Rear airmatic lowering
Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 162
Likes: 13
From: San Diego
'05 E55
Can't quite get used to how these pics are now posting. Used to be easier. The pics are looking up under the rear sway bar, just to the driver's side of the middle of the car. The first pic is after removing the two nuts on the underside of the sensor bracket attachment. The next pic is after the holes have been slotted DOWN about .25 of an inch. The next pic is after reattaching the nuts in the new slotted position. Finally, the finished product...can't figure out why everyone does not do it.
Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 162
Likes: 13
From: San Diego
'05 E55
Front end lowering
Thought I would repost pics of the front as well. The front is much easier. The first pics generally shows where the sensors are. The next one shows the sensor bracket in the stock form. The next shows the 4 small washers attached to the underside of the bracket. The front is really easy to do. The rear is a bit more work, mostly just finding the damn sensor mount nuts.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 1
From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by EPower
The next pic is after the holes have been slotted DOWN about .25 of an inch. The next pic is after reattaching the nuts in the new slotted position. Finally, the finished product...can't figure out why everyone does not do it.
Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 162
Likes: 13
From: San Diego
'05 E55
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
EPower... Slotting the hole by .25 gives you a .25 drop??? How much of a drop did you get doing this??? Are all mods being done on JUSTthe sensor brackets (front and rear) or actual structual members of your car????
No stuctural or other suspension changes at all! That's why is it so easy and safe to do. The slight change in mounting position of the sensors adjusts the relative ride height, and no other suspension changes or modifications are necessary. What is nice is that if you do not like the change, or want to put back to stock, it's about a 30 minute job...
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 1
From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by Samoan_Ridah
Just bought my Dremel tool and I'm getting ready to do this. Any last words of advice? 
Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 162
Likes: 13
From: San Diego
'05 E55
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
One more question.... I assume you had to have the car realigned after the mod???? How low do you suppose you can you drop the car without the realignment???
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,362
Likes: 1
From: Staples Center
w211 & w124
Well, I'm half way through the project and the washers I bought are too small so I only have the rear done. This means that the front is like raised like a 4x4 and the rears are almost slammed.
Was going to go to Home Depot to get bigger washers but car is saying "Stop, Car Too Low".
Was going to go to Home Depot to get bigger washers but car is saying "Stop, Car Too Low".
Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Sugar Land, TX
CLS55
take a pic!
hope you were able to get the correct size washers...what size did you need?
hope you were able to get the correct size washers...what size did you need?
Originally Posted by Samoan_Ridah
Well, I'm half way through the project and the washers I bought are too small so I only have the rear done. This means that the front is like raised like a 4x4 and the rears are almost slammed.
Was going to go to Home Depot to get bigger washers but car is saying "Stop, Car Too Low".
Was going to go to Home Depot to get bigger washers but car is saying "Stop, Car Too Low".
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,362
Likes: 1
From: Staples Center
w211 & w124
I ended up getting 1/4" flat washers. I first bought #8 washers but were just a tad too small. Used four for each side and was so easy to do. The rear was easy as well with the Dremel but I went through three different bits to finally get it down far enough.
The problem is that my car is not perfectly level. There is about a 5/8" difference from the driver and passenger side.
The problem is that my car is not perfectly level. There is about a 5/8" difference from the driver and passenger side.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 540
From: Philadelphia, PA (USA)
2025 E53 Hybrid
Back the car up some wheel ramps
I considered lowering my E500 4MATIC but I was having trouble with the OE tires cupping. I decided to keep the car stock until I am convinced that the latest alignment is okay and the new tires installed at 44K miles are wearing evenly. If you back the car up on some plastic Rhino Ramps, you will be able to access the bracket shown in the posts above.
Originally Posted by hotwiredbenz
Does the car need to be raised to do the rear adjustments?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
'03 E500
just jack it up in the front a bit. you should be able to reach your whole arm in there. Once you get it, i promise you'll be able to do it again in like 5 minutes the next time you adjust.
I'm doing to this again. Last time I didn't put enough washers cuz I was close to running out of thread. How much thread to you all have left when putting the nut on? Also, how much does a dremel typically cost? Gonna attempt the back this weekend.
I'm doing to this again. Last time I didn't put enough washers cuz I was close to running out of thread. How much thread to you all have left when putting the nut on? Also, how much does a dremel typically cost? Gonna attempt the back this weekend.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,394
Likes: 6
From: San Diego
2015 S212
Originally Posted by monstaloc
just jack it up in the front a bit. you should be able to reach your whole arm in there. Once you get it, i promise you'll be able to do it again in like 5 minutes the next time you adjust.
I'm doing to this again. Last time I didn't put enough washers cuz I was close to running out of thread. How much thread to you all have left when putting the nut on? Also, how much does a dremel typically cost? Gonna attempt the back this weekend.
I'm doing to this again. Last time I didn't put enough washers cuz I was close to running out of thread. How much thread to you all have left when putting the nut on? Also, how much does a dremel typically cost? Gonna attempt the back this weekend.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
'03 E500
As I was reading other posts, I was going to dremel out the bolt up front and put a longer one in there.
But are you saying I can achieve lowering the front and rear of the car just by bending the bracket? I haven't been under the car so I really don't know what the sensor looks like. From the picture, it looks like some kind of plate.
SO push up in the rear or pull down in the front to lower. I'll check it out. Thanks.
But are you saying I can achieve lowering the front and rear of the car just by bending the bracket? I haven't been under the car so I really don't know what the sensor looks like. From the picture, it looks like some kind of plate.
SO push up in the rear or pull down in the front to lower. I'll check it out. Thanks.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 281
Likes: 2
'07 s550 4matic
Originally Posted by Samoan_Ridah
I ended up getting 1/4" flat washers. I first bought #8 washers but were just a tad too small. Used four for each side and was so easy to do. The rear was easy as well with the Dremel but I went through three different bits to finally get it down far enough.
The problem is that my car is not perfectly level. There is about a 5/8" difference from the driver and passenger side.
The problem is that my car is not perfectly level. There is about a 5/8" difference from the driver and passenger side.
I've noticed that my rear is not perfectly level either (both before and after drop). The passenger side is about 1/4" higher. Since there is only one sensor in the rear, is there any way to correct this?
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,394
Likes: 6
From: San Diego
2015 S212
Originally Posted by hotwiredbenz
I've noticed that my rear is not perfectly level either (both before and after drop). The passenger side is about 1/4" higher. Since there is only one sensor in the rear, is there any way to correct this?
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, California
'05 E500 Blk Opal/Stone, 321 AMG Package, Lighting Package, Harmon K., Parktronic, Keyless Go, Nav
Originally Posted by jangy
Don't do the washers. If you do not want to buy a module, then modify the bracket. For the rear, you do not need a dremel. You can literally bend the bracket that the sensor sits on. Just undo the bolts and bend it a hair at a time and then redo the bolts till you get it right. Keep in mind that you want to push up in the rear to lower, while you want to pull down up front to lower.
I did the washers... put 5 of them up there. Lowered about 1.2" in the front. Dremeled the rear sensor bracket for a slight rake.
I want to go lower in the front. What's this buy a module or modify the bracket business?
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,394
Likes: 6
From: San Diego
2015 S212
Buy a RENNTech Module for $1150 and you can set how low you want it.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, California
'05 E500 Blk Opal/Stone, 321 AMG Package, Lighting Package, Harmon K., Parktronic, Keyless Go, Nav
