SublimeZ

Last weekend, pulled headliner and verified front cylinder is leaking (08 SL550). Ordered seals and have this http://www.mbseals.com/ for instructions.
Do I need to prop roof open if headliner is already removed?
Not seeing anything about bleeding system, is this unnecessary?

SublimeZ

Tried to open top, fluid running down arm with rag on cylinder, only front of trunk pops up. Only way I can get trunk lid down is leaving frame locks unlocked. Beyond frustrated, walking away for a while.

Frederick NL

I think you’ll find disassembly instructions if you search for ‘top hydraulics’ on this forum.

bobterry99

Use a 6 mm allen wrench to work the the leaking cylinder's mechanism and unlock the roof at the windshield and prop it open as necessary.

Disassembling the hydraulic cylinders to replace seals on a 129 like those supplied by mseals.com is easy. In contrast, it requires considerable effort to replace seals on the 230.

A machinist authored a long, detailed thread over on Benzworld on how he renewed all of his cylinders. If I think of a way to locate that thread and find it, I'll post a link to it later.

SublimeZ

Thanks for this

This part now has me worried. I can't find any effective way to search on the new platform.

bobterry99

This is that thread: https://www.benzworld.org/threads/va.../#post11485193.

SublimeZ

Is this what you were referring to? https://www.benzworld.org/threads/va...fixed.2295017/

bobterry99

Yes. You may notice that literally seconds before you posted this question I posted the link in post #5. Surreal!

SublimeZ

yessir, thank you

SublimeZ

Ok,I was a little leery when I first read that thread, which is not my usual reaction to mechanical things. But after some thought and scrounging around garage, think I can do this Going to gather a couple of things tomorrow and shoot for repair next w/e. Don't want to be caught in the middle when I can't get parts. Will document and post back here. Thanks for the info

bobterry99

For me, the fussy part of this project is removing and then re-installing the little bracket attached to the end of the cylinder's piston rod. I believe the machinist calls this a "clevis".

Ideally you will complete this project with the cylinder in the car attached to its hydraulic lines. Optionally, you can cut the lines and work with the cylinder outside the car and then use couplers from cabriolethydraulics.com to restore the lines. Yet another option is to remove the cylinder from the car with its lines intact, and that is the procedure documented in the WIS.

SublimeZ

Agreed. I have something "laying around" that I think will work

This is my plan of attack

850csi

Has anyone on here ever clipped off the front cylinder lines and sent it to cabriolet Hydraulics & used their couplers? I have this problem too now (and it probably destroyed my headliner). Don’t want to do the rebuild myself...

bobterry99

I've used one of those couplers to repair a damaged hydraulic line. It was easy to install and worked fine.

If you check pricing for the rebuild work I think you will find Top Hydraulics is much cheaper than Cabriolet Hydraulics.

850csi

Unfortunately my understanding is that Top Hydraulics requires you to trace the lines back to the pump, which I definitely am not going to do this time.

bobterry99

If you check with them I am certain you will find this is not the case.

850csi

Interesting, I was going by what’s on their site but I’ll give them a call tomorrow and see if they’ll work on one with cut lines (in which case I’ll separately buy the couplers from Cabriolt Hydraulics). Thanks!!

SublimeZ

850csi

In case anyone is curious, my conversation with them suggested to me they would be willing to work on a cylinder with cut lines but may not be willing to warranty the work. I did use them to rebuild my tubular frame cylinders and was very satisfied.

I ended up just going with the core exchange option from Cabriolet Hydraulics for the front lock cylinder. Pricey but came quickly and is working fine. Shipping my original one back today.