How to Replace Mercedes ML350 W164 GL Front AIRMATIC Air Strut Shock Absorber - Complete DIY Guide
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
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How To Replace Mercedes Front Air Strut Suspension on ML-Class W164 Vehicle.
In this video I show you how to replace the Front Air Suspension Strut Suspension on a Mercedes ML or GL vehicle. For the video I am using my 2011 Mercedes ML300 W164 where the shock absorber component of the air strut assembly has failed and is causing significant knocking through the vehicle when you drive over bumps.
I am replacing it with an aftermarket replacement Air Strut Shock Absorber Assembly. You can purchase this from the following links:
Amazon (US and General): amzn.to/3rmq4Zl
Amazon (Australia): amzn.to/3SD0mvg
What you will see is that I step by step show you how to do this procedure safely with minimal tools. In particular I have attempted to film all of the steps involved without avoiding the trickier elements of this task.
The tools used in replacing the front air spring are:
* 10mm, 13mm, 17mm, 21mm, 24mm, T30 Sockets
* 10mm, 13mm, 15/16 Spanners
* Hoist (To lift the car), however you could use a Jack and Axle Stands
* Jack with a Block of Wood (For supporting and manoeuvring suspension components)
* Ball Joint Separator
* Rubber/plastic Mallet
* Flat Screwdriver
* Silicone Spray Lubricant
DISCLOSURE : This is a 1 to 2 hour task. The author takes no responsibility or liability for other's attempts to undertake this task.
Just changed the front suspension to Miesslers struts and what a difference! The car is a R 320 2007 with airmatic ads and has 120.000km on it. You could notice that the old shocks where not damping at all like the new ones, and ads valves works perfect!
Great news. Did you purchase directly from their website with PayPal? What was the delivery time? Would you say the company seems trustworthy and legit? I assume the quality of the struts is good and the installation was smooth without issues. Great to hear the ads valves work.
@@Jorsten I purchased directly from their website with PayPal, and it arrived in one week. I believe the company is trustworthy and the quality looks and feels very good with no issues.
Thank you so much for your informative videos on Mercedes and MLs it has saved me heaps of time and costs, as a DIY mechanic I like that you show the before and after of work done it gives a good perspective thanks again keep it up Cheers
Thanks Gene! Cheers Drew
Hi Drew, big fan of your work. I just happened to have similar noise. If the noise is from Strut assembly. Then when I try to shake my car in garage with some help there is no cluck or any sound. But only when i drive and drive on uneven road.
Hi Mate, as you describe was my experience … I could not determine that the strut had failed in the garage! Cheers Drew
Fantastic, thank you kindly - the only problem was very minor, I was wondering if you could include the torque measurements :-)
Hi Mate, certainly can. I will add to the description!! Cheers Drew
Drew. My wife purchase a m300 W164. Your videos have been invaluable. Your issues are my issues. Regarding the different purchases you have made like air bag strut and the glow plug module. Are these aftermarket items still working as expected. Sean
Hi Mate, I'm glad they are so useful!! I have no issues with the majority of aftermarket parts I have used, however I will note that I have been through a couple of rear latches ... but at literally 1/20th of the price of a genuine Mercedes part for a latch ... go figure ... I will live with the 15 minutes to swap in a new one a couple of times!! Cheers Drew
Thanks a lot its very easy to change
Great vid. Got the same clunking on my Drivers side front shock. Wangled a claim under warranty. Total cost £1,215! And that's just the one.
Nice one! If you need to do the other one and can't wrangle a freebie checkout my links in the description for parts at a fraction of that price! Cheers Drew
Nice, mine just failed and where i had it checked out quoted me $3000 for the strut alone! Even the mechanic was a bit shocked, hahaha.
Hi Mate, where you had it checked out is really taking the Mickey! I think a genuine Mercedes strut is around $2k but there is no way there is $1k worth of labour. Give it a crack yourself and use an aftermarket strut and it will only cost you a few hundred dollars! Cheers Drew
@DrewFixIt absolutely, trade price was $2100 I saw written down, definitely will be doing it myself with a $350 part.
@@troybourne8254 so if you’ve seen some of my other videos you might know that I previously just replaces the air bag on the old strut, thus I may have taken this assembly off and on a few times now, but seriously it’s like one hour of labour …. two hours of labour worst case for a DIY without the proper tools!
Молодец, хорошая работа и подробное видео👍
Another brilliant video.
Thanks for the support Tom! If you’ve been following along, I’m thinking or recording a bit of an explanation tomorrow of what went wrong here to post this Thursday. It will be a bit different style to my normal “how to”, but maybe of interest to you? Cheers Drew
I finally figured it out. The air strut was still holding air over night, no loss at when manually raised. Turns out the release side of the air strut dampener had failed, as soon as I put the airmatic system back to normal the front driver air strut would drop pretty much to the bottom. So the message is, the air bag on the strut can still be fine, no holes or leaks, but the dampener could be your problem.
Hi Mate, thanks for the comment and extra scenario explanation! Cheers Drew
Hi Drew, thanks for the excellent video.
Super job
Great video. Any reason you don’t replace both front struts at the same time considering they’ll be clocking the same mileage?
Hi Mate, in hindsight I should probably have replaced both!! I suppose it all comes down to time and money as I probably have got at least another 6 months left in the other one :) Cheers Drew
Another day another Mercedes video 😅
I just got a Mercedes so I'm a bit worried 😕
Hi Mate, to be fair my ML has now done 150,000 kms and I think any car of this age would have parts that fail. What I would say though is my Mercedes is well maintained and drives fabulously!!! Cheers Drew
@@DrewFixIt yes you're right,
Your car is well maintained but mine is from a car lot and it has 100k miles on it.
But it Rides solid and it doesn't have the air suspension (I wish it had one),
But it's a Mercedes after all
Cheers.
First of all i love your videos :)
I have a question, let's assume you changed only the air bag on (this time for let's say arnott) do you think it would also make a difference? I know you have changed the air bag with some (Noname) on. But is it necessary to change the whole air strut assembly. ? Thanks
Hi Mate, so it’s actually the strut or shock absorber component that has failed not not the airbag. Also, there is absolutely no difference in terms of “performance” from a
cheap or expensive air bag as it is still the same volume of air in a fixed bag. So, I can’t justify even 10x the price for an Arnott Air Bag personally! Cheers Drew
Thanks
I bought new strut. It has a plastic collar at the bottom of the rubber air bag, this is on a front strut for gl450. Should the collar stay on or come off when you install it???
Thank you so much
Do you have video of Brake Pad replacement for W164?
Hi Tazeem, I have recorded both front and rear brake pad videos for the Mercedes ML W164 and they can be found in the following playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLor5qdyoV_nRcb5hDS-z6z1wUHNednb2h.html Cheers Drew
as i recall its the same side you changed the Airbag on, did the airbag also fail again?
Hi Mate, yes I previously just replaced the airbag, this time the strut component had failed. The airbag was actually still fine and I could have swapped it onto just a new strut, however the complete replacement unit that I have linked to is such good value for money that I figured that: 1/ the time it takes to actually remove and air bag from a strut and then reinstall it onto another strut; and 2/ the risk of damaging the o-rings whilst doing the transfer of the old air bag to the new strut, that I may as well just pay the extra and have a brand new air bag too! Cheers Drew
How have these struts lasted over time? Looking for something better than the Maxpeedingrods struts I had fitted - shocks on both failed within 100km.
Hi Mate, I’ve done about 30,000 kms on this strut now with no issues! Cheers Drew
Installed two.
Do you have the torque settings...?
I replaced my front air struts. With arnott struts 160 k miles they were both original parts. To install 600 to install strut.. part included. Struts were about 500 a piece..
So you paid someone (parts & labour) $2200 to do both of your front struts? Cheers Drew
@@DrewFixIt no bought the two struts. Installed for 100 dollars both struts
Hey Drew I’m just about to replace my front struts too as they leak air and knock. How do you rate these Airsusfat struts now that they have been installed for 1 year?
Hi Mate, it’s actually been about 3 months since I replaced the complete front strut now (as per this video). I have no complaints and in fact wish I had swapped it out sooner! Cheers Drew
@@DrewFixItcan say that I successfully changed both front struts with these Airsusfat units. Bloody pain getting the strut over the driveshaft by myself. A 5ft steel pole was utilised.
As you experienced the car now has no clunking noises and no sagging overnight. Awesome.
I will note that the struts feel a bit soggier than the old oem ones. On Normal ADS they allow a lot of travel but it’s something that is not a big issue as I drive in sport mode most of the time.
@@GoForGold256
use a ratchet strap (1 inch wide strap will be about the right size), put it around the top between the bolts, and go between the yoke.
make removing and putting in the new strut way easier. don't need 5 feet steel pole.
@@davidjacobs8558 I hope I never have to change these shocks again but that is a great idea 😊
Hi Drew,
Got an update on your Vintage Seagull? Did you get it running or is it binned? lol
Hi Jim, don’t stress the Vintage Seagull is definitely not binned! I have simply been too busy with keeping my Mercedes on the road and life in general!! Cheers Drew
Knowing this, would you had replaced the whole unit 2 years ago?
Hi Daniel, great question! Yes, probably because of two factors 1/ The time it actually takes to swap the bag on the old strut and 2/ The likelihood of strut failure given the age! That being said my left one is still running with the original Mercedes strut with an aftermarket air bag, so if you want to save a few dollars it is worth giving it a shot still!!! Cheers Drew
I was going to change only the air bag in one side, but decided to change both entire struts. I found Miessler Automotive GmbH that makes good quality struts in Germany (not from China) and they have excellent reviews and the whole strut costs only 333€, so I bought 2, since they say that original equipment gas-charged shocks and struts degrade measurably by 80,000 km, plus that a small difference in hight can effect the compressor and valves.
@@danieleriksson1657 Hi Mate, looks like a good option that you have come across for yourself and potentially others, pay a little bit more and have that bit of extra piece of mind without having to pay the eye watering price from the Mercedes Dealership! Cheers Drew
@@danieleriksson1657 ADS strut + air spring costs 450 euros a piece actually. Chinese struts don't support ADS even though they say they do. So it's either this, Dunlop for 550 euros, or bilstein for 700 euros. I do hope miessler's strut support for ADS is legit.
@@Jorsten miesslers ADS valve should be legit, they have good info and pictures of it on their site. And I just asked them about it and they replied: "Miessler and Dunlop parts have the exact same ADS (oil pressure regulation) function". But do the strut that DrewFixIt is using, maXpeedingrods, have a real ADS valve?
Video looks like adm strut. Mine were plain air struts
Hi Jerry, yes mine are ADS struts. Cheers Drew