kurtwz

I’m to the point where I’m trying to install the replacement strut and have a question. Having trouble getting the new strut in. I know the approach others have used is to attach the air line and battery and let the car pull some air out so it can fit into place. This approach isn’t working for me b/c I can’t even get the top of the strut in place enough to connect the pneumatic line.

Just spoke w/ technical support. They advised to simple lift the entire front of the car up rather than just having one wheel in the air. He assured me that this will create additional clearance on the side I’m working on and keep me from having to compress the shock. Has anyone tried this? Did it work?

kurtwz

Sorry to bump this, guys, but I'll be doing this tonight/tomorrow, so could use some input on whether having both wheels in the air will create more clearance for the installation of the new strut? (my above post #152)

barlow100

If you lay the strut across the engine and connect airline it will allow you to compress shock....Then disconnect and fit to car. You will gain the last little bit of clearance needed by levering the bottom suspension arm down .....good luck

mekantor

It makes no difference because the front suspension is independent. If you had a solid axle between the wheels it would be another story.

vettdvr

Put the strut under the hood an dconnect it. Then connect the battery for 5 seconds or so and you will hear the pressure vent. DON"T let it all out. I let out enough to allow it to compress a bit with my hand. Then when instaling I put the top in and used a block/floor jack to compress the strut enough to clear the lower A arm. Then tapped slightly with block and hammer and it slid onto the arm. Then with a drift pin lined up the hole. I always had some pressrue.

citylightva

Do not connect the air line when you are doing the battery connect, you want it to vent directly out of the shock...I let a lot out and compressed my shock on the floor then popped it in...The annoying part is getting the upper holes in...You just have to wiggle it around until it slides up...You can bolt the top down if you want and compress the strut over the control arm...Slide the bolt thru and voila.!!!!

And no, you don't need both sides up...

Driftvs

Yes, but arn't both sides still connected by the sway bar?
In the past on other cars I have found it easier to lift both sides

racerx69

Hi,
First: I am brand new to this (or any kind of) forum so please forgive me if I make any breaches of etiquette. I hope this is the correct place to ask for help...
Second: I own a 2004 MB E500 4Matic wagon, with ~100k miles. It has developed issues with the Airmatic suspension. I have spent hours and hours researching the issue on this site and another. Having learned of the likely failed component, and contacting Arnott Industries, I order and received a new front right (passenger-side) Airmatic strut. I asked exhaustively about the procedure for removing the old and installing the new and was led to believe by both Arnott tech and other forum posters that it should be relatively simple and straightforward to repair this myself. I am quite adept mechanically and own and maintain ~10 cars.

I am now stumped though and hope someone here can provide some guidance:

I cannot seem to compress the old strut enough to remove it. I have seen other posters indicate, and the Arnott tech said, that both side of the front of the car should be jacked up and let the suspension hang, battery disconnected. Done. The air line to the strut and all wires and fastening bolts have been removed. The strut is loose. But I see no way it can clear the top control arm and the axle half shaft-- it does not appear that there is enough travel in the strut to remove it no matter what. So...

IS IT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE AND INSTALL FRONT STRUTS ON A 4MATIC CAR WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING THE AXLE AND CONTROL ARMS?

The car is currently immobile in my private shop and my wife is very adamant that it be fixed immediately. Help quickly please!

Thank you very much, Scott

vettdvr

Scott my strut failed and totally collapsed.

To remove a strut from the car it needs to have the pressure dumped. This can be done by removing the airline and then with battery disconnected connect the battery and a few seconds air will vent. You should not have to do this if yours is leaking down. Just disconnect the battery and the bad strut will compress.

For the arnott strut I placed it under the hood connected only the connector then energized the main battery and let air out of the strut. WARNING don't let all the pressure off or the seals will break lose and not reseat.

Mine was firm enough I could press the bag with my hand and it felt much like an air mattress. Still with pressure The top ball joint must be taken apart and spindle moved away. The bottom of the strut is lifted over the lower arm for removal. The arnott strut it inserted in the top and I used a wood block on my floor jack to compress the strut. Then when it was high enough to go over the lower arm tapped over the arm. Alignment was done with a drift pin.

Nothing fun or easy but it can be done. Hope this helps.

casman

Had the left front air shock go on my e500 wagon. My Mechanic found a rebuilt for much less. Works very well. 458$
http://www.arnottindustries.com/part...18_pid133.html

I had the release valve fail....causing the strut to deflate and the rest is as they say expensive history.
Better story, my front passenger outer cv joint failed.....dealer wanted 3k. Nobody in Canada sells jobbers and it could not be rebuilt....found scrapper for 250$. She is an expensive mistress!

racerx69

Much appreciation to VetteDvr and Casman for their replies.

Yes, I had already purchased a strut from Arnott and taken my car apart up to the point of removing the old strut from the car. Our car is a 4Matic wagon, fyi, and I think this is key... I had been told by several sources and technicians that it would be possible to compress old and new struts enough to clear suspension and axle components and that it would be fairly easy to do the repair with both sides jacked up high and hanging. That may be true on non-4Matics, other models (with bolt-in ball joints), or S-class (which may have a 2-pc strut)...

But in reality on our car, it was impossible to remove the strut, even with it fully compressed, without disconnecting the control arm by popping one of the ball joints (this car does not have the bolt-in upper ball joint). Even had I had to tools to do that, I didn't think it would be good for the lower control arm and axle to hang down that far and I was skeptical that even then it would provide enough clearance without removing the axle shaft. Since I didn't have the necessary ball joint tools anyway, off it went to the shop where it has been a few days... so, although i hated to admit defeat, for now it's out of my hands and into someone's (hopefully) better equipped and more capable hands.

vettdvr

Mine was the same as yours but I used a ball joint took and popped the top joint apart. This did allow the lower arm to swing down and just barely enough clearnace to fit with I used my floor jack to compress the strut.

racerx69

Hi Vettdvr,

So was yours a 4Matic and did you leave the axle intact and in-place when you let the control arm and steering linkage hang down (or more likely pushed down on it)?? Thanks!

vettdvr

Not 4Matic but E500 with one piece upper arm and ball joint part of arm vs the 2 piece arm. Sorry about the confusion.

I would guess you have to remove the spindle nut and move the arm out to have room to get the shock in and out.

tpick23

sitting in the garage, opened the trunk, car starts adjusting then pop! not real loud but definately different. here'a a audio/video i got it to reproduce the leak.

So, I will be ordering replacement(s) from Arnott this week. Whats the general opinion about replacing both vs just the one. Car has 68,xxx miles, is star lowered. This is an original AMG shock that went out. Will be doing the work myself.

Summary of repairs for this car: no warranty, this makes about $2500 out of pocket
upper ball joint, left side
sway bar ends
fuel tank
air matic

vettdvr

I replaced one with Arnott at 90,000 miles and did not change the other one. at 120,000 all is still well. There is lots of info on how to change this at home. IT will require taking the top ball joint apart and having the right tools. I did mine not in a big rush. Day 1 was remove the old strut, day two install the and button up. It did work well. Do a search on how to change it. WARNING DON"T drive it like that or you will burn out the compressor. AND don't run it too often for the same reason.

tpick23

I see you are a regular in this thread, thanks for the advice. I have tried to avoid this thread but you know how it is, I knew I would end up here.

Will use page one here for DIY, thanks OP. I got the car turned around so the drivers side is accessible and I have tools. My car has the 3 bolt upper ball joint so I think I don not need a ball joint tool, correct?

It will sit int he garage until repaired, thankfully that third car is going to come in handy!

vettdvr

If you have the bolt in upper joint you should be ok just removing the 3 bolts. PM me before the work if you need help.

christiandel11

Guys, can you please point me in the right direction with my issue. My driver rear just started doing this. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it's fine. This photo was taken yesterday when I parked it at the gas station to fill up. When I started the car it raised slightly, but was still too low to drive. I had to press the high ride height button for it to go up enough for to be drivable. Once I got home (about 30 miles later) the ride height was perfect when I parked it, and the next morning it was still the same. It wasn't until today when it started happening again. (also want to add that the "low ride height" warning has never come on) But I'm assuming its also the rear strut that's leaking?

vettdvr

I give it 80% the rear air spring is leaking. Mine failed around 80,000 miles. You might be lucky with just a hose leak but with just one side, I believe you need a new airspring.

infantry

Well add me to the list of failures.

The car is dumped on all sides evenly. I'm sure it's just my compressor, but I'm just going to save up for coilovers next month.

vettdvr

When you say all sides you mean front AND rear? all 4?

spinn

I agree. Mine was acting like that too. If the shocks had failed, the air spring would still keep the ride height up. Repair job for the air spring is about $1k per my mechanic ($600 for air spring and about $400 labor).

Save up and do a coilover conversion.

infantry

Yes, all 4 sides are evenly sitting low.

squeegie

I joined the club for braking the black plastic wire bracket. I got the part number and the cost at my dealer was $3.25. Part# 211 545 23 40. Also, are you guys buying the MB tool to remove the air line? MB Part# 211 589 00 09 00. It is in essence a long socket with a slit cut the length of it so that it will slip over the air line.