vettdvr

I searched for 30 minutes to find the airmatic front strut replacement but haven't found it. I have ordered the Armott strut and will be replacing mine this week. Went out to the E500 and found the LF FR down and when turning the key on it would inflate but with the key off it would rapidly drop and I can hear the air leaking out of the strut. I have been waiting for this as I replaced both rear airmatic shocks 8 months ago and last year both rear airsprings and the compressor.

SO why not lets do the front, it is so much fun with the maintenance on airmatic systems. Currently I don't think I have in my box the correct puller for the top ball joint so I am planning to see if I can replace the strut with out pulling the top ball joint as it calls for in the MB manual.

Time will tell. Now on to first hand changing the strut I wish the car did not have. The rears weren't too difficult to change hopefully the front will go like the rear. More to come.

Efivehundred

Is this: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...there-any.html the thread you were looking for?

vettdvr

Thank you that was the one I searched for.

Update. I have the car now jacked, inner fender liner out and parts arrive UPS today. I have not disconnected the battery yet.

What I found was no air in the strut and when I pushed up on it then let down I could hear the air bag sucking air in through a hole somewhere. I also found oil leaking out of the shock/strut under the bottom of the attaching point. SO I think this has had a air bag failure and hydraulic shock failure.

After looking closely at the strut the shock looks to be the same design of the rear which I already changed this year. The basic difference is the air spring is on the shock/strut and in the rear the air spring is a seperate part.

Today the plan (part arrives to late to install) is to pull the upper ball joint appart (ref MB service manual to make it easier to remove the strut) disconnect the electrics and remove the upper/lower attaching bolts.

The objective is to have the car ready to install the new strut tomorrow.

Hopefully it works as easily as the rears did. Thanks again for the help.

vettdvr

Update.

Fender liner out.

Took the top ball joint apart.

Broke plastic clips as per procedure. Ok so you weren't suppose to break them.

Pulled strut out

Then found if wheel is full right there is more room. Dah..

Oil leaking from old strut at bottom, dripping out but air bag did not appear damaged????

Strut arrived promptly from Arnott. Nice job on strut. Only defect was broken plut on top of strut. Not enough to prevent use.

I had the top ball joint apart and lowered the lower control arm fully down. I released some of the pressure by plugging in the strut and connecting the battery with the upper A frame arm down to vent pressure.

I did not vent all the pressure.

After about 10 vents I inserted the lower end of the strut in the center of what years ago would be the lower A arm. Then I inserted the top into the hole and started the nuts. I pulled up the 3 nuts but left slack.

Then I used my 2 ton jack and a cut 2x4 to apply pressure to the bottom of the strut compressing it enough to pry it over the arm where it seats.

Then using a drift pin and the jack was able to line the hole up enough to start the bolt. I used the impact wrench to pull the bolt through to the opposite side then jack & drift again for alignment. The bolt drove through easily with impact and then tightened it all up.

Only potential issue was ball joint did not want to tighten up as it would turn in the ball socket. I jacked it up with the 2x4 under the rotor to apply pressure then tapped it with a hammer to seat it. Then it tightened up correctly.

Side note I used a puller to take apart the ball joint. I had a lot of pressure on the joint then used a 16 oz hammer for one smack on the joint and it popped apart.

Current status strut is in bolted down air/elec connected but still need to connect the lower wiring and repair the broken clip install the inner fender and tire.

Hopefully the ride hight will be correct.

NOTE: IF you have the strut arm hanging down and not in normal ride position when you tighten the lower strut bolt it is possible to have enough friction to prevent the system from attaining the correct ride height until things loosen up a bit. If you don't disconnect the ride height arm from the sensor there should be no change in ride height.

Thanks to all who contributed. vettdvr

vettdvr

Update. Broken plastic clip but job completed Arnott installed.

I lowered the car but kept the jack under the jack point. The frame was just a bit lower than normal height 26 1/2". I started the car and after about 2 minutes it leveled out both front sides +/- 1/8" to 26.5

So far all is well. If it doesn't leak down over night and goes 500 miles (my test time) ok then all will be well.

Thanks again to all who provided data.