Tyre Change without stressing ABC suspension?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 68
Likes: 12
S320CDI
Tyre Change without stressing ABC suspension?
Hi guys, I happened to find a set of used alloys with winter tyres at very low price for my S600. Always nice to have winter tyres, and I guess it is even better to let them do the storage job during winter than the almost new pricey Michelins. Even with the use of wheel pads I had some issues with the Continentals on my S320CDI after 6+ months of storage i the past.
But lifting the car always puts some extra strain on the ABC struts of course. You can't have it all I guess.
So, now I heard about a guy who is doing the tyre change on the S-Class with one of those typical workshop jacks (see photo). But he doesn't lift each edge one at a time on one of the four lifting pads of car with this jack.
Instead, he puts the pad of the jack below the axle/strut and only lifts the wheel directly an inch or so for the tyre change. I guess the ABC suspension will not even notice the tyre change.
So I wonder: Is this method really safe? What would the best location be below the front and back axle to place the lifting pad of the jack?
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
But lifting the car always puts some extra strain on the ABC struts of course. You can't have it all I guess.
So, now I heard about a guy who is doing the tyre change on the S-Class with one of those typical workshop jacks (see photo). But he doesn't lift each edge one at a time on one of the four lifting pads of car with this jack.
Instead, he puts the pad of the jack below the axle/strut and only lifts the wheel directly an inch or so for the tyre change. I guess the ABC suspension will not even notice the tyre change.
So I wonder: Is this method really safe? What would the best location be below the front and back axle to place the lifting pad of the jack?
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
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Joined: Aug 2014
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S500
the hand book will say how to change a trye
ABC needs regular use and fluid and filter changes, its a serviceable system that can be temperamental - it might play up the next day and have nothing to do with the fact a wheel was changed
as per your post if you jack up via a component up so the suspension doesn't know - it would of course mean the cars doesn't know better - but what room to jack up without its slipping or damaging things is there - and does it then get a clearance issue around the wheel arch - meaning you might damage the bodywork?
ABC needs regular use and fluid and filter changes, its a serviceable system that can be temperamental - it might play up the next day and have nothing to do with the fact a wheel was changed
as per your post if you jack up via a component up so the suspension doesn't know - it would of course mean the cars doesn't know better - but what room to jack up without its slipping or damaging things is there - and does it then get a clearance issue around the wheel arch - meaning you might damage the bodywork?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 68
Likes: 12
S320CDI
the hand book will say how to change a trye
ABC needs regular use and fluid and filter changes, its a serviceable system that can be temperamental - it might play up the next day and have nothing to do with the fact a wheel was changed
as per your post if you jack up via a component up so the suspension doesn't know - it would of course mean the cars doesn't know better - but what room to jack up without its slipping or damaging things is there - and does it then get a clearance issue around the wheel arch - meaning you might damage the bodywork?
ABC needs regular use and fluid and filter changes, its a serviceable system that can be temperamental - it might play up the next day and have nothing to do with the fact a wheel was changed
as per your post if you jack up via a component up so the suspension doesn't know - it would of course mean the cars doesn't know better - but what room to jack up without its slipping or damaging things is there - and does it then get a clearance issue around the wheel arch - meaning you might damage the bodywork?
Even the AMG chief expert at a huge official MB Center in Germany mentioned to me that there is always an increased risk that ABC cars of a certain age can have strut trouble after a wheel change due to total extension to the strut's limits. They service countless ABC suspension cars every day and should have some experience. But such a huge business won't be willing to skip the lift and start changing wheels one at a time to avoid suspension stress for many obvious reasons. And I guess it will never become an official alternative in the handbook no matter how great it might work.
