Question about shocks
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,880
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From: Seattle
05 E55
Question about shocks
Well, my car has been lowered (H&R springs & Blistein sport shocks) for over 50K miles and now has about 60K.
How do I know if my shocks are going bad? How many miles should I expect to get out of them? Will the ride height be effected by bad shocks?
How do I know if my shocks are going bad? How many miles should I expect to get out of them? Will the ride height be effected by bad shocks?
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 958
Likes: 245
E550 Coupe 2wd (2016)
Bilstein are guaranteed for life I believe. (I'm tired and can't remember right now).
Something like 2% degredation in performance in 100,000 miles. Compare that to a generic shock!
So I guess if "sport" shocks are 20% stiffer than oem, they should last?? I'll let you do the math.
The ways they can go bad are:
Leaking fluid (obvious to spot).
Bent or other obvious physical external damage.
Freakishly rare internal breakage.
Gas mixing with the oil internally.
My original benz shocks on my '99 were built exactly like Bilstein, a near perfect clone. Somehow the gas leaked into the oil and killed 'em. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the cast aluminum dividing piston between the gas and oil or it's O-ring had leaked. Both my front shocks were in equally bad shape so it wasn't a fluke.
The Bilstein does have some effect on ride height. It's pressure is ~300-360psi. That in a (12mm??) shaft gives it maybe 40lbs lift? Then the leverage the shock has on the car, the spring rate and it's leverage on the car, the weight on that wheel, and you will get how much it really lifts. Not much really... 1/8" maybe?
Something like 2% degredation in performance in 100,000 miles. Compare that to a generic shock!
So I guess if "sport" shocks are 20% stiffer than oem, they should last?? I'll let you do the math.
The ways they can go bad are:
Leaking fluid (obvious to spot).
Bent or other obvious physical external damage.
Freakishly rare internal breakage.
Gas mixing with the oil internally.
My original benz shocks on my '99 were built exactly like Bilstein, a near perfect clone. Somehow the gas leaked into the oil and killed 'em. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the cast aluminum dividing piston between the gas and oil or it's O-ring had leaked. Both my front shocks were in equally bad shape so it wasn't a fluke.
The Bilstein does have some effect on ride height. It's pressure is ~300-360psi. That in a (12mm??) shaft gives it maybe 40lbs lift? Then the leverage the shock has on the car, the spring rate and it's leverage on the car, the weight on that wheel, and you will get how much it really lifts. Not much really... 1/8" maybe?
