Do-it-yourself repair of pneumatic struts Mercedes w220

German manufacturers strive to constantly modernize the design of their cars, and therefore it is quite rare to repair the air suspension of a Mercedes W220. However, you should have an idea of ​​both the design of the suspension itself and the stages of repair when it will actually be needed.

Air suspension not only simplifies machine control, but also provides additional safety. There is a possibility to quickly change the clearance. The control box allows the maximum use of the lifting capacity, which helps to solve the stiffness problem. Mercedes has a suspension that allows you to choose the best operating mode. For example, for off-road and country roads, the softest is “comfort”. In the city, the standard mode is suitable, and for a good highway - "sport". Also on the W220 it will not be difficult to drive onto the curb for parking, get out of a deep rut.

Instead of traditional springs and torsion bars, air suspensions are supplied with air cylinders. The compressor, in turn, will supply the required amount of air based on the mode. This allows a maximum ground clearance of 307 mm to be achieved, which means that depths of up to 600 mm can be overcome.

The air bellows in the car are designed for both the front and rear axles. They are controlled by the pneumatic system, which includes a compressor, a receiver (compressed air reservoir) and a control unit. The size of the valves, the diameter of the air line, the volume of the receiver and air bellows are selected specifically for the W220 so that the compressor works at full capacity.

Video (click to play).

Typically, a Mercedes can drive at least 100 thousand kilometers before air suspension problems arise and repairs are required. But here you should take into account the quality of the roads on which you have to drive. Therefore, it does not hurt to do a diagnostic examination every 50 thousand kilometers.

To avoid premature repair, it is necessary to pay attention to typical problems that may arise:

• The rear axle begins to drop, especially when the engine is turned off;
• When starting, the reverse process occurs, while at the very beginning the rear axle rises, and then the front;
• High speed leads to the fact that the front axle is lowered, and when braking it rises sharply;
• The ground clearance of the W220 also constantly floats and is difficult to adjust, moreover, there is a slight skew.

Air suspension problems often begin with air leaks. This is due to the operation of the valves and connecting elements, the compressor ceases to function normally due to wear of the rings. Plus, anti-icing agents that are sprinkled on roads in winter get on the air bellows and this leads to premature corrosion.