Sit on the Jack stand too long without supports does damage the Airmatic?
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Joined: Nov 2017
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From: Florida
2013 E550 4MATIC
Sit on the Jack stand too long without supports does damage the Airmatic?
I am planning to have all my curb scratches Aluminum rims to be powder coated. My plan is to have the car on Jack Stands several days while the rims being send out. Does sitting on the Jack Stand that long periods really damage the Airmatic bags it self or the suspension? Please help!!!
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2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
I am planning to have all my curb scratches Aluminum rims to be powder coated. My plan is to have the car on Jack Stands several days while the rims being send out. Does sitting on the Jack Stand that long periods really damage the Airmatic bags it self or the suspension? Please help!!!
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: NY
2014 E550; 2003 E500
If you are that concerned about it, disconnect the battery and then lift it. Only problem I can see is if battery is hooked up, air will release from the system every time doors open - height sensors are reading increased values. This will be a problem when putting back the wheels and taking the car off the jacks as it will lose height and car will be very low/slammed.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
If you are that concerned about it, disconnect the battery and then lift it. Only problem I can see is if battery is hooked up, air will release from the system every time doors open - height sensors are reading increased values. This will be a problem when putting back the wheels and taking the car off the jacks as it will lose height and car will be very low/slammed.
When I jack my MB it depletes the spring on the wheel I raise up but interestingly it does not let air out of all springs when car is raised up at all corners at the same time like at shop when they put the car on the lift and service all tires etc. Seems MB made the system to understand that if all wheels drop at the same time the car is on shop lift and no need to let air out.
When I work on the tires or brake pads and jack the car up the spring goes flat but then when I put the tire back I don’t lower the jack all the way down. I leave it slightly below the normal height and start the car so it will then pump air back in. It is very difficult to even get the jack out if I drop it all the way.
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From: Savannah, GA
2010 W212 E550 4matic
There's a routine which detects when the car has all its wheels in the air and it will stop feeding air to them. All W212s with Airmatic have it. It comes on automatically, there's no need for any user input. I had mine on jackstands for more than a week and the suspension is fine.
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2011 E550, 1999 E320
Thats what I would do. Each time I’ve done it it doesn’t lose any if my settings for the Bluetooth or radio so there’s no reason not to.
If you are that concerned about it, disconnect the battery and then lift it. Only problem I can see is if battery is hooked up, air will release from the system every time doors open - height sensors are reading increased values. This will be a problem when putting back the wheels and taking the car off the jacks as it will lose height and car will be very low/slammed.
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
There's a routine which detects when the car has all its wheels in the air and it will stop feeding air to them. All W212s with Airmatic have it. It comes on automatically, there's no need for any user input. I had mine on jackstands for more than a week and the suspension is fine.
Never have seen a sensor who could detect wheel in the air.
The issue with bags is that they not suppose to be stretch. Usually it is shock absorber who will hold the weight of the axle when car is lifted.
But if that is going to take long I would put blocks under axles as well. All suspension bushings are design to work within certain degree of movement. By letting axles hang, you are shearing the rubber inside the bushings.
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Joined: Jul 2017
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From: Savannah, GA
2010 W212 E550 4matic
From what I've read on WIS, this routine disables air input into the bladders when it detects the car is being lifted. If you can decode the programming inside the Airmatic control unit you would know the specifics of how it operates. I don't know how to do that but I know that it exists. It uses the accelerometer and ride height sensors to figure out if you're lifting the car . When the car is set on the ground again it won't reinflate the bags fully, at least mine doesn't. Makes it tricky to remove the jack from under the vehicle, that's why I lower mine on 2-3 inches of wide wood planks.
I agree supporting the axles while they're lifted might be better but I don't think it's absolutely necessary. The W212 engineers must have accounted for the car being lifted with the wheels hanging.
As far as the rubber shearing, I don't see how that's possible if you're not introducing driving loads on the axles while they're suspended like that.
I agree supporting the axles while they're lifted might be better but I don't think it's absolutely necessary. The W212 engineers must have accounted for the car being lifted with the wheels hanging.
As far as the rubber shearing, I don't see how that's possible if you're not introducing driving loads on the axles while they're suspended like that.
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From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
What would be the routine?
Never have seen a sensor who could detect wheel in the air.
The issue with bags is that they not suppose to be stretch. Usually it is shock absorber who will hold the weight of the axle when car is lifted.
But if that is going to take long I would put blocks under axles as well. All suspension bushings are design to work within certain degree of movement. By letting axles hang, you are shearing the rubber inside the bushings.
Never have seen a sensor who could detect wheel in the air.
The issue with bags is that they not suppose to be stretch. Usually it is shock absorber who will hold the weight of the axle when car is lifted.
But if that is going to take long I would put blocks under axles as well. All suspension bushings are design to work within certain degree of movement. By letting axles hang, you are shearing the rubber inside the bushings.
The air spring bags are not stretched when wheel hangs down. In the rear it is still a conventional shock absorber doing it. In the front it is the strut with internal shock absorber that does it.
The air spring is just a spring that allows controlling the ride height to the same set height regardless of the amount of load in the car. It allows using slightly softer or harder springs and even allows raising the car higher for very rough driving surfaces.
