CLS 550 lowering via links?
 

Hello everyone! I have a 09 cls 550. I was looking to lower it a bit. I contacted a company in Canada and they said they would help me do it via links! Is this safe for the car and the air suspension? This is my first time modding a car and I dont want to screw it up haha! Thanks for any input :D Cost is around $400 Are there better ways? Thanks!!

Airmatic lowering links
 

I just installed a set of these:

http://www.airmatic-lowering-links.co.uk/

...on my 2011 CLS63. My intent wasn't to slam the car, just to get the front and rear a little lower.

I ordered mine off eBay, and paid $199. Decided to get the links from this manufacturer because the materials used seem to be better (aluminum instead of steel) and I'd worry less about corrosion. The guy in the UK shipped them out pretty fast, but I think they got hung at US Customs for an extra day, so YMMV.

If you're not good with a wrench, or don't have VERY good access under your car - think about having someone else install them. The front links were pretty easy to install, but the back link was a pain for a couple reasons.

-First; the instructions were not great. Sorry, English Guy who wrote them, but aside from pretty rough grammar, you missed words, and really didn't explain things well. Not as bad as the manual that came with the Chinese-built fireplace I recently bought...but still, pretty rough.

-Second, I used a floor jack and jack stands to get the rear of the car in the air. Really not enough room to move around and do the work. (Can't use ramps, because you HAVE to have the axle dropped to get to the sensor)

-Last, if you don't get the links adjusted to your liking the first time (prior to installing), getting to the rear one again to re-adjust is a major pain - in your garage.

That said, the quality of the links I bought was good, I got the adjustment close enough the first try to be able to live with it, and the car def looks better lowered by 20mm or so.

Will get a pic or two when I have time.

Cheers.

Thank you very much for the helpful tips! Indeed I also wanted the front and rear to be just a little bit lower and not slammed.

I am sure that it looks amazing!

Thanks for the advice again! :)

Couple of photos...
 

Took pics in the garage today. Unfortunately, I don't have the "before" photos in the same position.

Cheers,

Rob

Before pic (with winter wheels)
 

Winter (gray) wheels were on the car before I installed the lowering links. (Shown in these two pics). When I put the summer (AMG) wheels back on is when I installed the links and dropped the car by 25-30mm(ish)

The winter wheels are 18" - and the AMG wheels are 19". Same height on the tires though...so you can get the idea how high it was before.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...ee903eccd.jpeg
testing pic options...

I know this is outside the topic of the post but what did you do to your grill it looks like it's blacked out.. was it painted?

Painted
 

Yeah, I painted it myself. Was looking and looking for a good aftermarket one, and finally decided to give it a shot.

Satin Black

How did you paint it? And does it hold up well everyone is saying i need to get it vinyl wrapped and most of the vinyl people say it wont adhere on the star area. There is some product called auto dip that I hear looks just like paint but comes off similar to plastidip.

Wasn't too hard. I unbolted the grill (3 bolts?), and made sure to use a flat bladed screwdriver to get the clips loose at the bottom of the grill while pulling up on the whole thing. Then I laid it outside on a box on a warm day and used a scotchbrite pad to scuff up all the chrome really well. After that, I washed the whole grill with dish soap and a carwash mit and let it dry in the sun. I also shook all the water out of the grooves, and dryed it with a microfiber towel.

I used Rustoleum Satin Black paint from a new rattlecan, and sprayed on lots of light layers, waiting at least ten minutes between layers. Finally, I let it dry, in the house (less humidity) overnight before reinstalling it.

The grill has only been painted for about a month now, but so far, no chips. And as long as you prep the surface right, the paint shouldn't peel.

While waiting for the grill to dry, I cleaned up the area of the car that the grill normally hides. Lots of soap and low pressure water from the hose.

Girlfriend was like "You just paid a lot of money for that car, and now YOU are painting it??"
(But she told a friend the other day that she likes the way the black grill looks!)

Rob
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...23569ef4d.jpeg

Yea that black looks much more aggressive and just like you I don't like any of the aftermarket one's online. I'm tempted to try this autodip it almost seems like it was created for painting grills. Matte is ok but up close it just looks uninspiring and plastidip really looks like rubber lol..

Love the CLS, foreyes. (And that grill). Great looking car man. Simple, clean, good for what ails you!

Thanks, Rob. Your CLS63 looks really sharp. Love the black grille. I did links too, much simpler than a lowering module and still adjustable but yes, the rear link is a pain to get to.

Looks stunning mate!! :D

Looks fantastic bro!!

Decided to not lower the car after all haha!
Going to be driving it this year in Canadian winter so I need the max height possible. Looking to trade up to a 2013 550 or a 11' 63 amg sometime soon :D