Is my rear suspension to hard ?

[Elliot72]

Hi Everyone

Can anyone tell me is the rear suspension on my ml350 w164 2011 meant to be rock hard ?
It’s standard springs and shocks and always goes through the mots fine but every slight bump and it feels awful in the car and it’s always bangs really loud. My car has the 21” wheels on it as standard as well. I don’t know if it’s worth buying new suspension for the rear end but don’t want to spend money if it’s exactly the same after there fitted.
If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Elliot

 

[Joesoap17]

Guessing it could be you rim size? from a quick search rims are from 17-22": so aspect ratio and width go up accordingly, each rim increase gives a slightly firmer ride from the previous one.
10yrs back I had a W163 with 17" rims and it was pretty plush but road surfaces have got worse since then.

 

[DSM10000]

Hi Everyone

Can anyone tell me is the rear suspension on my ml350 w164 2011 meant to be rock hard ?
It’s standard springs and shocks and always goes through the mots fine but every slight bump and it feels awful in the car and it’s always bangs really loud. My car has the 21” wheels on it as standard as well. I don’t know if it’s worth buying new suspension for the rear end but don’t want to spend money if it’s exactly the same after there fitted.
If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Elliot

Did you test it before you bought it?

Did the fact that it has 21 inch wheels fitted not concern you about the potential ride issue?

Changing to different
(smaller diameter) sized wheels that can accommodate tyres with a more forgiving and taller sidewall is the best way forward or change the car.

 

[Elliot72]

Hi the wheels on my car are the standard wheels on it. When I purchased the car it was smooth but then it went for a mot and it failed on broken rear springs so I had them changed and it was rock hard from then onwards. So I’m wondering are the springs to hard or are they just hard rear suspension

 

[Petrol Pete]

Wrong springs fitted. There are all sorts of springs available for the rear of MB cars , it's a minefield , using the VIN at a MB dealership is as close as you can get to getting the correct springs . Or if you have the colour code of the original springs .

The rest is guesswork . a spring the same size may have one more/less coil or a thicker/thinner wire diameter , it will fit but work differently.

 

[Joesoap17]

you hsve snswered your own question.
It became hard after a spring change and as previously said spring options on mercs is a minefield, get them from a dealer and you should be back where you started.

 

[markjay]

Back in the eighties I had a friend who used to distribute parts to motor factors.

At some point I noticed that he regularly had in the back of his Transit a small palette with about a dozen Castrol GTX containers on it.

His explanation was that these weren't for sale.... it was to keep the rear from bouncing when going over speed bump when the van was empty....

As for the OP... definitely wrong springs.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , my car runs on 19" wheels.

Tyre pressure is important on my C207 , with two people in the car Mercedes recommend 37 psi.

4 people tyres pressures recommend 41 psi

Due to my laziness I set the pressure to 41 psi for a short break and have only just reduced the psi to 37.

Chalk and cheese in ride comfort.

With 21" wheels the psi I would think is critical for ride comfort.

 

[colinallcars]

Hi the wheels on my car are the standard wheels on it. When I purchased the car it was smooth but then it went for a mot and it failed on broken rear springs so I had them changed and it was rock hard from then onwards. So I’m wondering are the springs to hard or are they just hard rear suspension

That fully contradicts your first post!!

Most likely wrong springs fitted as already stated.

 

[markjay]

Hi , my car runs on 19" wheels.

Tyre pressure is important on my C207 , with two people in the car Mercedes recommend 37 psi.

4 people tyres pressures recommend 41 psi

Due to my laziness I set the pressure to 41 psi for a short break and have only just reduced the psi to 37.

Chalk and cheese in ride comfort.

With 21" wheels the psi I would think is critical for ride comfort.

I'd agree that unreasonably overinflated rear tyres could also be the issue here, if the garage who replaced the springs inflated the tyres for some reason. But my money is on incorrect springs fitted.

 

[JHS]

Broken springs resulting in severely reduced effect, corrected with new springs. My take is that it is now as it should always have been.

 

[Elliot72]

Thankyou for all your help I’m going to purchase new springs from Mercedes and see how I go from there.

 

[colinallcars]

Thankyou for all your help I’m going to purchase new springs from Mercedes and see how I go from there.

Why not check what you’ve currently got in case they are correct? Get the colour coding and ask Mercedes parts department if they are the right ones.

 

[Stratman]

Thankyou for all your help I’m going to purchase new springs from Mercedes and see how I go from there.

When you go make sure you have the VIN with you

 

[Petrol Pete]

Back in the eighties I had a friend who used to distribute parts to motor factors.

At some point I noticed that he regularly had in the back of his Transit a small palette with about a dozen Castrol GTX containers on it.

His explanation was that these weren't for sale.... it was to keep the rear from bouncing when going over speed bump when the van was empty....

As for the OP... definitely wrong springs.

My old Iveco turbodaily van was the same , rear wheel drive , come MOT time despite the rear brakes and load sensor being in tip top condition the rear brakes were marginal . Always used to put a heavy load right in the back for MOT day.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Why not check what you’ve currently got in case they are correct? Get the colour coding and ask Mercedes parts department if they are the right ones.

If not currently fitted with MB springs they might not be colour coded , also might have been replaced by the previous owner with the wrong spring.

As said , a minefield. MB might refuse to disclose colour code. Thats even if they know what it is without actually pulling the part out of stock and looking at it.

That is exactly the position I am in now. I am in the USA , there are 2 two front springs for my car in the entire US . I have the part number and colour code from the springs on my car , unfortunately the springs are not at a dealership (where someone could just check the colour markings) they are in a central store facility.

They want me to pay for them before they order them . It's a risk I can't take as the last thing I need is a 'discussion' with MBUSA just a few weeks before coming home .

Add to that they are hopeless over here on promised delivery times. Too risky, unfortunately.