E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

Airmatic to coilover conversion complete!!!!

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Old Apr 14, 2018 | 11:16 AM
  #1  
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03 mercedes e500 5.0 v8 04 honda accord 3.0 v6
Airmatic to coilover conversion complete!!!!





I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​

Last edited by TSENIOR; Apr 14, 2018 at 11:19 AM. Reason: Forgot pictures
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Old Apr 30, 2018 | 03:51 PM
  #2  
Maroc_Specops's Avatar
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Joined: Jun 2017
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From: Netherlands
W211 E320 CDI Sportpackage With Carlsson CD32 Chip 2004
[QUOTE=TSENIOR;7430266]



I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​[/QUOT

well done M8.

i did it on w220 s classe. It rode better then airmatic.
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Old Jan 29, 2020 | 03:15 AM
  #3  
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X218 CLS500 4-Matic 9G-Tronic / X204 GLK250 CDI 4-Matic 7G-Tronic
Originally Posted by TSENIOR




I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​
What parts do you need for the rear? I had already the lower control arms with the covers. Is there a spring retainer on the upper side of the spring needed?
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Old Oct 12, 2021 | 02:54 AM
  #4  
Mhud1986's Avatar
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W211 e320cdi avantgarde estate (2006)
Coilover conversion

[QUOTE=TSENIOR;7430266]



I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​

hi, I have recently converted to bc racing br series coilovers on my s211 e320cdi, it had air suspension just on the rear which was damaged so thought it would be a good time to do the conversion and switch to coilovers all round. The trouble is now that I have got esp and abs warning lights on and power steering is heavy which I think is linked to the above warning lights, also when I first drive the car it starts trying to pull on its own until the warning lights come on then this stops. Could anyone help please?????
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Old Oct 12, 2021 | 08:53 AM
  #5  
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C320
[QUOTE=TSENIOR;7430266]



I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​[/QUOTE
Im just quoting all the text and images with syntax errors because that's what every body else is doing.
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Old Oct 12, 2021 | 09:17 AM
  #6  
Mhud1986's Avatar
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W211 e320cdi avantgarde estate (2006)
Thanks for the reply, could do with info on getting rid of fault codes and possible fuses to pull as running quite poorly. Thanks
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Old Oct 12, 2021 | 11:33 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Mhud1986
Thanks for the reply, could do with info on getting rid of fault codes and possible fuses to pull as running quite poorly. Thanks
You should start a new thread.
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Old Mar 27, 2022 | 10:25 PM
  #8  
Rupert green's Avatar
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09 cls 550
Originally Posted by TSENIOR




I have a 2003 mercedes e500. 5.0 v8. Non-4matic. With airmatic well i absolutely hated the way it handled and wasnt about to pay 1000 for 2 front air struts for the rears to go out whenever they feel like it. So i made the big decision to rip the whole car apart and switch from airmatic to coilovers. I did alot of research on the best coilovers for the best price and i came up with bcracing coilovers BR series. The kit is $1000 for 2 front coilovers, 2 rear struts, and 2 rear springs. Had to buy 08 e350 rear lower control arms as well. $500. It took me a couple days due to work and there were a few little snags here and there but over all runs drives and feels a million times better. It drives like comfort mode and handles like sport mode 10...... It handles like a true mercedes should. I love it. The 1500 dollar investment is well worth it. It took about 8 to 10 hours to complete completely. It comes at around stock height but i went alot lower than stock due to running at the track soon but you could keep at stock height and you wouldnt even know you converted besides handles a million times better. You still feel the big bumps but no major bouncing or anything of that sort. Its a older car than can now handle the corners with the power it puts down. Had bmws roasting me around corners till the straight aways.... Not anymore. For anyone debating do ittttttt!!!!! I have all info including short cuts, wrench sizes and special tools and certain fuses to pull. Oh yeah, not a single warning light on my dash!!!!!!
​​​​​​
Goodnight guys, so I'm interested in applying the bc racing coilovers on my cls as I'm tired of the compressor issues and now I've seen to have lost the front passenger bag...... The car is an 09 model. I've already gather that I'll need a lower control arm from a e class to support the spring correct?
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