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After a lot of research it seems that the valve blocks are the most problematic part of the ABC system...Now that they make seal kits and your handy the blocks can be cleaned and repaired pretty reasonably...Accumulators next but there not that expensive...Shocks are not cheap but seem fairly reliable...Was thinking of the VVK coil overs but it is a huge job to get those sway bars in... A lift is a must and not for the faint of heart...
Last edited by viper1996; 05-02-2018 at 05:54 PM.
Reason: misspell
I totally agree! I had a chance to test drive an SL500 with a coil over conversion and did not like it. You can really feel how heavy the car is. The lean in corners and the dive during braking was very pronounced. I think the car had the biggest sway bars that will fit. The ABC system is an elegant and necessary item for the SL (especially my SL55) IMO and is the main reason I chose the car. I knew what I was getting into and love the car enough to spend the money to get the system fixed. Heck, if the system was truly designed to last up to 300K miles with proper care, then this new system will out live me for sure. Plus, I love fascinating kids at the local car meets with my ride height adjustment on the fly, just like a California Lowrider! I understand sometimes money can be the issue here but, this is something I planned for. The money was put aside for the day the system failed....I was hoping not so soon but that's how it went. Oh did I mention my SBC finally reached it's 3 million actuation and failed about the same time? Only items left to fail now are the shocks and valve blocks. Lunch time photoshoot.
The car sits nice! not too low just right...Like to see a level shot of it from standing height...Do you have lowering links?
After a lot of research it seems that the valve blocks are the most problematic part of the ABC system...Now that they make seal kits and your handy the blocks can be cleaned and repaired pretty reasonably...Accumulators next but there not that expensive...Shocks are not cheap but seem fairly reliable...Was thinking of the VVK coil overs but it is a huge job to get those sway bars in... A lift is a must and not for the faint of heart...
When the valve blocks fail it's usually internal leakage, which results in the car sagging, but it will pump up when running, so you aren't gonna get stranded like that, which is nice. The only real situation where a failure can get you stuck is the hoses, and in almost every case, they start leaking WELL before they fail, so if you inspect the car on a fairly regular basis and don't ignore the warning signs, you should never have a catastrophic failure. Most hoses are only a couple hundred bucks from MB, and for me the effort involved in fitting them is not worth playing games with aftermarket built hoses. I replaced the 3 under the engine on my car when one broke, but my CL is almost 15 years old, If the new ones last another 15 years, that's perfect for me. I dropped the subframe, did the hoses, mounts, turbo seals, all the stuff that's normally "so terrible" on the V12, and now I drive the car and enjoy it without worry. Yes, I'm a Benz tech so I'm not paying for labor and at cost I've spent well over $8000 on the car since I bought it, but I now have a fantastic running CL that I have no qualms about jumping in and heading anywhere. Well worth the investment.
Yes, these cars are expensive to keep, but if you keep it like new, you are getting a car that's very similar to how it was when it cost $130,000 back in the day, for literally 15% of the cost.
1988 BMW M5, 1989 BMW M3, 1979 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, 2006 SL55 AMG w/ P30 Performance Pack
Originally Posted by viper1996
The car sits nice! not too low just right...Like to see a level shot of it from standing height...Do you have lowering links?
Here you go. I had it lower so the gap was very minimal, looked bad *** but the ride was horrid. This is the best compromise for my taste (1/2" tire/fender gap)
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1988 BMW M5, 1989 BMW M3, 1979 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, 2006 SL55 AMG w/ P30 Performance Pack
I rarely have to tell people my car had an MSRP of $135K+ in 2006! Most Californians know how expensive these cars are. The shock is when I tell them how much I paid for it!
For all it's complexities and faults due to age or mileage, whatever it may be.. ABC is a pretty remarkable system. I've spent about $2500 getting mine up to snuff - first a hose and flush, now the front valve block and accumulator (it's sold as one unit by Mercedes). I opted to replace the part as oppose to try and rebuild it. The ride quality is truly great and it's nice to be able to raise the suspension height to get over a bump or come out of a driveway, etc.
For all it's complexities and faults due to age or mileage, whatever it may be.. ABC is a pretty remarkable system. I've spent about $2500 getting mine up to snuff - first a hose and flush, now the front valve block and accumulator (it's sold as one unit by Mercedes). I opted to replace the part as oppose to try and rebuild it. The ride quality is truly great and it's nice to be able to raise the suspension height to get over a bump or come out of a driveway, etc.
1988 BMW M5, 1989 BMW M3, 1979 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, 2006 SL55 AMG w/ P30 Performance Pack
Originally Posted by viper1996
Thanks...Looks great...Are you rollin' on 20s?
No, IMO 20's are too heavy and provide a harsher ride due to shorter sidewalls. My town also has a lot of potholes. Non forged 20's would be destroyed in no time at all.
05-02-2018, 05:48 PM
I understand sometimes money can be the issue here but, this is something I planned for. The money was put aside for the day the system failed....I was hoping not so soon but that's how it went. Oh did I mention my SBC finally reached it's 3 million actuation and failed about the same time? Only items left to fail now are the shocks and valve blocks. Lunch time photoshoot.
