Hello folks,
Does anyone have a comprehensive or partial parts list for the conversion to coil overs for my 2003 S55 AMG with ABC?
What in your opinion is the best quality manufacturer for the coil overs?
Source for sway bars and other components?

My feeling about this subject after reading multiple posts is that a proper coil over conversion could cost very close to fixing the ABC system.
I have been quoted $990 CDN for just 1 ABC hose (backordered from Mercedes for 6 months so far). So on a 21 year old car I'm certain other hoses could fail in the next 2 years, so I have read in multiple posts.
I also feel like I'm turning my back on a superbly designed system, which may or may not have some inferior components or substandard materials and that's what I'm afraid of.
This is my 4th Mercedes and the most complicated, I have owned it for 3 years. I love driving it . Because the car now sits flat I cannot sell it as is where is except to some who have offered $4000 CDN.
The rest of the car is very good above average I would say.

Any technical assistance and or experience with the total cost of the conversion would be appreciated.

 

Hoses can be repaired by any tractor store or hydraulic hose outfit. Easy. Inexpensive.

Replace hydraulic accumulators that are dying which kill hoses.

Enjoy ABC. Even in a 220 it is an amazing system.

At best any coil-over conversion will be a PITA that in the end does not ride or handle anything like the car did with ABC and will more likely then not make the car one that has very little resale in the future.

 

I 2nd what JohnLane said.

The ABC system can seem like a complex and difficult system to learn and work on, however having done some repairs personally, I will say once you familiarize yourself with it, its not all that difficult.

I recently had the unfortunate event of blowing an ABC line due to my lack of listening to the advice of others in this Forum and replacing my accumulators sooner. It was one of the main lines that run from the rear valve block to the front of the car. I was able to replace it pretty easily in my driveway with a jack and jack stands. If you can have the line repaired, that is always a good option, however i was able to buy a brand new factory line through MB for under $200usd.

My personal opinion would be to replace the line, and as JohnLane has said, replace your accumulators. They are incredibly easy to do and you can find them on FCP Euro and also MBDealerparts.com

IMO on an E-Class i think coilovers are a much more suitable option. On cars like the S-Class, SL and CL the level of comfort you are going to lose is not worth it, as well as the resale value as stated above.

Coilovers and the parts required are going to cost you anywhere from $1500-2000K. A new Factory line from MB, Accumulators and a fluid flush and filter should put you in around $1K and you'll have a system thats been refreshed for another 60-80K miles conservatively.

Take a look at "Joe P's S55 Build thread" there is some good info in there on my personal experience as well as some helpful info from other members here as well.

Lastly, if you want more in-depth info on the system and the warning signs it shows, print out the pdf Pamphlet that "MAW" posted in that thread. It is as its called, the "ABC Bible"

- Joe

 

Thank you very much for your encouraging thoughts. I think I have been scared away from the ABC by reading too many bad stories. I don't know why the MB dealer quoted me $990 for the single hose, and at least 8 months wait, another fright. I'll start with taking the ruptured hose off and trying the local hydraulic shops. If they cannot help me then I'll try a aircraft hose shop. I will go through all the positive posts and make up a plan. Accumulators included. Also once I've done 1 hose any others that might fail will be an easier task to repair. Thanks again.

 

Thank you for your encouraging thoughts and pointing me in a better direction than. Much better than being scared away from the ABC by reading too many bad stories.. I'm going to have a stab at fixing it. I'm certain over the last 73 years I have fixed more complex systems. I have the benefit of well equipped machine shop as my hobby, that's how life started for me after high school but I returned to school and continued until I was in my early 30's all while raising a family.
Now I'm looking forward to teaching my 5-yr old Grandson as soon as he's old enough. Thanks again

 

Thats great to hear. Try MBDealerparts.com once you figure out which hose it is. They seem to be the cheapest around and they sell all factory MB parts.

Good luck and keep us posted

- Joe

 

Some service writer wanted you to abandon the car so they could buy it cheaply. It happens. You’re in good hands with these guys. Coil overs don’t work on a car this heavy moving at speed. It’s either air or fluid hydraulics, and back then AMG chose fluid over air. The new Airmatic systems are greatly improved and suitable for AMG SClass cars. But notice, coil overs still aren’t.

GL. It’s all about the accumulators and the fluid. When those are happy so is everything else, for all intents and purposes. At some point you’ll need new shocks but that’s probably a ways off.

Cheers,

maw

 

I know which hose it is, step 1. I ordered the correct fluid step 2 . Now the decision as to how many of the accumulators to replace. It appears there are 8 of them. Considering that the car is now 24 years old what's your opinion on replacing all of them at $199 each.

 

Here is the kit that FCP Euro Sells: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...-2203270115kit

Same parts for Cheaper through MB: https://www.mbdealerparts.com/oem-pa...tor-2203270115 <---- (x2 of these)

https://www.mbdealerparts.com/oem-pa...ell-2203200415 <----(1 of these)

total of (3), (1) Front (1) Rear and the (1) "air cell" or "Pulsation Dampener is located on the valve block, towards the driver side rear under the driver side rear door.

ABC info "Bible"

https://mercedes-abc-drive-carefully...y-part-of.html



Hope that helps. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions. I'm still learning myself.

- Joe

 

As said above, accumulators are the only cause of popped hydraulic lines, as the purpose of the accumulators is to absorb pressure spikes from suspension compression. If the accumulators have failed, meaning that they have no gas pressure behind the diaphragms, then there is no pace for those pressure spikes to go; lines blow up.

If coilovers are installed to eliminate the ABS system, which I was very close to doing on my '03 S55 for several reasons, you'll have a car with no stability control. There are no anti-roll bars on ABS cars, so the car will wallow and roll severely. Might as well be driving an '85 Crown Vic. Without replacing the lower A-arms, there's not even anywhere to attach anti-roll bars were you able to source them.

In my case, the struts were so bad I was going to have to throw them away. The upper bushing were all torn up, and I'm honestly not sure if the car was safe to drive. Besides that, the car would sag when parked, raise up correctly when started, but would stay at the level, with no ABS function while I was driving. The car had enough other issues that the replacement struts and other ABS items I needed exceeded its value, so to keep the car I was going to go with coilovers. Hurricane Sandy got me out from under the car by flooding the lot it was parked in, and it never fired again; my insurance totaled it with a very generous settlement, and while I have a similarly large and extremely comfortable car now (a 2007 Jaguar XJ8 L,) I do miss that supercharger!

 

Initially, these were thoughts as well. My first allure was the M113k, I wanted a car with one. The E55's were either overpriced for nice examples, or they were just thrashed to the point where it wasn't worth it. So I began looking at CLS55's and almost bought a nice one in Barolo Red. The owner dragged his feet on communication so I ended up with my S55 for about $9k less.

Which brings me to my S55 now. Yes its more complicated than other models, but it's a lot of car for what I paid. There's some amazing deals out there on these cars when people have thrown in the towel over maintenance.