I have done a bit of searching and can't find real good description of how a properly functioning SLS system on W123 wagons are supposed to perform. Specifically, I am interested in symptoms related to bad accumulators....I understand that will result in excessive bouncing...could someone describe more? When the wagon SLS suspension is functioning properly, will the car ride smoothly and level, even when going over dips in the road. Currently my wagon seems to bounce a little too much, but I am not sure if that is just because the back compartment is essentially empty (no extra cargo weight). I rebuilt the SLS valve, replaced fluid & filter, the pump is working well, there are no leaks in the system, car sits normal/level, and I know the PO replaced the actual struts (verified by reciepts). I am not sure if the accumulators were replaced.


How should my car ride when susp. is operating properly....nice, level and smooth, or with a bit of bounce?

Thanks,

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

mine deffinatly bounces alot more when empty. also, once the valve stuck and the back was way up- not a nice ride.

but i am sure that my accumulatrs are old- maybe stock.

of course, they are $$, but if they're old, I am sure that your ride will improve. everything else is new, so why not go whole hog?

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

I don't notice any bounce in mine. Try loading up the back and see if the system levels it out.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I recently replaced the accumulators on my wagon. I went thru every test I could think of 'cause the car only has 62Kmi. The height control works fine with faulty accumulators.
Your symptoms sound similar to mine. In the end I replaced the accumulators with perfect results. I have concluded that one accumulator was bad, degrading the ride somewhat but not completely.

Sounds like accumulators. Does the rear end lift up when you load the rear with a couple hundred pounds and then start the car? If so, and there is no sagging over night, then it's your accumulators.

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Let me try to help. It is your accumulators. It's ALWAYS the accumulators. A wise man told the that a while back, and he has been most correct.
I have had accumulators fail 2 ways:
*soft sagging ride, almost dragging the ground. A bouncy floating ride
*a super harsh bouncy ride, jarring your teeth out when you go over a separation between concrete road pieces.....

They are not real expensive either, maybe $100 bucks give or take [$92 to $114] each. The price of a good shock.
It is amazing what a properly operating SLS can absorb. Mine isn't too plush, probably due to subframe bushings, but dips and bumps and humps are just absorbed.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Listen to Jimmy. I have one thing to add- you can find good accumulators in the junkyards. Pull them and look inside. Try to push the eraser end of a pencil into the unit- if it is very hard to push down or does not push down at all the unit is good.

Very helpfull.....my ride is definitely bouncy.....in many cases the bounce is not unpleasant, but there are times when rolling along on a curvy section of highway at 65 or 70 mph where there are dips in the road, and the bounce is very noticable....so much so that I feel like I am riding in a Willeys Jeep rather than a Mercedes! This can't be correct...I will be putting accumulators in this spring.

Thanks,

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

Have someone sit in the back and let them be the judge. The accumulators are the actual shock absorbing part of the system given that they are gas charged and the rest of the system is all fluid.

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81 300SD
87 300E
72 280SEL 4.5
03 Bajaj Chetak
64 Vespa GS 160 (slow restoration)

how are the front shocks? It made a world of difference in ride quality when I replaced my front shocks EVEN THOUGH THE OLD SHOCKS PASSED THE BOUNCE TEST! They appeared to be the orginal factory installed shocks....yours may well be 23 years old!

The other thing that really helped with ride was getting good, new tires all around....big difference in ride quality.

If your system will raise the rear end under load, and is not leaking fluid, then I am not so sure the SLS is the problem. Just my 2 cents.

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Mark
1983 300TD Wagon
Even a broken watch is right twice a day