REAR SHOCKS

[Joderest]

Hi.
ML270 2003.
Hi.
Had gearbox fluid changed today along with bush connector. All good, however, it was pointed out to me that right-hand rear shock spring is broken at bottom in plastic. It looks a reasonable job to do, I can cope with bolt type work.
Unless bought from Mercedes, they are a bit thin on the ground. EUROCARPARTS do some at quite a good price £204 each, with discount work out at £137 each.
Question, will these be ok for car. Is there something better I could fit, but not Costco prohibited.
Can't remember the make, started with an A.
Any comments

 

[Joderest]

Sorry, don't know how COSTCO got on there !!!!!

 

[Joderest]

The shocks are called Anschler, appears their own make, however someone must make them for ECP.
Was told I need make called SUCHS but cannot find them.
Anyone fitted either of above

 

[Joderest]

Odd, ECP with discount £137 each.
Carpartsforless with discount £124.95.

I thought these were one and same company.
Still trying to find out if parts are any good. Someone here must have fitted them

 

[Joderest]

OK, may help others.
Spoke to a very helpful guy at ECP, the shocks are made in the same factory as SACHS, and are effectively the same item, Part quality is the same, but i suspect coating is not (which is nothing a tin of paint will not sort out)
They bettered the carpartsforless price, £108 each.
Ordered and will pick up tomorrow.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Is this what you needed ?
Shock Absorber MERCEDES-BENZ M-Klasse (W163) ML 270 CDI 2.7 (163.113) - de 1999 163 HP buy cheap online - Shock Absorber - Shock Absorbers, Coil Springs, Leaf Springs

 

[grober]

The OEM shocker for MERC is SACHS part of the ZF group.
WebCat
IRRC the rear suspension is of the strut type. Usually meaning you remove the entire strut- decompress the spring than rebuild the strut with new shocker/spring . the coil springs on these SUV's are hefty meaning you need the right kit to dismantle the strut safely. Because of the labour involved I would have gone for recognised makes rather than the cheapest. You should also do both shocks/springs at the same time.
here's what involved

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[Joderest]

Thanks grober, have already watched that, and yes, i would always do both sides.
I am running out of funds at the moment, hence had to find the cheapest i could find, however, the guy told me that these are produced in the SACHS factory, to the same spec as OEM, only comments i can find about these items is that paint finish a bit thin, nothing that a spray can of paint cant fix.
My thoughts are thus, the shocks on the rear of the car appear the originals, hence 14 years old, so anything will be an improvement. Whilst stripping and rebuilding, i will check every thing else and grease/clean as i go. And of course, if anything else needs attention, that will be done.
I would not have even attempted to remove spring and put another one on, it would not have saved a lot of money, and the shocks themselves would be weak by now (no leaking i can see). I have seen one or two nasty injuries caused by flying springs, and not as beefy as the ML ones !!!!.
To be honest, except for the top three nuts, looks easier to do than a front discovery spring.

 

[Joderest]

onefortheroad, yep looked there ECP did a better deal.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Im suprised .i got a front pair of sachs for my e320 for around £140 .mb wanted £186 for one.

 

[Joderest]

onefortheroad.
Yes, the fronts are much cheaper, the rear is a strut, and has spring already installed, and also has a ball joint on is lower side, hence why so expensive, bilstien ones are in excess of £400 each shock !!!.
These look like made in Germany, as "instructions" in the box were German, i was told again this morning that they are made by SACHs, but who knows, at the end of the day, 12 months warranty, so i hope they will do. The vehicle fund is a bit low, as just spent £217 on gearbox oil change, filter and electrical plug. As car used mainly by wife, dont want a broken spring whilst she is driving it. I will be doing it this weekend, once i have fought my way through the tons of waxoil PO has sprayed on everything. (the shocks look ok, far better than i expected, i thought the protection parts would be plastic, but they are rubber, good paint finish and feel good quality, only time will tell)

JOYS !!!!!

 

[Codger49]

After many doubts with ECP, I now buy my Sachs parts only from German suppliers

Two years ago, ZF helpdesk told me ECP own the UK sales rights to the Sachs brand name. Think this means they can supply anything with a Sachs label.

I have bought Sachs shocks from ECP and direct from Germany. The difference was far more than the paint finish.

The last time I was looking at acquiring Sachs springs from ECP, the manufacturers part number showed it to be a Lesjofors spring. Still a very reasonable brand, but not the Sachs I wanted.

 

[Joderest]

I had a good look at the struts last night, and did a bit on "on line research" and noted a couple of things that may be of interest.
1) some of the struts i looked at on line did not have the nuts supplied to fix them with at the top
2) Some of the struts i looked at on line did not include a nut for the bottom ball joint.

The ones from ECP, which are reputed to be SACHS are supplied with the three nuts on the top, and a nut on lower joint. paint finish looks ok, and the lower end is wrapped in clingfilm type stuff.
I am happy to fit them, and as i have said, only time will tell if i have made a large mistake in buying them.

 

[Joderest]

Update on this.
It took me a couple of hours this morning to get the n/s strut out. Every nut was rusted solid and took some shifting. It is very difficult to get top nuts off, but we got there. Cleaned up the mess of grease every where and then IT STARTED RAINING. So had to stop. I noticed that the shock has a bit of oil running down it, the spring top and bottom very rusty, and this is the good side.
If dry day tomorrow should get new one in and o/s done, as it looks a lot better to do, you can see the nuts at the top.
A ratchet 13mm spanner is a must.

I did not take out arch liner as it would not have given me any more room
Update again tomorrow.

 

[Joderest]

OK, final bit.
Finished n\s this morning, all went back OK, I took my time and cleaned other bits as I went.
Started o\s at about 11.00, but got delayed, it is a better side to do, but one of the top 13mm nuts rounded off, so tried forcing a 12mm on, but the spanner snapped. In the end took a junior hacksaw to the nut, and then chiseled the last bit off, took me some time. All went back OK, it looked very high at rear when I finished, took it for a drive and it has settled down. Does seem to handle better, less wallowy.
Your friends for this job are a 13mm ratchet spanner and a small bottle jack, it made life easier getting lower wishbone back in, was way easier with the jack, also leave top and bottom nuts on strut loose, and tighten once wishbone bolts are in.
Don't forget to lower car on too wheels and tighten wishbone and strut with weight of car on them.
I found a lable attached to spring.......
A_KYB
ME01007
NM10029
HIGHWAY
DAIMLER BENZ
A1633202313

So appears not a Sach shock. Perhaps they used another supplier.

That's it, job done, now for that rear heater !!!!!!

 

[grober]

KYB are a Japanese SHOCKER manufacturer but the label may be a list of equivalents rather than the manufacturer label?
Catalogue - KYB Europe

 

[Joderest]

Oh, I think it's an American made car, so that could be true. They were past their best, or to put it another way , knackered.

 

[grober]

The M270 W163 straight 5 cylinder diesel model [ only ever sold in Europe AFAIK?] was also produced in the Magna Steyr plant in Graz Austria- [the same plant that manufactures the G wagen 4x4 model] and laterly in the USA . Whether the Austrian production was a "build up" on body chassis units imported from Tuscaloosa Alabama or a complete build I don't know. I do remember there was a OEM supplier difference with the brakes- the Gratz plant cars having Brembo brakes and the US cars something different.
Mercedes to assemble diesel-powered M class at Tuscaloosa factory

ps but you are correct the bulk of the ML W163 production was in the States

 

[Joderest]

That makes sense, my ML has Brembo brakes, had to find that out when I ordered pads.
Thanks for info. Of course it could be that car had replacement springs at some point. But to me corrosion and dirt looked 14 years worth.

 

[Joderest]

Come to think of it I am sure I saw a lable somewhere on the car saying made in Mexico, could that be right.