Hey guys, i've got some questions about lowering via STAR diagnostics....(sorry noob here)

Well i want to get rid of some wheelgap on my E55 and i was wondering if i lower my car via STAR...would it be possible to raise it back up to stock height with the airmatic system?

TIA

 

This is what a local shop told me about STAR lowering:

They lowered a CLS about an inch maybe a bit more BUT when you select any mode other than comfort mode (so sport 1 or sport 2) the car will RAISE back to normal height...

I'm also a noob when it comes to STAR lowering so for all I know the shop could've messed things up and thought this was the norm but thats what they told me

 

That is incorrect. The car will stay lowered, and go even lower in sport 1 and sport 2. The procedure must be done correctly though, check out the How to DIY sticky to see the right way to do it.

 

This is what was told to me by the techs, when they lowered my E63. Lowering via Star will definitely lower your car a bit. But it doesn't change the ride height, for different settings. i.e. One height for comfort, another for Sport 1 and then Sport 2. As I previously thought. I wanted my suspension to change the height for the various settings. But it doesn't do that. Once your car is lowered, you can still use the raise height function for speed bumps. Your car will remain lowered to what ever height it was lowered too. But the difference is with Sport 1 and 2, will drop it a little bit more in millimeters, then comfort once your car exceeds 70 mph. Basically all that your are doing to telling the computer that this is the new default setting height for the suspension, that's it. Your car will still functiion in the manner it was designed. All that comfort, sport 1 and 2 does, is tighten up the suspension, by increasing or decreasing the amount air in the strut for a tighter or firmer ride. I hope that, I haven't confused anyone, and explained it in such a manner that everyone understands.

 

+1, When I switch to S2, I drop another 1/2" all the way around with firmer damping.

 

Weird- I change to sport 1,2 and my car stays the same height- when I drive it super hard and park it the car is lower in rear but later on it actually goes back to the original level. One thing that does bother me is that the rear passenger side always looks higher than the driver side??

 

What settings are you at? I am not at the lowest (3.1, -1.5), also when you are setting the level, you need to make sure all of the heights (front left/right and rear left/right) matches as close as possible. As you raise/lower the front wheels on either side, if definitely makes a change in the rear left/right, even though it's only one senor there. I put the rear level at 2.98V then adj the front left & right until they are even and the rear is even. I'm only off by a few mm the passenger side being a little higher. I may go tweek it a little more so that it's perfect and then do an alignment. However, as it is, the right is straight and good. Before when it was off by 1/2" (higher on passenger side) it had a tendency to go left.

A

 

Im getting my car lowered via star by the dealership. They said they can lower the car by 30mm.

 

I was thinking of getting my car lowered via star but was told that once the car goes back into the shop, for whatever reason, the service tech will hook up the computer to the onboard computer, throw up a warning on the airmatic, and the service tech will then change the settings back to their factory default?

 

Hmmm thanks for the info guys.....i thought it would have more adjustability....Looks like i'll have to be spending the extra bucks on an ELM!

 

Bugging the crap out of me. Pass front and rear is about a .25" to .5" higher.

Just not worth the money to get it leveled out.

Thinking about a washer or two no the passenger side..jk

Really though, need to just get a hold of the STAR program myself.

 

can someone post pics of their car lowered via star?

 

Ok so to confirm, the SP 1 & 2 settings don't lower the car, just stiffen it up, correct?

Right now, I have a 2 finger gap all around, my tech who's going to lower the car for me while I'm getting an alignment at my shop said to drop it 1/2"... which seems little, should I go for a full inch? Running stock wheels btw.

 

According to the owners manual the W211 E55 rides at the same height on comfort, sport1 and sport2. I can't imagine ANY lowering device changing that....

 

I'm currently lowered through star and I can DEFINITELY see the difference between drivin in Comfort, Sport I, and Sport II. Besides being lowered, I could always press the raise button and the car will go up. If I want to slam it, I'll have it in Sport II. I have been lowered through Star for a good number of years now and haven't had any problems adjusting the height by using Comfort, Sport I, or Sport II.

Here's an example...

My rear wheel in comfort...


My rear wheel now in Sport II...

 

Im getting my car lowered via star today. When i pick up my car il take pics.

 

Hey BenzoBoi,

Have you ever replaced your airmatic struts due to wear from the star lowering or has the originals struts held up pretty good?

 

Still on the original struts and haven't had any problems thus far.

 

My passenger side also sits a little higher at the moment. I am waiting for all the snow to melt to get it adjusted again.

It will be easier to tell exactly where i want it with the 20s on.

Glad i'm not the only one.

 

Damn!.. good to know. I guess I better play with mine and see what happens. BTW did you ever try this same test before you got the Star job?
Thanks for posting.
PS. SICK WHEELS!

 

I was able to do the same thing before I dropped the car. It was alot more subtle but I could notice it. Thanks fer the kind words

BTW...

Once you drop it from comfort to Sport I, or Sport II, or vice versa, let the car roll a lil bit. Once the car sense movement, it'll drop or raise up accordingly.

 

Nice advice Sun, thanks !

 

I gotta question for you Benz gurus out there, I wanna know what are the settings I need to input for me to drop the car low enough to get rid of the wheels gap on the OEM 18 wheels...I read the DIY Star diag but it doesnt say how low the car will drop after you drive it...so please someone help and also how bad is the tire wear after you lower the car and align it? and how long does the alignment stay in place?

 

I am curios to this as well.

@Benzoboi - so the STAR only lowers the rear suspension and not the front?

 

It lowers the front as well...

Comfort:


Sport II: