Venom AMG: do you have a recommendation as to which springs specifically? Thanks in advance.

 

I went with the OME Medium FRONT Springs 3028 and OME Medium REAR Springs 3030. ARB 60113 and 60114. I also replace my stock 19 wheels with 22" and MT tires. Ride still has drastically improved from stock suspension.

 

Venom-AMG: when you went with this, did you have to get longer brake hoses? Did the springs raise the height at all? If so, by how much? Thanks again in advance.

 

Who is the vendor of those springs?

If the springs have a a different, softer damping profile on the 550/500, I agree.

He should change his tires to a Standard ALL-Season H rated touring like the Goodyear Max-Life. VaderOne is using a pretty radical off road tire.
I have a Touring Tire for summer and Goodyear Dura-Traks for fall-early spring and off-roading.

You don't need a G55 engine for off-roading unless you are doing something radical.

 

I bought the OME springs from 4wheelparts when they had a sale. You are correct about not needing a G55 engine for offroad. To get the smoother ride the person should go with 18 wheels and all season tires but they don't look good. I will only go offroad when I go shooting in the desert but I run 22" rims with gladiator tires which looks good and are pretty radical. Even with my setup the ride is still better then stock suspension.

 

No need for longer brake lines. Did raise the truck almost 2"

 

Hi did you change the springs for the G63 does it fits? Thanks

 

Can you share what type of spring to use ? Color code for front and back ?

Does the G550 Spring fit 2004 G55 ?

 

I have a G 500. I just replaced the black stock Bilstein shocks with the Bilstein Blue/Yellow 4600 series. I have stock springs, wheels, and winter Goodyear Dura Traks.. I've put about 500 miles on them on all kinds of smooth, crappy, paved roads and off-road trips.

Unlike conventional wisdom, I find the ride is smoother than the stock shocks. Yet steering is more precise. Also, after several miles of driving on bumpy roads, they don't seem to compress as much as the black shocks probably due to the fact the oil is under gas pressure and does not cavitate like the black shocks.. Thus they retain their damping characteristics and put less stress on the spring - I guess - leading to a more comfortable ride. They don't seem to bottom out on potholes etc.like the stock shocks. Longer drives are less fatiguing. The truck seems to "sit up" better on the suspension. They are more like proper running shoes than sneakers.

This is a seat of the pants report but I've had the 4600 series in many different cars over the years and have always been impressed by their upgrade in performance and comfort. I got them from carid.com. A real Mercedes ride.

 

Hi everyone
Here is what seems you guys do not know about your G 55s suspension

First you are right the problem is the springs they ride stiff
What you do not know is your G 55 s have dual springs on every corner that is why is so stiff and it needs them because of the big motor
The G 55 has the springs you know of and also springs you do not know they exist inside your stock shocks in a form of a bump stop cilastio type of the past and set to be effective at stock ride height with your stock G 55 springs
That means these little super tough springs inside the stock shocks are in effect all the time aiding spring rate to the main coils all the time and and lot more at the dynamics of the suspension if driven spirited
Now this is to protect you if you want to drive your 55 in a sporty way

If you will be driving slower than that and only want comfort you can loose your rough stock ride with out buying new springs and not even new shocks!

Here is how
Take out your rear shocks only remove the metal rock guard covers and inside surrounding the shaft of the shocks is the cilastions that you can slide out of the shafts
Put the rock covers back on the shocks leaving the cilastios out and install your shocks back on the truck

Voila!
G 550 ,g 500 new shock ride with out buying new shocks

The front shocks have them also but they do not come apart
All your bad ride is the rear leave the front along as it is safer stock
Now if you can drive nicely all the time you can replace the fronts also and have even a smoother drive
A 90 series raid koni is a lot better choice for comfort at the front end as it will outlast the G 550 shocks and ride as good if not better but not the rear koni as it is better for other springs at the rear with non stock heights as I have

Best

Mario

 

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[QUOTE=SoCal_AMG350;7178162]Wondering if you ever got an answer to this? I'm in the process of doing the swap and from everything I can find, Bilstein likely supplied the stock OEM G500/G550 shocks. Are these the same parts as the MB shocks, just half the price?


Thanks.[/QUOTE

just installed those on my 09 G55, ride much better now]

 

Anyone have a DIY on how to change the shocks/springs?

 

If you want the procedures search here or on other boards, see ALLdata or WIS or go to utube. A lift, a spring compressor and a long jack to prop up the suspension arm are recommended. Don't forget to observe all torque settings.It is much easier to change the shocks than the springs.

Go with the monotube Bilstein HD 4600 series rather than the Bilstein black twin-tube replacement for both the G55 and the G5X0 series.
They are less expensive too. Consider sending you old black twin tube shocks to Bilstein for a rebuild. If the ride doesn't get better trade for a 500 or a 550.

512bbi, I have no argument with Konis but I have not used them in this application.

My source is CARid because they actually will tell you if they have the Bilsteins in stock.

Since I bought this car used in 2004, I was considering aftermarket springs after having multiple failures. However, "new" stock springs seem more durable than those of even 10 years ago. I guess they ran of the C Class parts inventory...