When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Car was purchased in 2014 with 96k on it. Installed lowering links (sensor position links) around 100k. Passenger front air strut blew out around 118k. Honestly, I was sick of Air Matic. I was sick of the bumpy ride at 4" below stock height. Decided it was time to move over to a coilover suspension and rid myself of any future issues.
Drove about 1,500 miles while I was waiting for my custom bolt-in coilovers to show up from my buddies shop. Customs 'lost' the coilovers, so I turned to my friends at BC Racing. After I sourced all the parts, had the wheels refinished, etc. I dropped the car at my local German repair / specialty shop for the install.
In short, the money spent was worth it in the end. Definitely love ride quality and handling. I don't think I'll ever go back to air matic.
Parts Purchased:
(2) Used OE MB Axles (eBay)
(2) Used w211 e350 Rear Lower Control Arms
BC Racing J-07 Coilover kit - Extreme Drop 18k F / 15k R springs
Somehow I am getting impression that it was more about lowering, than replacing airbags?
Are those 20, or 22" rims?
If I understand, now you have lowered wagon with not adjustable suspension?
How it reacts when you sit 2 adults in 3rd row?
One axle was completely shot. Grease was all over the underside of the car. After doing a lot of perusing, I found that OE axles from the dealer were roughly 1k per side. Used 50k mile axles were $300 on eBay. Decided to do both sides while the car was apart.
Originally Posted by kajtek1
Somehow I am getting impression that it was more about lowering, than replacing airbags?
Are those 20, or 22" rims?
If I understand, now you have lowered wagon with not adjustable suspension?
How it reacts when you sit 2 adults in 3rd row?
Honestly, your impression is wrong. When one air strut fails, the other pieces are not far behind in terms of failure. The money spent to replace one strut doesn't make any sense when the coilover conversion is marginally more than replacing all air matic pieces. Not to mention, the rear struts were pretty near failure after riding around at 4" below stock ride height.
There are never any adults in the 3rd row, or 2nd row for that matter.
How my impression is wrong?
You made the lovely wagon unusable for its main purpose, what is cargo hauling and now you are telling us, that the air bag failure was premature due your car lowering?
Funny, there is discussion about W210 wagons on other forum and this picture come to the topic.
The owner of this wagon did the opposite to TS here.
He converted struts into air bags.
His wagon is still fully usable.
I don't get you beej.
In other thread you were all for lowered cars, even when modifications create problems.
Here I come with WELL ENGINEERED and beautiful sample, that you are bashing.
Split personality or you don't like good engineering?
I don't get you beej.
In other thread you were all for lowered cars, even when modifications create problems.
Here I come with WELL ENGINEERED and beautiful sample, that you are bashing.
Split personality or you don't like good engineering?
Mate im all for lowering. The lower the better as long as it still complies with the law.
You talking about not being able to use the wagon as a wagon. Is ther a law that you should use a wagon as it is before you buy one? I mean, how many times have you put 2 grown ups on the 3rd row? Then all the people who buys pick ups and loads them with people are morons to you. They should be loaded with gravel or dirt ey.
And a W210 converted to air ride is well engineered for you? Do you know the car that well to say that? You saw one awesome pic and its well engineered? What if that was a photo when the air ride bottomed out? Cmon mate.
You say one thing is better coz thats how you think of it and if one disagrees with you their wrong? Im not bashing anybody here, but i think YOU ARE! dont you think youre too old to actually understand the younger generation when it comes to mods?
Your definition of a great mod is....18" wheels on a car and...ahh......oh thats about it.
And you say you get all the compliments, from who? From your 75yr old bowling club team mates?
Now you are coming to Plutoe's level with your arguments.
As I mention, the white wagon was talked about in other thread so we do have more information about it. My friend was tuning the 55 engine on it.
There is no doubt that operator converted his car to something he likes, but pressing others to like it as well and lower the car value is over the line.
The whole title is very misleading as it suggest something is wrong with airmatic design.
What was the cost for the conversion? My airmatic failed at 20k miles and a friend recommended i look into the conversion. I didn't worry about it then because it was replaced under warranty but my warranty is almost up now.
Originally Posted by operator12
Car was purchased in 2014 with 96k on it. Installed lowering links (sensor position links) around 100k. Passenger front air strut blew out around 118k. Honestly, I was sick of Air Matic. I was sick of the bumpy ride at 4" below stock height. Decided it was time to move over to a coilover suspension and rid myself of any future issues.
Drove about 1,500 miles while I was waiting for my custom bolt-in coilovers to show up from my buddies shop. Customs 'lost' the coilovers, so I turned to my friends at BC Racing. After I sourced all the parts, had the wheels refinished, etc. I dropped the car at my local German repair / specialty shop for the install.
In short, the money spent was worth it in the end. Definitely love ride quality and handling. I don't think I'll ever go back to air matic.
Parts Purchased:
(2) Used OE MB Axles (eBay)
(2) Used w211 e350 Rear Lower Control Arms
BC Racing J-07 Coilover kit - Extreme Drop 18k F / 15k R springs
Now you are coming to Plutoe's level with your arguments.
As I mention, the white wagon was talked about in other thread so we do have more information about it. My friend was tuning the 55 engine on it.
There is no doubt that operator converted his car to something he likes, but pressing others to like it as well and lower the car value is over the line.
The whole title is very misleading as it suggest something is wrong with airmatic design.
Am i? In this case ill take it as a compliment as long as its not in your level as obviously yours is way lower than our level.
Just take this thread as an example, how many members posted including OP, you and i? Im counting 6. How many thinks OP did a great job? 5. Hiw many thinks otherwise and tries to imply that OP made a wrong decision? 1. Should i keep goin?
The whole title is very misleading as it suggest something is wrong with airmatic design.
And for the love of God...would you mind explaining this? How was the tile misleading? Maybe for idiots. Oops, Im sorry, were you mislead by the title?
Just take this thread as an example, how many members posted including OP, you and i? Im counting 6. How many thinks OP did a great job? 5. Hiw many thinks otherwise and tries to imply that OP made a wrong decision? 1. Should i keep goin?
Originally Posted by beejAMG
And for the love of God...would you mind explaining this? How was the tile misleading? Maybe for idiots. Oops, Im sorry, were you mislead by the title?
I know Australia converted English different way than America, so seems we do have language barrier here?
So FYI the prized item on the pictures in American English is call car. There is no coilover visible.
Don't know what you call coilover down there? But I don't see it anywhere pictured and even less prized.
I know Australia converted English different way than America, so seems we do have language barrier here?
So FYI the prized item on the pictures in American English is call car. There is no coilover visible.
Don't know what you call coilover down there? But I don't see it anywhere pictured and even less prized.
I reckon youre the only one who understands your posts. Wtf are you talkjng about? And you have the guts to lecture me about english? Lol
You cant teach stupid. And you kajtek are a moron!
OP, again, great job and good call on the convert. Dont worry about idiots who tell you otherwise. The best mod kajtek did to his car is change to FUGLY 18" CHROME WHEELS. You cant expect anything for that kind of guy. no credibility when it comes to mods whatsover.
OP wagon looks dope. I'm waiting to do the same conversion as it's more reliable/practical in aggressive driving.
The w210 wagon is on aftermarket air.... Which is not airmatic..... so yeah, argument ended there.
and at 15k rear spring rates there wont be much compression in ride height with two grown fat a$$ adults in the third row.
beeJ, I used to get into battles with kaj like you are, over time i realized i need to be smarter then what i'm working with. he's helpful at times but enjoys arguing and getting upset/salty with people who are innovative and modify THEIR car.... Why it bothers him so much is beyond me but it does and I just had to call it quits in regards to explaining why people do what they want to their own cars. Couple all of that with fact he doesn't modify anything, or at least he doesn't show/say he does, but always throws a fit when someone else does.
two words describe him: antagonizing/bitter. my advice, let him do him.
All for OP converting. Airmatic is shytty (fact). ABC is shyyty (fact). A coil on spring is the most reliable thing ever. But seeing as reliability and practicality aren't always in mind when the ****'s engineer cars is on them.
I think this thread was hijacked by Thread Starter when he titled it as airmatic conversion and show-off lowered car instead, so no much harm to go a step farther?
There is no doubt we are in different age here, so I would try to clear a bit the young guys/old folks different point of views.
I am not talking about calendar age, but about mental maturity, what doesn't always follow the calendar.
I think the main difference is- that mature guys have guts to debate their point of view and take the criticism.
Young guys will be offended and start personal attacks with name calling.
Than mature folks will be (more) honest.
Why this Thread Starter is not telling the truth "I wasted perfectly good wagon and made it unusable for its primary design because I want to show off"?
Why the misleading statements that this is because of airmatic having this or other characteristics?
I would expect mature guy making topic in line like "I wanted to show-off and rebuild the wagon to make it much lower than engineers design. I know the car will have limited use, but I am fine with that"
Is that such a big deal????
Similar with cmriv. He is professional technician who could contribute to the forum in great way, would he not have that "young guys ego"
He is showing off his fast ways to do the repairs, but "forgets" to mention that he is bending customer parts to save time on removal for access.
Mature guy not likely would admit damaging parts, but would not have much problems to write
"I did the job not the recommended way, but taking slight risk, I saved a lot labor"
So is it about different opinions or is it about getting wiser when we mature?
Happy motoring.
on another note, mental maturity? oh and "young guys will be offended". Like you for example. Thread title: airmatic to coil conversion complete, photos attached. Post#3, someone strictly questioning another man in a condescending way about why he did what he wanted to do to HIS vehicle? Seems mature right? Funny thing is YOU in fact are the offended one, because you sure seem bitter about homeboy lowering his vehicle, IE the only one who had the first and only negative thing to say. My personal name calling isn't me attacking you, it's me saying how i feel about you, you just just took it the wrong way.
I don't think OP is concerned about hauling heavy loads and or worried about the functionality of his ADJUSTABLE suspension he installed... limited use, unaware this was a cummins powerstroke or duramax.... mild grocery getting yeah, no heavy loads though... must of misread something in the midst...
You can call Mercedes Benz of Arlington in Virginia, ask for the Service manager... You can pm me and i'll provide you with his email address and direct phone number. You can ask him yourself what my workmanship/work-ethic are like and also what my production/efficiency numbers are, employee #901448 and please i BEGGGGG you get back to me/us on your findings.
Fixing the car right the first time is thee only thing that matters. Every tech breaks stuff it's all apart of the game we play as blue collar workers providing a skill trade. Plus now you need a Engineering degree to fix majority of newer mercedes so your theory of me bending this and that only applys to my own vehicle.
And how dare you name call me! "young guy's ego". contradicting/hypocrite....
funny thing is, you get off on bantering/hating on people for the most irrelevant things in regards to threads, it's quite baffling.
09-06-2016, 08:18 PM
