Hi there, I have a Mercedes Benz sl55 amg 52 reg.

[Dawood Masood]

I am
New to this so I apologise if I make a mistake. I have a Mercedes Benz sl55 amg 52 plate. Both front dampers have developed play in the bottom ball joints & the near side is leaking. Can anyone recommend someone that repairs or rebuilds them. Thank you

 

[alexanderfoti]

The leaking one needs to be replaced
The other can have resin injection to fix the worn balljoint. I believe an indie on here offers the service.

 

[Dawood Masood]

The leaking one needs to be replaced
The other can have resin injection to fix the worn balljoint. I believe an indie on here offers the service.

Thank you

 

[AMGeed]

I think the indy that repairs them is Star Motors in Caversham nr Reading.

http://www.starmotorservices.com/

 

[Dawood Masood]

I think the indy that repairs them is Star Motors in Caversham nr Reading.

http://www.starmotorservices.com/

Ok I’ll get in touch with them. Thank you

 

[John Laidlaw]

Yip definetely Ian at Star does the resin refurbish for bottom ball joints , even gets you a nice grease nipple better than OEM!IIRC about £120 a side.
MB exchange units for the leaking strut is probably as cost effective as any now, still won’t get much change from £1200 though.
You’ll need these done as you’ll fail an MOT otherwise and in the case of the leaker the fluid loss will also decimate your ABC pump...mega bucks again

 

[Dawood Masood]

Yip definetely Ian at Star does the resin refurbish for bottom ball joints , even gets you a nice grease nipple better than OEM!IIRC about £120 a side.
MB exchange units for the leaking strut is probably as cost effective as any now, still won’t get much change from £1200 though.
You’ll need these done as you’ll fail an MOT otherwise and in the case of the leaker the fluid loss will also decimate your ABC pump...mega bucks again

What is the mb exchange unit ?

 

[John Laidlaw]

What is the mb exchange unit ?

Basically they will sell you a refurbished strut where you pay an additional ‘deposit’ which is credited back to you when you give them your old one back...
If you’re going to use Ian at Star he will be able to do that for you

 

[Dawood Masood]

Basically they will sell you a refurbished strut where you pay an additional ‘deposit’ which is credited back to you when you give them your old one back...
If you’re going to use Ian at Star he will be able to do that for you

Oh ok, so would that still be £1200 a side ?

 

[John Laidlaw]

Oh ok, so would that still be £1200 a side ?

That’s a rough estimate for a complete ABC strut, you have one needing done - that would be plus whatever the ‘deposit’ would be , maybe £250 which you’d get back when you send your old strut back.
Then your offside one can get the resin fix at roughly £120 for the bottom ball joint
These are estimated prices from memory of my exploits 18 months ago...

 

[Dawood Masood]

That’s a rough estimate for a complete ABC strut, you have one needing done - that would be plus whatever the ‘deposit’ would be , maybe £250 which you’d get back when you send your old strut back.
Then your offside one can get the resin fix at roughly £120 for the bottom ball joint
These are estimated prices from memory of my exploits 18 months ago...

Ok brilliant, thank you.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Sorry then you’ll have the labour to remove / replace the struts on top

 

[John Laidlaw]

Where you based?

 

[Dawood Masood]

E

Where you based?

Edinburgh

 

[John Laidlaw]

Where I was born and where I was last night enjoying myself! ( I bleed Maroon)
Anyways.....
Awkward location
MB Grangemouth is where I get my parts from, and where I got my SL struts at the time
I have/had an Independant Mercedes garage down here near Liverpool I used and I had the resin fix done in Liverpool ( not star in this case)
I don’t think anyone does it in Scotland at all!
So I think you’ll need an independant specialist who can do the work of removing and replacing of struts and have the space to keep your car as One gets sent away for the resin refurbishment and the other gets replaced.
ABC is quite specialist work not really DIY unless you’ve experience
I’m thinking there’s a specialist called Klasse near Kirknewton?

 

[Dawood Masood]

L

Where I was born and where I was last night enjoying myself! ( I bleed Maroon)
Anyways.....
Awkward location
MB Grangemouth is where I get my parts from, and where I got my SL struts at the time
I have/had an Independant Mercedes garage down here near Liverpool I used and I had the resin fix done in Liverpool ( not star in this case)
I don’t think anyone does it in Scotland at all!
So I think you’ll need an independant specialist who can do the work of removing and replacing of struts and have the space to keep your car as One gets sent away for the resin refurbishment and the other gets replaced.
ABC is quite specialist work not really DIY unless you’ve experience
I’m thinking there’s a specialist called Klasse near Kirknewton?

Lol they don’t say it’s a small world for nothing.

Ok I’ll give them a call in the morning. No I don’t think anyone in scotland dose it either.
Thank you.

 

[John Laidlaw]

http://www.mercedesspecialistfinder.co.uk/search/?distance=50&postcode=EH49+7AY&category=14
These are the ones on our directories in t e forum

 

[Dawood Masood]

Ok I’ll check them out ta

 

[John Laidlaw]

Good choice of car by the way, awesome machines!

 

[LostKiwi]

Phil at Welwyn Mercs is apparently offering a rebuild service on ABC struts now.

Alternatively Arnotts do exchange units (via ECP but they're hideously expensive) as do Aerosus (£966 ea for AMG) and Rebuild Master Tech in the US ($395 + taxes). Rebuild Master Tech also do replacement ball joints.
http://www.rebuildmastertech.com/me...s/sl-class-2003-2006-r230-amg-abc-suspension/