SL/R230: Question about SL with ABC Suspension and an SL 350 with regular shock absorbers
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 382
Likes: 27
From: Norway
350 SL, R230 - 300 SL, R129 - 1964 Corvette Sting Ray Sport Coupe - Porsche 911 Twin Turbo (sold)
Question about SL with ABC Suspension and an SL 350 with regular shock absorbers
Any here on the forum knows if the ABC shock absorbers and the regualar/normal shock absorbers used on some SL 350 are fastened identical on top and bottom of the shock absorbers?
Or to say another way will regular shock absorbers from an SL 350 (non ABC) fit the front and rear on lets say a 2005 SL 500 with ABC suspension?
Are the ABC and non ABC shocks aborbers interchangavble?
The reason i am asking this question is because i am playing with the idea of adding coil overs and my SL have the normal non ABC suspension
Or to say another way will regular shock absorbers from an SL 350 (non ABC) fit the front and rear on lets say a 2005 SL 500 with ABC suspension?
Are the ABC and non ABC shocks aborbers interchangavble?
The reason i am asking this question is because i am playing with the idea of adding coil overs and my SL have the normal non ABC suspension
Last edited by TheSaint; Jan 11, 2019 at 12:32 PM.
Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 181
Likes: 15
From: Canada
SL55 AMG, Range Rover Evoque
I have owned my 2003 SL55 AMG for eleven years and love the car.
At the end of 2017, a rear strut let me down and I was quoted c$6,600 for both rears to be replaced by my MB dealer. I looked at alternatives and decided to go to coil-overs, but stay with all Mercedes-Benz OEM parts (from the "rest of the world" SL350) not available in North America.
My local dealer and MB Canada worked with me to get the German parts lists put on the Canadian MB computers. I was now able to order all the parts from Germany (takes about 6 weeks to arrive). My MB dealer installed and whole cost (parts and MB dealer labour) was around c$10,000 and that included total removal of all ABC parts such as struts, tandem pump, all ABC pipes, front and rear valve blocks, 4 accumulators, etc.
The only item I had an issue with, was the sump clearance for the front anti-roll bar (being for a 6-cyl). It's not much out but as the car drives and handles so well and more smoothly on bumps than before, I have not rushed to fit it or find a replacement. I have driven the car almost a year now with the coil-over conversion and it's better than the nine years I drove it with ABC.
I have created a PDF file on my web site detailed lots of collected information on the SL55 AMG, including my coil-over conversion, with OEM parts listings, drawings, etc. :
At the end of 2017, a rear strut let me down and I was quoted c$6,600 for both rears to be replaced by my MB dealer. I looked at alternatives and decided to go to coil-overs, but stay with all Mercedes-Benz OEM parts (from the "rest of the world" SL350) not available in North America.
My local dealer and MB Canada worked with me to get the German parts lists put on the Canadian MB computers. I was now able to order all the parts from Germany (takes about 6 weeks to arrive). My MB dealer installed and whole cost (parts and MB dealer labour) was around c$10,000 and that included total removal of all ABC parts such as struts, tandem pump, all ABC pipes, front and rear valve blocks, 4 accumulators, etc.
The only item I had an issue with, was the sump clearance for the front anti-roll bar (being for a 6-cyl). It's not much out but as the car drives and handles so well and more smoothly on bumps than before, I have not rushed to fit it or find a replacement. I have driven the car almost a year now with the coil-over conversion and it's better than the nine years I drove it with ABC.
I have created a PDF file on my web site detailed lots of collected information on the SL55 AMG, including my coil-over conversion, with OEM parts listings, drawings, etc. :
