Lopes80

I have just bought a 2005 E55 , the first thing i would like to do (as with all my previous cars) is lower it.

I have a friend who is a MB tech and he seems to think that he can lower it via star machine but eventually it will go back to standard height??.

I am in the UK and these cars are not very popular here so any help from all you guys would be appreciated.

Eurosport

i'm not trying to be an *** but Search key is there for a reason
congrats on the car

Lopes80

Yeah ok, kinda new to this forum stuff!

Neoii

Welcome. Links, STAR, or lowering modules (Kleeman, Renntech). This should get you started.

mht_v10

go check out www.adjustableairride.com.

theeddie

search for washers

Vader55

links, star and elm are discussed here..... I use basic lowering links btw.

https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...-drop-car.html

The Godfather

That's what I had and would recommend!

komp55

The Renntech lowering module with its remote control unit is the optimal solution, giving you the ability to easily adjust ride height at your convenience. No having to install or remove washers, no having to adjust links under the car; no having to open up the lowering module to adjust knobs; just sitting in your favorite driving position and pushing a few buttons.

sdunham

What's the RENNTECH ELM selling for these days, and how involved is the install. Is it plug and play or cut and splice...?

shardul

iTrader: (1)

My car is currently lowered via star. Now if I add washers to my current setup will it go lower. Or will the values be out of the permissible limits. Right now my voltage reading from the shocks are on the limit before they go out of range.

Marcus Frost

I still cannot believe people recommend lowering your car using washers, especially with people complaining about how much the suspension on this car costs to replace AND members having posted about suspension failures as a result of it. Staggering!!!

Lowering your car with washers, from a technical standpoint, is begging for suspension failure. You are fooling the factory sensors and forcing your suspension into a height that it cannot sustain. Do yourself a favor and search for someone in your area who can lower your car via the STAR Diagnostic system. This method reprograms the voltage values in the ECU to values that can lower the car 1" while keeping it within the factory specified limits. The links method fools the sensors so they never know what actual height the car is, so not only are you putting the car outside of factory specification, but the ECU makes ride height adjustments while you are driving and now with the suspension's actual height, and the height the ECU think it's at being out of whack, you've rendered that whole system worthless and ineffective. It is NOT expensive to lower via STAR, and the $250 vs $5 or whatever is well worth it given the car is STILL within factory specification (read: RELIABLE, no VOIDED warranties, FULLY FUNCTIONAL) and you don't have to worry about failure. Alexandar1099 is a Chicago member who had his suspension grenade itself from having it put too low via this whole links method, and he learned his lesson. The suspension on these cars is THOUSANDS of dollars to replace on your own, spend $250 and get it done RIGHT!!!

-m

mht_v10

what Link were you refering to Marcus ? is it the adjustableairride link or the washer method ?

last time I checked on my dealership for the star diagnostic, they ask for $400 for less than .75" drop, and I bought the adjustableairride( around $200 ) from John and am really happy with it since.

Benz-O-Rama

My dealer lowered mine for 225.00 and that included an alignment. They refer to it as a 'ride height adjustment'. I got about an 1" out of her.

I've since gone to a RENNtech ELM, for adjustablilty reasons.

Marcus Frost

Lowering via STAR should give you a 1" drop if the person doing it knows what they are doing. I've had it done on both my E55s and will be doing it on my SL65 next. I had a Kleemann unit on my former SL600 which was a good system as well. I paid $250 to lower my car, and $400 is more expensive, but it's still worth it. No way I'd pay $200 for any kind of lower link system - as a matter of fact they'd have to pay me - pay me the equivalent of replacement parts of a busted suspension, cause I could not drive around everyday knowing that the suspension could go at anytime.

By "links" I am referring to any system that involves repositioning/fooling of factory sensors, including adjustableairride.com. If STAR lowering is not enough for you, then you need to invest in a reputable ELM, IMO. At least the ELM still has the ability to manage the ride height properly and is an active system, rather than passive with the mechanical systems referred to as lower links/etc.

This has been discussed numerous times, and I am just shocked people still recommend lowering links. If people want to do it to their cars, you know what, it's their money, but don't tell other people they should do the same. It is by far the worst and riskiest way to lower your car.

-m

The Law

Sweet! This is the kind of passionate, first hand counsel this forum is in need of at this point. Note how no personal attacks were made. Keep it up guys!

Vader55

Food for thought.

Marcus Frost

Vader,

The post reference is very factual, but not complete, and needs a bit of clarification. What my06clk does not mention is that the REASON there is a limit as to how far you can lower a car through the STAR system (typically about 1") is that while YES, you are modifying the settings, the suspension has been designed to operate within a set range of values for the height settings, and what you are doing is instead of leaving the value at somewhere in between the high and low acceptable values, you are setting it at the lower end - but in the ECU, with ACTUAL values. This means that you are technically still within the factory specifications for what the suspension was designed to operate within! With the adjustable links and even the ELM, you can come out of this range, and even worse, you are modifying the car in a way which risks voiding your warranty, regardless if it is a factory or aftermarket warranty. With your ECU now thinking the new value of "zero" for it's ride height is the lowered value, it can still perform all the proper functions it needs to on a routine basis and retains the full factory functionality of the Airmatic system.

STAR is the cleanest, most seamless, most reasonable, and best of all safest way to lower your car, period. Prices range from $200-$400 but it is WELL worth it, especially because it is EXPENSIVE to fix the suspension systems on these cars, and you are turning your car into a potential road hazard. I've never heard of a catastrophic failure of any ABC or Airmatic system, but knowing they do fail, seeing what happens when it does is enough reason for me to do a mod like this RIGHT.

Putting links on these cars is honestly the equivalent of cutting springs on a Honda Civic. It has the same engineering behind it, the same risks, and accomplishes the same ends by the same means. I'm sorry if this offends anyone but I'm only saying all this for the benefit of the members of this forum. I make $0 off lowering cars, I do not run a shop, I just want to make sure people have the facts when starting to tinker with these cars.

Good luck...

-m

aleksandar1099

Thanks for reminding me Marcus!

Here is the thread in case anyone was wondering about lowering with washers.... don't

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ure-again.html

Marcus Frost

My friend I am not trying to pour salt on your wounds, but I would just hope that there can be some good from your misfortune - that is to educate fellow board members about their cars and what are the correct and incorrect ways to modify them. The link you posted has some great information, thanks.

Trust me, I've made mistakes too, there's no shame in it! You learned your lesson and got it done right, that's what counts!

-m

aleksandar1099

No offense taken! I knew it was fishy while doing it, but eventually I did it the right way

btw, sorry for the OT, have you taken your cars out lately, I have been trying to take mine out every time the road drys up!

John V.

I think when an airmatic failure occurs it has nothing to do with the method of lowering or wheather the car has been lowered at all. Parts just fail and that's that. If everything worked perfectly car companies wouldn't need to have a warranty system and mechanics would be out of a job.

My old CL55, that I sold to a friend, has been lowered with washers then Links since 04. 85km on it now. 1 time a fluid line that fills up a strut leaked and was fixed under warranty. Other then that np & that car has not been babied.

The Godfather

Ok so other thank Aleksandar, who else had their airmatic fail b/c of links???

Marcus Frost

This is very dangerous logic. Engines can fail when stock, or when modified, so obviously by this logic, if we double the HP and engine makes - it has no effect on the chances of the engine failing! Please do not promote this kind of mentality.

Anecdotal stories about a car that has been lowered improperly but has survived do nothing to changes the simple engineering logic behind my statements. Airmatic can fail with completely stock cars, so why would you want to INCREASE the chance of failure by lowering the car improperly? No question even lowering via STAR, suspension can still fail, but it's matter of which was is going to INCREASE the chance of failure. I would stipulate that lowering via STAR, you have the same chance of failure as stock. With links, your chance of failure goes up dramatically. It does not go to 100%, but the real question is - why would you risk a significantly higher chance for EXPENSIVE and DANGEROUS suspension failure to save a couple hundred bucks?

Godfather - people don't like to post about their suspensions failing, but trust me, there have been numerous cases on both AIRMATIC cars and ABC cars as a result of using links. I have no reason to exaggerate or make this stuff up!

-m

GMP Performance

You will also need Adjustment Camber kits. Let me know if you need a set. They will allow you to properly set the tow and camber settings while the car is at its lowest position. We just finished up the new S class but the E-Class ones have been out for a while. They are in stock ready to ship!