A conundrum

[stickandrudderman]

We are trying to fit new front shocks to a 2003 350SL.
We have bought new shocks from Mercedes and there is only one part number across the range.
The trouble is, the new shock absorber is 100mm shorter than the old one!
Mercs cannot offer any explanation!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wo830bwssgbev13/P1030552.JPG

[scoot]

Well, off-hand I would say you had or have the wrong part, but the sl113 forum is probably not the place to get a good answer.  What's the VIN of the car, and what's the part number that you are using?   I'll look it up in EPC if you like...

[stickandrudderman]

Thanks Scoot, but I already have EPC. It's the correct part number according to EPC and that part is the only part for non-ABC shocks right across the R230 range. Mercedes can offer no ther part nor an explanation but I am in dialogue with Mercedes technical department but am posting the issue here and on other forums in the hope that others can prevent valuable ramp space being taken up by an immobilised car for several days. I'm also curious to see if anyone else has come across this problem.

[scoot]

Unusual for non-US residents to have EPC but good that you have it.  Does the old part have a part number? 
Anyway, Benzworld and PeachParts might be slightly more useful than sl113 on this topic.  Sorry I can't help you further.  The shock looks the same but the top mounting portion looks totally different...

[jameshoward]

Unusual for non-US residents to have EPC but good that you have it.  Does the old part have a part number? 
Anyway, Benzworld and PeachParts might be slightly more useful than sl113 on this topic.  Sorry I can't help you further.  The shock looks the same but the top mounting portion looks totally different...

All members of the UK MB club have EPC access.

Stick - following the principle of Occam's razor, the most likely interpretation is that they have sent you the wrong part with the right part number on it, or a knackered part. You could order another and see what you get.

[stickandrudderman]

That was the first thing I did!

[Peter van Es]

Unusual for non-US residents to have EPC but good that you have it.

Actually, not at all. Most of us have it. See this thread for details:

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=19656.0

[Cees Klumper]

I got a subscription for the first time a few weeks ago. Cost something like €18 for a year. Have not tried to access it yet: would not run on the ipad.

[Paul & Dolly]

Thanks Peter, I have previously failed to get the EPC up, by trying to access it from the MB - UK club site.

But now following your link, I now have the means to spend many more hours exploring the internals of my Pagoda.
My wife, Dolly, is overjoyed ..........

To successfully log on to the EPC you must enter your M-B  membership "number"
including the 3 prefix letters shown on your card i.e. ABC123456 & not just the numerical part, this was my
previous mistake.

When I entered my VIN the EPC came alive in English - wonderful....

NB , for other new users of the EPC,  you need to run Internet Explorer and Java 7 ( on a PC), there are hints shown for Apple / Mac users
when you click  "START EPC"

Thanks,
keep well
Paul

[stickandrudderman]

My EPC is dealer supplied and linked directly to their stock so I can look up parts, see availability and price and order it all from my desk. Stock items are often delivered within the hour! It's a great service but occasionally, where there's some doubt about the correct part, I pick up the phone and get them to part number and order. That way if it's wrong it's their problem and not mine!

[Larry & Norma]

So Colin what is the outcome with the suspension struts, I have an SL350 so have an interest.

[stickandrudderman]

Larry, it's a strange one and I'm not sure I have an answer!
MB have sent me technical specs of the strut, and neither the new or the old strut matches those specs!
We assembled the springs onto the new shocks and installed them on the car AND THERE WAS NO DECREASE IN RIDE HEIGHT! I am really struggling to get my head around this! The assembles struts were, as seen in the photo, considerably shorter than when assembled with the old shock and this SHOULD result in a corresponding drop in ride height but it doesn't.
Unfortunately, the lady customer lacks patience or understanding and so we were obliged to give her the car back with the new shocks installed. She will look at the car and see nothing wrong but we know that she has significantly reduced suspension travel. Without instruction from the customer we can do nothing more other than wait for her to complain that there's something wrong (we will have to resist the temptation to say "we told you so") and then just submit the car to an MB dealer for a warranty repair on the shocks.
It's very frustrating not to have a definitive answer but Mercedes don't like it when you question their technical details! (see my other posts a while back about spring rates).

Be aware though that this conundrum only applies to R230 with the conventional suspension, not the adjustable ABC set up. If you have ABC your concern will be the cost of the shocks when they fail!

[Larry & Norma]

Thanks for that Colin. I chose my 2006 R230 SL350 because it did not have ABC.
So just the SBC brakes then to worry about