SL/R230: strutmasters
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 83
Likes: 3
From: nj 08831
sl 500 r230
strutmasters
Has anyone used strutmasters? The sbc is just to much money to puting out on a 2005 sl500 I just want to drive the car not just keep puting money into the sbc. The car is just fine just the sbc sucks now. Can i put just a power streeing pump in the car and take out the tandem ? T/K you
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 435
Likes: 79
Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
Has anyone used strutmasters? The sbc is just to much money to puting out on a 2005 sl500 I just want to drive the car not just keep puting money into the sbc. The car is just fine just the sbc sucks now. Can i put just a power streeing pump in the car and take out the tandem ? T/K you
With that said, they suck. Had I been in NC and test drove this car, I would have walked away from the deal. The inspector I hired warned me the struts were swapped out and the car doesn't have the same ride quality anymore- i wondered, how bad can it really be?
Terrible ride quality, car lunges forward on sudden stops, no sway bars (they are built into the ABC system electronically), noisy suspension etc
The list goes on- spend the money and maintain the ABC system- its really not that bad- many parts can be found on the aftermarket or remanufactured on ebay, amazon etc
An aftermarket pump is $350 on ebay, rebuilt valve blocks are $400, ABC fluid is $200 for 10 quarts, accumulators are $100 each....struts you can get for $500 from Arnott with core exchange- or go to a junkyard (what I'm doing now) and get them for $200
STICK TO ABC
Me- I have Strutmasters. I bought the car with them already installed- I bought the car site unseen from a dealership in NC.
With that said, they suck. Had I been in NC and test drove this car, I would have walked away from the deal. The inspector I hired warned me the struts were swapped out and the car doesn't have the same ride quality anymore- i wondered, how bad can it really be?
Terrible ride quality, car lunges forward on sudden stops, no sway bars (they are built into the ABC system electronically), noisy suspension etc
The list goes on- spend the money and maintain the ABC system- its really not that bad- many parts can be found on the aftermarket or remanufactured on ebay, amazon etc
An aftermarket pump is $350 on ebay, rebuilt valve blocks are $400, ABC fluid is $200 for 10 quarts, accumulators are $100 each....struts you can get for $500 from Arnott with core exchange- or go to a junkyard (what I'm doing now) and get them for $200
STICK TO ABC
With that said, they suck. Had I been in NC and test drove this car, I would have walked away from the deal. The inspector I hired warned me the struts were swapped out and the car doesn't have the same ride quality anymore- i wondered, how bad can it really be?
Terrible ride quality, car lunges forward on sudden stops, no sway bars (they are built into the ABC system electronically), noisy suspension etc
The list goes on- spend the money and maintain the ABC system- its really not that bad- many parts can be found on the aftermarket or remanufactured on ebay, amazon etc
An aftermarket pump is $350 on ebay, rebuilt valve blocks are $400, ABC fluid is $200 for 10 quarts, accumulators are $100 each....struts you can get for $500 from Arnott with core exchange- or go to a junkyard (what I'm doing now) and get them for $200
STICK TO ABC
yellowspeed and sway bars is fine but not like ABC at all
I prefer ABC too
everything is a matter of skills, time and wallet
sometimes people try to save 300$ and then after test and fail they end up knocking on my door for a real install
Last edited by pmercury; Mar 13, 2020 at 05:07 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 435
Likes: 79
Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
To be fair- maybe the ride with BC racing/yellow speed is better than strutmaster- I don't want to discourage anyone from getting coilovers
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
Just purchased adjustable coilover kit from coilover depot(silvers) $1149 including shipping. Now attempting to install but having a very hard time removing the bottom bearing from the control arms in the front. Plan on doing the pump bypass mod also as soon as installation is complete. Seems pretty simple.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 435
Likes: 79
Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
Just purchased adjustable coilover kit from coilover depot(silvers) $1149 including shipping. Now attempting to install but having a very hard time removing the bottom bearing from the control arms in the front. Plan on doing the pump bypass mod also as soon as installation is complete. Seems pretty simple.
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Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
ABC Conversion 2006 SL500
Just finally removed front struts. Pickle fork did no good at all for removing the lower mounting bolt. Had to use a gear puller and breaker bar. Of course the second one was quicker because I had to figure out how to do it on the first one.
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Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2-2003 SL55's
I've got Strutmasters on my '03. Seems to me that the ride is a little on the soft side. Gonna replace' em this season with a set of adjustables, and grab a set of sway bars. Car is literally **** in a corner without sway bars! Lol
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
I have completed the installation of Silvers and leveled where I want the car. However, I'm having a problem trying to figure out how and which hydraulic lines to reroute to bypass the pump. This is because I blew one line out in the left front wheel well. This is why I decided to change to coileroverss because all the lines have deteriorated to the point of replacement. I'm worried about rerouting incorrectly and causing the bad bad line location to be pumping out hydraulic fluid. It's located on what I believe is shown as Y36/1. If I go directly from the exit line from the pump to the reservoir, will that be low not high pressure?
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
I have to admit, I've been working on cars since 1958 and have restored and rebuilt numerous automobiles, but I have never been involved with these types of problems or this type situationn. The engineering of this 2006 SL500 is completely different. Seems it was designed only for MB dealerships to work on.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
I have to admit, I've been working on cars since 1958 and have restored and rebuilt numerous automobiles, but I have never been involved with these types of problems or this type situationn. The engineering of this 2006 SL500 is completely different. Seems it was designed only for MB dealerships to work on.
Looped the pump, drove the car, and everything seems to be good to go. No leaks from old lines or from pump line. Set the top adjustment knobs to 25 out of 35. Seems a little stiff. Might have to turn it back a couple more notches. Measured old struts after removal and set new ones to those lengths. Had to lower rear coilovers an additional 1 5/8" but front was good. Contacted Arnott Industries for buy back of old struts. If that comes though, net cost will be $349 plus a couple of bucks for some 3/8' and 1/2' hose and clamps. Pretty satisfied right now. Car sits almost exactly where I want it. Next is to remove all extraneous lines and junction blocks from the old system.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
Drove the car a few miles. Removed all wheels and checked torque on all nuts and bolts. Only lines I removed and capped were the feed lines to the struts themselves. I turned the adjusting knobs on each coiler back 2 additional clicks. Car rides a little stiffer than ABC and there is no wallowing in curves or corners. Of course, I'm not racing slalom courses.
Just FedEx'd the strut to Arnott today. (shipping paid by Arnott) Had to package them myself. FedEx people didn't want to get their hands dirty. (That's almost a direct quote)
I don't know how everyone else did it but I used a floor jack under the tow hook inserted in the side jacking ports. Worked great, just be careful.
Right now I am more than satisfied with the results. The guy that said it only took him a day must be a helluva better and quicker mechanic than I am. Of course, I did everything by myself and I'm 71 years old and had a stroke 7 years ago. Oh well, it's done. It remains to be seen If I did and okay job.
I read on the forum that someone said to remove the ABC fuse, then the warning light will be white instead of red. It can also be reset right after you start the car. It worked that way. My question is are there any hidden items on that fuse circuit?
Just FedEx'd the strut to Arnott today. (shipping paid by Arnott) Had to package them myself. FedEx people didn't want to get their hands dirty. (That's almost a direct quote)
I don't know how everyone else did it but I used a floor jack under the tow hook inserted in the side jacking ports. Worked great, just be careful.
Right now I am more than satisfied with the results. The guy that said it only took him a day must be a helluva better and quicker mechanic than I am. Of course, I did everything by myself and I'm 71 years old and had a stroke 7 years ago. Oh well, it's done. It remains to be seen If I did and okay job.
I read on the forum that someone said to remove the ABC fuse, then the warning light will be white instead of red. It can also be reset right after you start the car. It worked that way. My question is are there any hidden items on that fuse circuit?
Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 233
Likes: 101
From: San Francisco
Current: '07 SL550 & '14 GLK350. Previously owned: '06 ML350, '05 SL500, '99 ML320 & '98 SLK230 (RI
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Copperas Cove, TX
2006 SL500
Drove the car a few miles. Removed all wheels and checked torque on all nuts and bolts. Only lines I removed and capped were the feed lines to the struts themselves. I turned the adjusting knobs on each coiler back 2 additional clicks. Car rides a little stiffer than ABC and there is no wallowing in curves or corners. Of course, I'm not racing slalom courses.
Just FedEx'd the strut to Arnott today. (shipping paid by Arnott) Had to package them myself. FedEx people didn't want to get their hands dirty. (That's almost a direct quote)
I don't know how everyone else did it but I used a floor jack under the tow hook inserted in the side jacking ports. Worked great, just be careful.
Right now I am more than satisfied with the results. The guy that said it only took him a day must be a helluva better and quicker mechanic than I am. Of course, I did everything by myself and I'm 71 years old and had a stroke 7 years ago. Oh well, it's done. It remains to be seen If I did and okay job.
I read on the forum that someone said to remove the ABC fuse, then the warning light will be white instead of red. It can also be reset right after you start the car. It worked that way. My question is are there any hidden items on that fuse circuit?
Just FedEx'd the strut to Arnott today. (shipping paid by Arnott) Had to package them myself. FedEx people didn't want to get their hands dirty. (That's almost a direct quote)
I don't know how everyone else did it but I used a floor jack under the tow hook inserted in the side jacking ports. Worked great, just be careful.
Right now I am more than satisfied with the results. The guy that said it only took him a day must be a helluva better and quicker mechanic than I am. Of course, I did everything by myself and I'm 71 years old and had a stroke 7 years ago. Oh well, it's done. It remains to be seen If I did and okay job.
I read on the forum that someone said to remove the ABC fuse, then the warning light will be white instead of red. It can also be reset right after you start the car. It worked that way. My question is are there any hidden items on that fuse circuit?
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 20
Likes: 6
From: Chicago
SL55
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...tructions.html
Last edited by jruerph; Jul 1, 2020 at 11:09 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Sudden Valley Washington
2004 SL500 Black/Burgundy and 1999 SL500 Firemist/Java
Hi, I just want to express my gratitude to forum members first for their courage in taking on this challenge (perhaps the cost and worry of maintaining the ABC, bolstered your courage) and secondly for so thoroughly sharing your methods and experience.
I'm in the middle of the switchover myself (expecting my coilovers any minute now), and I could not or would not have taken on this project without this body of knowledge and inspiration.
I consider your contributions as a real act of brotherhood.
I'm in the middle of the switchover myself (expecting my coilovers any minute now), and I could not or would not have taken on this project without this body of knowledge and inspiration.
I consider your contributions as a real act of brotherhood.
