Hey guys my ML is a 1999 430 with about 100K miles...when is the recommended replacement for the shocks? Thanks in advance

 

I'd like to know as well, I am trying to talk my father into putting Bilsteins on the ML55.

 

Me too, I See that bilsteins $134 are cheaper than OEM $210 also,...but I can only find a listing for the fronts...

 

because the rears are not shocks, only the front has shocks. The rear is a coil/shock combo.

 

I believe pre 01/99 models list only fronts. The shocks for 1/99+ trucks are F4-BE5-6456-H0 (front) and F4-BE5-2985-H0 rear. These are B'Stein part #. I plan to get a set for my 05 soon. Here's a helpful link:http://www.bilstein.com/303truckssuvs.pdf

 

You will find that the Bilsteins will ride lots harder and also last not nearly as long as the OEM shocks, about half the life of OEM's.

 

so what is the recommended shock/shock-coilover?

 

OEM

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/ml_springs.html

 

I have bilsteins on my ml320 rear.
have to swap out the coil springs is all.
Took mine to a shock place and had them do the coil swap.
I think the shocks were $140 each.

this was 3 years ago. do not know about the availability these days.

 

Just a heads up. for oem replacement.
front. Monroe reflex 911219 about $50 each
rear. Sach Premium strut assembly 290055 about $120 each. 290208 for HD applications.

 

Now let me get this straight: you drive a 02 S430, a 00ML55, a 95 540i Sport and a 91 NSX and you will recommend a Monroe for the ML??? I understand that price doesn't necessarilly equate to quality but Monroe shocks are great ... only if you plan to drive the truck only for about 12K miles or so. There is a HUGE difference between the B'Stein/Eibach/whatever compared with the Monroes!!!! You really didn't find a difference after several thousand miles of driving? I really will not recommend a Monroe (not that I have any supporting data to not recommend Monroe) for long term ML performance. I have used Monroe products before on other vehicles and they just that - CHEAP replacements!!!

 

Just trying to give whats available other than Bilstein.. I hate bilstein sport and HD they ride like crap. Bilstein TC is fine however.

I run Koni on my NSX. the 2 MB car is on stock strut. 540i is on Bilstein TC.
Monroe is OK, not great performance shock but better than blown shock and will not be as hard as bilstein. Sach is good quality OEM replacements.

 

OK, I can live with that. The ride of the B'Stein is a matter of choice. I like the hard ride (not harsh!!!) since I do 98% highway. If I lived in DC, NYC or downtown ANYMAJORCITY-USA, forget it!!! The ride would be too harsh with B'Steins, and frankly, there's no substitute for OEM in that case.

 

hi i have a 2002 ml320 sport need front shocks , wer can i buy te and do you know the part number

 

my ml430 still has the original shocks on it. The rears are totally blown. Would like to find a shock with the same feel as the original. We do in town mostly so would prefer a shock with a similar less stiff feel to it. Would prefer to buy the original but is it worth it? They are close to 500 a piece!

 

Thank you for your advice. I went with the Monroe for the front. I still need a set for the back.

My OEM have almost looked up, a kind of frozen stiff. My ML430 1999 has less than 38000 miles, just got it from the original owner, but let me tell you, the bounciest ride ever and it's getting worse by the minute. The ride in a Ferrari F40 was softer them my ML430 right now. I have never seen anything like this in 40 years of driving almost everything with wheels. I’m just wondering if anyone else experienced the same, on the other hand, who else has 21-year-old ML 430 with 37k miles.

 

I don't know when they need replacing. Just get them check by a reputable suspension place.

Just as a side note. I just completed a lift and have found that Toyota Landcruiser 100 series IFS model front shocks are a basic replacement. All I had to do was modify some washers to fit the larger piston shaft and they limit the travel a bit better than the 1996 Hilux rear shocks.

 

Well, the Test was done by me, when I changed them Today. Holy moly, they looked like new, no leaks not even dirty but..... I was able to push them in, but they would not come out again, even when I pulled on them with over 100 lb force. The fronts are great now, but guess what, you feel that the back Struts are just as gone as the fronts were. So I ordered the Sachs easy struts today, then I will have a real Benz again!!! I will take some pictures when I do the back. I tell you in Car's as in real life looks can be deceiving.

 

I am at 243K miles on my 2000 ML320 on original factory rear shocks. Fronts were replaced with Bilstein's at 150K miles as preventive maintenance...next replacement interval 300K miles...
Not a single problem with my shocks in 20 years...

I am told, not to touch the rear shocks unless they build a leak or exhibit any complain...

 

I have just replaced all 4 shocks and two rear springs on my ML500 this end.
I bought Bilstein B6 all round direct from Bilstein in Germany, also replaced the rear top mounts, also Bilstein.
Shocks come in two forms.
From factory, they are normally single action, which makes a comfy ride on the road, but leans in corners.
They will push down quick, but takes ages to get back up again.
Also when shocks are knackered, they will also go down almost with no resistance.
I opted for 30% uprated off-road , dual action mono tubes, so now it does not lean on cornering.
A bit of money, but other alternatives are out there also.
I never lowered the vehicle, so bought standard Bilstein rear springs.
I paid just over £800 for all 4, including the springs and top mounts as there was a 30% discount running for 30 days on the bilstein website, so was very happy. vehicle has only done 74K miles, but is 18 years old and driven before i got it on UK pot-holed roads that kill suspension in a few years, no matter what you have. Was surprised they were never changed in the vehicles lifetime, as original factory ones were still on the vehicle when I bought it recently.
Only problem I never forsaw, is now vehicle sits 3 inches higher than before all around, so almost looks like it has been raised.


Bilstein B6 upgrade, also replaced all 4 corners on the brakes at same time

I had to use 4 spring compressers on the rear springs to get them compressed

 

​​​​​​​can you show pics of before and after installation of the B6's ?

Thanks for the info... can you include the part numbers? ...did you get a custom rating from bilstein ?

 

Hi amgdvl.

I may struggle with some of what you ask.
Taking photos of stuff I do is not always something i do,
I will dig out some photos i have of the front, but this was just a simple shock swap out, and probably the easiet I have ever done on any vehicle in my life, no joke. I also have carers around me daily, and the girls are not happy if I take images of them and plaster them on websites. Yes, I use the young girl carers as my mechanics along with the older girls and males. I have no problem getting there pretty finger-nails marked and chipped, and putting them inside a boiler-suit and they love it, obviously I would not force them, but they know my prediciment with being severely disabled with brain damage, so they are more than helpful in everything I do this end, even up ladders, gardening, using petrol mowers, strimmers, chopping firewood, the lot. Plus I give them financial rewards for helping me also on certain jobs, not quite in there job descriptions as carers.

It took me about a week around the web with all the worlds different shock makers to track down eventually what i settled on, as they do not make it easy to understand there coding systems and part numbers for what parts fit what vehicles, But once you are 100% certain you have the exact part numbers, then you can search the web until you find a good price, anywhere in the world really. I do not mind waiting sometimes 4 weeks for items to arrive, but some people cannot wait this long.

Here are the part numbers for all 4 Bilstein shocks, .
Bilstein B6-Offroad Damper 24-126649 (Front)
Bilstein B6 Offroad Damper 24-029858 (Rear)
The above are serious off-road and racing shocks as used on the German Nurenburg race ring where they test and use them.

They also do a B4 rated shock, a lot less money for standard fitting/replacement of factory fitted one from Mercedes.
I was a bit out on my estimating what i paid for all this. All 4 shocks above, including postage were £870.16 (I saved £368.64 as special offer, 30% off)
https://www.bilstein-shocks.co.uk/

Rear springs:
Bilstein B3 rear kit OEM High Quality Pair 36-134335 £128.03 delivered
tdcautomotive.com (TDC Automotive)

Top mounts:
Bilstein 12-173495 Top Strut Mounting x2 £77.38 delivered
Autodoc GmbH, Germany

I could have used other makers like Sasch or Monroe, but at a 30% discount on the high end shocks, I decided to splash out.
There is also a Bilstein B8 set, which is for lowering your Merc ML 2001-2005 models., but you will also have to get your front torsion bars altered in there splines I suspect, as the front would them be sticking up in the air.(I never did this, so cannot confirm if they need re-aligned in the splines to allow them to be lowered, as these are the front spring equivelant.)

This is also not fair on the person who started this post, so sorry for sort of high-jacking this thread on you with my above rambling.

These probably fit directly onto your ML55 AMG also, as both the same vehicles, just you have a better engine than mine and a body kit and a few other items. Good luck.

 

Wow!, couple of things, thanks for such detailed info... it helps a lot!... I asked b/c as you said ML500/ML55 are essentially same vehicle...

I know many have issues with Bilstein, namely the price... (and also using the wrong shock for their application), but having had good experience with them on all my vehicles .. i thought it made sense to give them a chance on this vehicle.

I also think this kind of post adds value (part numbers, prices, experience).. so I would disagree with your notion of "thread hijack" ! )

No worries on the pics... and thanks for clarifying bc when i first read your post... i was thinking "what?... 'girls'? .... as in multiple? working on his ML?.... " )

(If you could or have someone measure from center cap to bottom edge of wheel arch... that would also help... feel free to pm me or add to this thread)

 

amgdvl,
Yes multiple girls, one at 17, goes to university next year, upto 62 years old ladies.
Also one male at 62 years old. 4 in total on shifts over each month. My life is very different to most in the world, but i just get on with it as best I can.
Too many issues and problems to mention, so easy to say just disabled with brain damage. Lost concepts of a lot of things people take for granted.

Cannot walk very far as fall over as balance is affected with the brain injury. I do not know most of this, but have sheets of paper in front of me to read off if people ask what is wrong. so in a way I am lucky, but somehow know the people who help me must have a horrible job.

I am working through this ML500, taking me what I am told is weeks, but to me seems only a few hours.
I will get some measurements tomorrow and take some images of the ride height of the front now, as still working on the rear, among also under the bonnet.

 

Also the minute you change any vehicle to dual action shocks, you will instantly think the vehicle is knackered, as they will stiffen the vehicle so much that any single worn or on its way out, bush, bearing, joint, and any moving part will suddenly be amplified in terms of clatter, banging through the steering wheel etc,
Anti-roll bar bushes, not only need changing, but also the rollbars themselves that people seem to think do not wear out somehow.
A couple of MM's worn to a shiny surface where bushes go is telling you it needs changed as it has polished metal OFF the surface, so even new bushes will still give bother and feel tippy at high speed. This is where many garages and mechanics fall down as they are not technically mided enough to know and will never have driven close to 200 MPH in there lifes, so will never know how darn hard it is to control the vehicle, even in a straight line. remember these go up to 150 MPH, and my other car goes way beyond this as do my motorbikes (Which now I can never ride again). I only put one vehicle in my profile as not much to do with Merc or any use on this forum.