S210 SLS 2002 - One side higher than standard ride height ! ? ! ?

[datripsta]

I recently noticed the off side rear of my car is about 20mm or so higher than the rest of the cars ride height. I noticed after changing front springs and shocks with spring rubbers etc.... due to a snapped nearside spring snapping at the bottom. It might not sound much but on an avantgrde with 18 Monos on it, now Ive seen it I cant help thinking it looks a mile off and the effects on geometry of car and so on. It needs to be sorted.

I had the accumulators replaced around 6 months ago. TBH I didn't notice anything then but suspension has always been harsh and took this is due to avangarde model with factory fitted 18" mono blocks. Ride was slightly improved after accumulators were changed.

I've got no idea how long the ride has been higher ant one side at the back as I park the car in a garage and don't often get to see the car in full to notice these problems.

All springs are good on the car, not snapped. Other 3 wheels are riding same height and look normal for pip 1 spring rubber set up. No fluid leaks at the back anywhere.

I sat in the boot ( 112 kg ) in shop car park with boot full of food. Didn't notice any drop or rise in suspension.

Now I've changed front end shocks and springs I can defo say the rear is harder but not by much, its more pot holes I notice it. Speed bumps, corners etc.... all feels good.

Is it possible when the guys fitted new accumulators an air lock or something has made its way to the off side read shock causing it to be higher than the rest of the car ?

I've read so many posts about sagging SLS and non working SLS but not seen anything that details the problem I have.

I'm going to get some mates round to get some more weight in the car and help check the car does level out to check system is working, if not il go under it and move the valve.

Any suggestions to what the issue might be with the high corner are greatly appreciated.

 

[datripsta]

Ignore this post its a duplicate - not sure how I manged to do it but its happened !

Please respond to earlier post - is it possible a MOD could delete this thread.

Apologies and thanks.

 

[renault12ts]

If one corner of the car is high...the corresponding diagonal corner will be lower. So, in your case the nearside front should be low...unless your car is bent.

Make accurate measurements from the middle of each wheel (not from the ground) to the top of each arch...and compare...report back here. It could be a problem at the nearside front.

 

[datripsta]

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

I'll do the measurements and report back.

SLS is defo not working so I'm wondering if its a back up of fluid in one shock from where the front corresponding diagonal spring had snapped and locked out out the shock. I'm wondering if a fluid bleed might sort it out as well as replacing the rusted up sls valve.

 

[datripsta]

been out to the car. Got it up on ramps and tested sls valve as described in many threads on this forum.

Totally dead, no moment at all, value arm moves easily but not ever playing with one of these I have no idea if its good or not. When moving the arm from high up to as low as I can move it about half way it feels as if there is a notch which might be there to give feel for off ? this is where my value was set to. Also no pump noise, no noise of fluid etc.... this just screams dead valve to me but no idea if the pump is giving enough pressure.


I've got fluid being returned through the filler cap pipe which must mean there is some kind of power from the pump.

could it be my indi changed the spheres and expected them to self bleed but didn't realise the valve was dead. I also had the fluid changed at the same time. If he did this out of the fluid header tank he wouldn't know to check the valve.

It now adds up why I wasn't experiencing as much difference others have mentioned after new spheres. By all accounts the old ones were shot to bits.

Anyone know the whereabouts of a good working second hand sls value

 

[datripsta]

Am I right to think the sls value is actually something similar to a shut off valve you get in central heating systems.

If it is then it can only be the valve is blocked up ( unlikely ) or arm is detached form inner working ( could feel its probably not the case ) so is it not more likely there is an air lock or the pump its self is the issue.

 

[datripsta]

Measured height on each wheel from centre of mb star in wheels.

Front Off side 33 cm
Rear off side 33 cm
Front near side 33 cm
Rear near side 35.5 cm

Front springs, shocks, lower control arms are all brand new and main dealer parts including sprung cups. Front springs are 2 white and one yellow dot with single pip rubbers

Rear springs look OK but I will need to get the wheels off to see properly to double check nothing has snapped. Springs show 3 blue dots on both sides.

SLS shocks show no sign of leaks however the near side does have a load of dirt around the bottom which I have clean off. It was all dry, the surrounding area was full of mud and crap too so I cant be sure if its old fluid leaked out and dried or if its crap from the road.

Spheres were replaced about a month ago.

With Engine off ( I have to do all this alone !!! ) I've undone the pipe joints to spheres on both sides and fluid comes out at as it it is under pressure. Same with sphere to shock joint and bleed value on sls valve.

Still no movement when moving value arm ( disconnected from roll bar ) even to extreme ends of its travel.

Obviously if the car is bent I'm screwed and want to know how that happened but until I can get the SLS working the fact of no SLS causing the strange ride height cant be ruled out.

The sls value looks like a real hassle to change out. Its totally rusted up, I've tired to clean it off best I can but still looks horrible fiddeliy job. So much in the way.

What are the do its the pump or the value that's causing my SLS not to work. it looks reasonably simple to exchange the pump.

for the sake of a few second hand bit I'm thinking its worth a try before concluding the worst the car is bent.

Is my thinking right or am I going down the wrong path.

 

[datripsta]

anyone ?

 

[datripsta]

Today I replaced the tandem pump with a "known" good second hand one. Same issue, no suspension moment when value is moved manually. I've got a "known" second hand one on the way that I will fit as well as another pump that's supposedly taken of a running car where they tested the SLS works before removing the pump on my request today.....

I've checked both rear springs and both are in good order. I've replaced the rear springs cups.

I noticed the strut bushes were a bit dry and hard looking so got a replacement set from MB for each side. £18 a side. MB don't sell the lower strut buses separately, you have to buy a new strut. This evening I fitted bushes to the off side ( drivers side UK - other side needs doing as I believe the bush is squeaking rather than the spare tyre causing the noise rubbing on panel as I first thought ) and when doing so old bushes where around 20mm shorter than the new. I would expect some shrinkage as they are probably original and 10 yrs old plus they are compressed when fitted as opposed to new being uncompressed until flitted. Car fells much tighter but the same annoying clonk is there even though not as loud or severe as it was. Suspension seems to be much better too. Maybe draining out the rams and the system refilling them has fluked a good fill of the strut. Will do the other side tomorrow.

For the benefit of others is an easy job expect getting the interior panel off which is a real 10 out of 10 PITA. Mind you its messy when all that fluid comes out so keep plenty of rags and something to stop the fluid going all over the drive ( ) to hand and a helper to put a drain pot under the pipes would be a good plus.

Not that I would expect the bushes to fix SL not working sure enough its still not working.

Clonking is a real headache, I've replaced all 4 sub frame bushes, diff bush, rear upper strut bushes ( only one side so far ), one of the rear suspension arms on both sides and both accumulators. I fear its actually the strut moving in the mounting hole as it was a bit worn. Had to take a wire brush to it to clean off all the oxidised crud.

is it common to have to do this to an SLS strut when replacing the bushes ? I cant see it being a snug fit and I guess ( thinking out loud again ) might be the cause of the knock when going over dropped man hole covers and so on as I thin kit could well move inside the bushes and hit the side of the mounting hole. As mentioned on other threads could also be the spheres are in fact duff even though they are new :-/

Replacing the SLS valve looks like another PITA due to access.......