My55Life

Hello, noob here. Was wondering if anyone has H & R lowering springs on their ML55? My search on here didn't tell me much. Curious to know if handling is considerably better over stock? I understand ride quality will be compromised some but is it worth it? Thank you.

benzcollector

I have a set of H&R's and Bilstien sports on our 55 and quite like how it handles now. Yes it is a stiff ride but that comes from the lack of travel available in the front shocks. Just don't get too greedy when lowering the front end.

My55Life

Thank you for reply. I was considering these springs until my Mercedes/BMW shop informed yesterday that their computer said it would take 6.5 hours for the install, in return costing me $800+ just in labor. Sounds like a long time to do that job and expensive.

PTE

This subject has been very well covered over at Benz World. I use a coil over system that was adjustable .
Cheers _PTEngineering

My55Life

Thank you, I will check out the info over there. And thank you for picture, looks like a nice set up.

ML55CLA45

i too have H&R.

Springs with front and rear bilstein HD and H&R sway bar.

The stance looks great...

My ride is very bouncy now--

-Charles

benzcollector

Bouncy or bumpy? Nothing bouncy about our H&R's and Bilstein set up.

ML55CLA45

I perceive it as bouny - when i drive over uneven roads or speed bumps the truck rocks front to back... I don't remember much of any rocking with the factory setup.

My front was also adjusted and lowered- yours?

frustratedML55

Hello:


I have had my 01 ML55 for right at 10 years now. When I first bought it I had H&Rs installed w/ Bilstein's and all was cool looking, ride a bit harsh. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING. Randomly the truck would have one of the front brakes totally lock up, not ABS pulsing, totally lock up. It normally would be going over a bump. I had it back to the dealer several times, tried independent shops, nobody could diagnose the issue. Finally I had a tech suggest that maybe the yaw sensor was bad, I replaced it, same thing. He then suggested that possibly due to the change in camber rate the yaw sensor was performing properly and thinking it was rolling over and locking up the brake. When it came time for new rear shocks I had the stock springs put back in and raised the front back up.


This resulted in two VERY BIG THINGS:
1) The brakes have never locked again (I have 180K on the truck and the stock springs were put back on @ 110K)
2) The front end behaves much better as in order to level the ride for the lower H&R springs you have to relax the front which totally screws the balance of the suspension. You are making the back firmer and the front softer to get "THE COOL LOOK". I tried the heaviest front shocks, etc, it doesn't work.


Coincidence?......I Think Not


Bottom line is IMHO you are better off leaving the suspension alone. This experience cost me a lot of money.


The pictures show the ML w/ the lower springs. I drove it from St Louis to Sacramento for a work trip then took it on the Salt Flats and over Green Mountain WY.


Other things I did: Replaced stock Cat Back w/ Camaro LS1 exhaust, no performance difference but Awesome sound. Removed the roof rack which gives it a very smooth look, removed all the emblems and had them powder coated black. Installed a KILLER stereo w. CD based Nav, DVD drop down screen, 4 amps, Pioneer Avic D3 head end w/ IPOD control. No speakers are visible and I spent a ton of time doing the system. It sounds very very good. I installed a second Bose stock Bose sub under the passenger seat (one is already under the driver's side). I made a sealed fiberglass enclosure w/ a 10" JL sub that goes in the back in the side behind the plastic cover on the passenger side. The system looks factory and rocks. I also bought a set of 17" wheels from Tire Rack w/ Blizzaks that I run in the winter and the snow use is dramatically improved over the 18" Pirelli Scorpions. I did some Renntech software mods that did nothing I could tell other than kill the already terrible gas mileage. I have 180K on it and have had a ton of issues that if I could not wrench myself I would not be able to own the thing. The legendary reliability is BS on these things but it is definitely a love / hate relationship. When everything works it is awesome. Believe it or not my 01 Land Rover was far superior as far as reliability, certainly bad weather control, and in some ways comfort. It was also slow as molasses.



Steve