wasp01amg

My 2001 E55 has 114,000 miles and rides like a truck. I'm shopping for new shocks and OEM or equivalent. Where can I get reasonably priced units. I've seen a wide range in price. What confuses me though is how much more the front OEM or Bilstien shocks are than the rears. What's up with that. I'm not building a track car so adjustability is not needed. I just don't want my teeth jarred when I hit a bump.

Beverly Sharp

Teeth jarred? Then don't buy Bilstein heavy duty shocks. Consider OEMs or Sachs Boge. I'm very happy with the latter.
James

kajtek1

Bad shocks would ride more like a boat.
What size tires you have and pressure?

wasp01amg

Stock sized run flats at name plate pressure.

kajtek1

What is stock on AMG? Aren't run-flat famous for harsh riding?
I had to sell ML55 AMG pretty cheap because even I liked the performance DW could not take truck-like riding.
Can't have it all.
Did you do push-test for shocks?

fabbrisd1

A 2001 E55 - OE spec tires are not "run-flat" - so you might recheck your tire info.

The OE/Bilstein's with AMG stickers will run well out past 200K miles - I suggest you re-examine tires - Yokohama makes a affordable tire for your E55 - and have the bushings on the suspension looked at by a competent indie.

wasp01amg

Car has had run flats for as long as we can remember. Bridgestone Potenzas RFT, 41 psig front and 48 rear. These are the pressures recommended on the door label. The label on the gas cap ranges from 32 to 48 dependent on load and speed. All replacement tires came from dealership in Walnut Creek where family always had maintenance performed. Current tires have 10k miles and still in excellent shape. Guess I'll have to live with harshness when I hit bumps. ill try the lower pressure range and see if that makes the ride acceptable.

kajtek1

My gas cap says 28/32 for low load and speeds below 100 mph.
48 psi sure sounds like truck tire.
So you live in Houston area and have car maintained in WC, California?

wasp01amg

I've moved. Last dealer service was in wc. I went down to 32/33 per gas door, low load below 130km, sticker for E55 AMG.

wasp01amg

Got to drive it with 32/33 pressure in tires today. Much smoother ride. We will see if tire wear changes. No need for new shocks. Thanks for pulling my head out of my ***.

fabbrisd1

Glad tire inflation pressures have gotten you back off the edge.

Next time you come up on tire replacement - as long as you have the MB OE spare tire - I suggest you consider dropping the RFT (run flat tires) .

Gives you much wider - and frankly lot less expensive - like Yokohama Advan - or Kimho Ecsta 4X in "affordable budget" range - or the great Pilot A/S3+ for price of the RFT...

As you can tell the RFT are far/far from my favorites..

wasp01amg

Spare is present. RFT not on the menu for me any longer.

kajtek1

Owning lot of toys, including backhoe tractor I learn how to fix nail holes.
Technology improved and latest "strings" are pretty good. $6 for a dozen with tool and I had to use it this week as our "beach run" on Saturday come with flat tire on Sunday.
Took me about 15 minutes to take the wheel off, find the metal junk (strange flat piece) and insert the plug with inflation (have compressor under the pressure in my garage all the time).
Driving pickup with 6-wheel trailer I was also carrying Firestone 12V compressor, that would pump 90 psi tire in "some" time
Never felt need for RFT.

wasp01amg

I to have repaired tires with plugs. Living on the gulf coast during/after hurricanes you pickup nails and learn to repair tires. Yes, I have lived in many different places.