Properly Adjusting your SLS Ride Height
 

The SLS Valve controls the height at which the rear of the car sits. The lever arm position tells the valve to raise or lower the rear. The lever arm is moved by way of the sway bar. Which get rotated when the rear of the height of the rear end it changed. With the car running and unloaded the lever arm should be in the neutral position, which is parallel to the ground.

Before you get started be aware that moving the lever arm of the valve with the car running will raise and lower the rear end. If it's not lifted and securely supported by the wheels with ample working room you could squish yourself under the car. Now that I've scared you away:P, lets get to it.
It is a simple job, only a couple tools are required. You'll want two 10mm end wrenches, a 4mm diameter locking rod to lock the valve in it's neutral position, which is now available as part of my SLS Valve O-ring kits. This is best done with wheel ramps. The weight of the car needs to be sitting on the rear wheels as if it were on the ground.

1. With the engine off, remove the adjusting rod from the lever arm. You'll need two 10mm end wrenches. Don't just twist the nut off, you need to hold the other side or you'll break the ball joint.
2. Once the adjusting rod is off. Move the lever arm into the neutral position and insert the locking rod through the lever arm and and into the hole in the valve (As seen in the pic). You've now locked the the car into the proper neutral unloaded height.
3. Start the car and let the SLS system adjust itself to the height.
4. Then adjust the length of the adjustment rod if needed, then reattach. Remove the locking rod, and you're done.

There are a couple reasons your ride height when set to the proper height could still be too low or too high. If your springs are tired they aren't doing their job to the fullest and will allow the rear to sag a little lower than it should despite the valve being set at the proper height. Or if the valve has been rebuilt and the lever arm wasn't put back on in the proper orientation you could have the rear sitting too high or too low, depending on how the lever arm was put on. Stay tune for the proper alignment of the lever arm and rod.:)

Very nice Andrew. You are truly becoming the SLS "Go-To" guy.
Now get to work on that o-ring that seals the two SLS pump halves together!! :wink3:

Thanks.

I need to find a spare one to take apart.

Wow, I didn't even notice that the ball joint rod was adjustable.

Hey Andrew, I still have a complete o-ring kit. I could measure the large o-ring with my calipers and give you the measurements if you want.

You have an o-ring kit for the pump?

I have one already apart with a toasted o-ring if you want me to send it for examination purposes.....
And of course, this o-ring is NOT supplied with the o-ring kit that seals the two halves together. {at least that is what several MB parts guys have told me}

No. I read Jimmy's post as SLS valve, not SLS pump.:o

Once you've done steps one through three above, do you turn off the engine to reattach the rod or do you have to leave it running while you reattach it?

I would think either would work. If your SLS is all tight and not leaking when you shut the engine off it should maintain the height. I'd probably leave the engine running, but that's jsut me.

I wasn't sure if it remained pressurized once the engine was off. Now that I think about it, I guess it would have to. Actually, mine has a leak in it somewhere, too.

The most common leak is in the valve. I have o-ring kits available to seal up the valve. Let me know if your interested. There is a link in my signature, or at the top of this page.

Have a read through these if you haven't already -

Self-Leveling-System - How it works, and troubleshooting the system -
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=271570

w123 Self-Leveling-System O-ring replacement DIY -
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=271457

Okay. Thanks.

Does anyone have a photo with the car sitting with the (working) SLS adjusted all the way down or close to it?

which car? 123 or 124?