was my biggest mistake in doing this whole process, other than breaking the plastic of the brittle c-pillar in the rear interior when I installed the coilovers. New pieces are not available through the dealers as they have discontinued manufacturing them.
I don't know if the pump will remain in place in it's current mounting configuration. After doing a search, it appears this type of failure and the breaking of the mounting holes can occur, but it's not relatively common. It was completely through fault of my own overlooking why the pump was being held on by two bolts. The interior of my car is in great shape, and installing the rear coilovers involved securing them behind the passenger rear seats. I was disappointed in breaking the plastic pillar piece and the one that I found to replace it was not in that great of condition but appeared to be the best one I can find at the time.
This is now my daily driver as I have sold my other car and the piece of mind is worth it. I owned an Integra Type-R almost twenty years ago, and that was by far the best handling car that I have ever owned. It's hard to make comparisons between the S55 and the ITR in terms of handling. Overall, I like the setup as I have a ride that is now a bit firmer because I have turned up the dampening settings on all four corners. The car is also lower and while I would prefer to lower it even more, I don't plan on doing so unless I buy some new wheels in the future.
It's real subjective but I sometimes I can't really remember how the car handled when going over bumps or delt with other road inconsistencies when the car has ABC. I also have adjustable rear camber arms installed and dialed out just a smidge of the negative camber that I had back there. Hopefully some of this information is helpful.
I've installed Yellowspeed's on my W220 and have also installed sway bars front and rear. It seems the car stays relatively flat when cornering. However, I tolerate the bounciness which might be attributed to the Yellowspeed's having shocks that are not quite up to the task of doing their job as they are incorrectly matched to the weight of the vehicle. I would have preferred to install the KW system which is not available for the W220 though. There is no reason to worry about going outside in the morning and seeing my car sitting on top of the wheels due to leaks in the system, which I got tired of fixing.
The ABC pump was removed and I installed a regular power steering pump in it's place. My first go around with that involved the mistake of not getting the pump with the correct bracket. It was only being held in place with two bolts and ended up cracking one of the mounting holes off of the timing cover. Now, I have the correct pump installed with three out of four bolts holding it in place. I'm going to have to either weld the broken piece off or replace the timing cover if it fails again. That was my biggest mistake in doing this whole process, other than breaking the plastic of the brittle c-pillar in the rear interior when I installed the coilovers. New pieces are not available through the dealers as they have discontinued manufacturing them.
I don't know if the pump will remain in place in it's current mounting configuration. After doing a search, it appears this type of failure and the breaking of the mounting holes can occur, but it's not relatively common. It was completely through fault of my own overlooking why the pump was being held on by two bolts. The interior of my car is in great shape, and installing the rear coilovers involved securing them behind the passenger rear seats. I was disappointed in breaking the plastic pillar piece and the one that I found to replace it was not in that great of condition but appeared to be the best one I can find at the time.
This is now my daily driver as I have sold my other car and the piece of mind is worth it. I owned an Integra Type-R almost twenty years ago, and that was by far the best handling car that I have ever owned. It's hard to make comparisons between the S55 and the ITR in terms of handling. Overall, I like the setup as I have a ride that is now a bit firmer because I have turned up the dampening settings on all four corners. The car is also lower and while I would prefer to lower it even more, I don't plan on doing so unless I buy some new wheels in the future.
It's real subjective but I sometimes I can't really remember how the car handled when going over bumps or delt with other road inconsistencies when the car has ABC. I also have adjustable rear camber arms installed and dialed out just a smidge of the negative camber that I had back there. Hopefully some of this information is helpful.
Last edited by paste; 10-30-2022 at 05:15 PM.
12-21-2022, 08:18 PM
#208
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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Yellow Speed conversion CL65 AMG
Thank you for the extensive write-up. After reading your post, I ordered the yellow speed racing kit for my 2006 CL65 AMG.
I dropped it off to my local Mercedes mechanic, and he was not happy with just the coilover kit as it is not all that he will need.
I didn't have any information on what else he may need for the install of the 4 coilovers.
Did you have to get fittings to plug off the existing hydraulic lines? If so, what type?
Anything else I would need?
Anyone have any info on power steering replacement for the V12 engine? I read about the V8 replacement but haven't come across a V12 replacement yet.
thank you!!!
I dropped it off to my local Mercedes mechanic, and he was not happy with just the coilover kit as it is not all that he will need.
I didn't have any information on what else he may need for the install of the 4 coilovers.
Did you have to get fittings to plug off the existing hydraulic lines? If so, what type?
Anything else I would need?
Anyone have any info on power steering replacement for the V12 engine? I read about the V8 replacement but haven't come across a V12 replacement yet.
thank you!!!
