Rear End Shocks...Repair, Change, Replace?
 

I am the proud owner of a 1995 S500 which has given me a great ride for 190K Miles...so far. My problem is the rear suspension is starting (is) losing all shock absorbition. There is clunking and chunking and at time squeaking. I would like to eliminate the self leveling non ADS shocks in favor of something standard. My search online has left me blank.

A few questions:

1) are there issues with this change?
2) do the Hydrolics or what ever pressure system that is connected attach to other systems?
3) are there special parts?
4) am I stupid and should just bring this to the dealer (GASP)?

Rideability is not effected on the up and down the road...where I notice it is in the potholes, road resurfacing or otherwise surfaced challenged biways...

Thanks in advance.

You need to get a better concept of what you are dealing with and what you are asking.

You are at the right place to find out. You should read for a couple days the posts on accumulators and how they make the suspension work. You shoul also note the concept of replacement as maintenance and also the discussion of the consequences of waiting till failure.

The rear struts have replaceable mounts at their upper attachment.

Unless the struts have been ruined by a year or two driving with bad accunulators the suspension will be cheaper to fix than to replace with a standard suspension. The parts are pretty cheap and fairly simple to replace if you DIY, if not, find a competent MB independent who undersatnds accumulators and its still cheaper.

To be most efficient in the repair I would look at it first but from experience I would replace the accumulators and see if the system works and doesn't leak. Then I would replace the strut mounts once I knew the struts had survived the event.

Steve, I have a creaking / thumping noise from the top of my right rear strut (w/ ADS). I pulled the strut, and I see a spherical metal shell at the top of the strut. I imagine there are bushings inside this sphere. It does not look like it can be disassembled. Can the bushings within it be replaced, or is this a sealed feature requiring that the entire strut be replaced? I also noticed that the car body sits directly on this sphere...there was no rubber or other material between the strut and the car body. Is this correct?

I found out that this is the Strut Bump Stop, and is indeed a replaceable item.