Airmatic Question for the Experts
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 5
From: Philly
N/A
Airmatic Question for the Experts
I've been noticing that my left rear ride height is lower than the other corners, so I'm assuming that I need to replace the air spring on that side.
Tonight, I took some measurements and thought I would see if you all thought my ride discrepancy was likely due to a spring. I'll get around to taking the wheel off and digging deeper, but I thought I'd show you all and see what you think.
Comfort - Raised
LF 27"
RF 27 1/8"
LR 26 1/8"
RR 26 3/4"
Sport II - Normal
LF 26 1/8"
RF 26 1/4"
LR 25 1/4"
RR 26"
I did search, and didn't see a previous answer.
Thanks.
Tonight, I took some measurements and thought I would see if you all thought my ride discrepancy was likely due to a spring. I'll get around to taking the wheel off and digging deeper, but I thought I'd show you all and see what you think.
Comfort - Raised
LF 27"
RF 27 1/8"
LR 26 1/8"
RR 26 3/4"
Sport II - Normal
LF 26 1/8"
RF 26 1/4"
LR 25 1/4"
RR 26"
I did search, and didn't see a previous answer.
Thanks.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 3
From: SC/NoVa
13' E350 4matic, 08' E63
This has been covered in many threads. Search Air magic Issues and you will find many answers.
Here is the short of it--- The fronts have sensors or a (not sure what to call it) bar on each side that adjusts the height. The rears only have one sensor so a little variance is quite normal. Changing out the air bag or shock will not change it, and I think you would be wasting your funds. It can be adjusted for ride height, which is covered in other threads.
Hope this helps
Here is the short of it--- The fronts have sensors or a (not sure what to call it) bar on each side that adjusts the height. The rears only have one sensor so a little variance is quite normal. Changing out the air bag or shock will not change it, and I think you would be wasting your funds. It can be adjusted for ride height, which is covered in other threads.
Hope this helps
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 5
From: Philly
N/A
This has been covered in many threads. Search Air magic Issues and you will find many answers.
Here is the short of it--- The fronts have sensors or a (not sure what to call it) bar on each side that adjusts the height. The rears only have one sensor so a little variance is quite normal. Changing out the air bag or shock will not change it, and I think you would be wasting your funds. It can be adjusted for ride height, which is covered in other threads.
Hope this helps
Here is the short of it--- The fronts have sensors or a (not sure what to call it) bar on each side that adjusts the height. The rears only have one sensor so a little variance is quite normal. Changing out the air bag or shock will not change it, and I think you would be wasting your funds. It can be adjusted for ride height, which is covered in other threads.
Hope this helps
I know that the ride height can vary, but what I didn't see in my searching was at what point (e.g. 1/2 inch, 1 inch delta) does the ride height difference cease to be an acceptable variance versus something that needs to be addressed.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 3
From: SC/NoVa
13' E350 4matic, 08' E63
No worries, just letting you know there is a bunch out there about it.
I think the inch is acceptable if I remember correctly. LOL Someone actually said they put a 25lb weight on that side and it leveled it out a tad. As expensive as the shocks and bags are, it is a waste for an inch. 2 inches well, that might look pretty bad. Without the vehicle on, some sagging is normal also. Most level to within 1/2 inch or so when on.
I think the inch is acceptable if I remember correctly. LOL Someone actually said they put a 25lb weight on that side and it leveled it out a tad. As expensive as the shocks and bags are, it is a waste for an inch. 2 inches well, that might look pretty bad. Without the vehicle on, some sagging is normal also. Most level to within 1/2 inch or so when on.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Tx
2005 E55
Take some where that's knows Benz and have them do an alignment. Make sure they have the romess it requires to measure ride height in degrees correctly. If is out of tolerance they will adjust ride hieght as part of the alignment.
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 887
Likes: 2
From: Northern California
2004 E55 AMG; 1991 Previa
My rear is like teeter totter, one day the left is sagging next day its the right. If I notice this I usually hit the 'rise' button and it settles out a little after driving around.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 95
From: NZ
2004 E55 AMG, 2006 CLS63, 2004 ML55, 2014 E350 sport
Did you survey the ground/concrete the four wheels were sitting on? I get that your measurements are most likely out by more than the ground is but still if your going to do this you might as well do it right.
Also after raising/lowering the car would need to be moved forward and backwards by atleast 3 metres to get the tension out of the suspension arms. IMO the rear is never going to balance out truly as you basically have two airbags with one airline going to a splitter feeding them both. So if the weight/chassis of the car is twisted one way its always going to favour one side.
The only true way to get a handle on this is to survey the ground and corner weight the car. To me thats the only way to get some real data.
Some more thoughts: For those of you who have actually worked on the rear suspension you will notice the arms are supposed to be done up when the car is sitting on the ground. IF somebody works on one side of the car and does the arms up on one side with no load on it then you automatically are going to get the rear air bags favouring a side due to the bound up elastic force in the arm bushings.
Also after raising/lowering the car would need to be moved forward and backwards by atleast 3 metres to get the tension out of the suspension arms. IMO the rear is never going to balance out truly as you basically have two airbags with one airline going to a splitter feeding them both. So if the weight/chassis of the car is twisted one way its always going to favour one side.
The only true way to get a handle on this is to survey the ground and corner weight the car. To me thats the only way to get some real data.
Some more thoughts: For those of you who have actually worked on the rear suspension you will notice the arms are supposed to be done up when the car is sitting on the ground. IF somebody works on one side of the car and does the arms up on one side with no load on it then you automatically are going to get the rear air bags favouring a side due to the bound up elastic force in the arm bushings.
Last edited by austingtir; Apr 8, 2014 at 02:28 AM.
