For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 280 CDI 4-matic (164.120) 2005-2009 For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 300 CDI 4-matic (164.120) 2009- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 300 CDI 4-matic (164.121) 2010- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 320 CDI 4-matic (164.122) 2005-2009 For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 350 4-matic (164.186) 2005- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 350 CDI 4-matic 2009- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 350 CDI 4-matic (164.122) 2009- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 350 CDI 4-matic (164.125) 2010- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 420 CDI 4-matic (164.128) 2006-2009 For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 450 CDI 4-matic (164.128) 2009- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 500 4-matic (164.172) 2007- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 500 4-matic (164.175) 2005- For Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W164) ML 63 AMG 4-matic (164.177) 2006-
OE/OEM Number
1643202431, 1643200931, 1643202531, 1643201631,1643202431, A 164 320 24 31, 1643200931, A 164 320 09 31,1643201531, A 164 320 15 31, 1643201631, A 164 320 16 31, 1643202431, A 164 320 24 31,1643202531, A 164 320 25 31
An air strut with separable air springs
If your vehicle offers a separable air suspension (Audi Allroad A6 C5, Mercedes-Benz W164, BMW X5, etc.), you should regularly (about once a week) lift the car to the maximum position, and remove dirt with a high-pressure cleaner (keep the cleaner at a distance to the air spring about 30 cm/12 inches, otherwise water pressure can damage the air spring). The highest position may vary depending on your model and regulation options. Therefore, please test this by trying the different modes available to you (Sport, comfort, dynamic, off-road) and choose the one that sets your vehicle to the highest position. The dirt will most likely be found under the fold of the pneumatic chambers. If you find a frozen layer of bitumen on the piston guide (the part of a strut on which the air spring is installed), it is recommended to clean it as well. Whenever possible, avoid riding on fresh asphalt, as fresh bitumen mixed with sand immediately results in a build-up of abrasives on the piston and in turn contributes to accelerated wear and tear of the air spring.
Is air suspension good for daily driving?
Whether the system is manual or electronic, or installed by a weekend mechanic or a seasoned tech, air suspension can lower a car to improve its street cred, even out a heavy payload, or simply improve the ride of a vintage Detroit metal street monster.
How Air Suspension Systems Work
The country's cargo shipments ride on air, and now your car can, too. Air suspension systems have long been used in the trucking world, but in the last decade or so, they've moved into the commercial world. Motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, custom cars, performance cars -- even everyday commuter cars -- are using the suspension systems.
Changes in technology mean that systems are no longer clunky, slow and imprecise. Instead, they use fast, precision-based technology with advanced electronics that control everything from ride height to bag pressure, offering a smooth, controlled drive.
And it's about time, as the car's suspension system is an often-overlooked area. From a comfort and safety standpoint, your car's suspension is integral to how your car drives. Shock absorbers and coil springs help absorb and direct road force, maintaining wheel oscillation, jounce and rebound.
However, every time you add or take away weight to a vehicle, speed up or slow down, or turn left or right, this challenges what the shock absorbers and springs are capable of. Traditional stock shocks and springs are designed and installed with only a fixed set of situations in mind.
Air suspension systems essentially replace a vehicle's coil springs with air springs. The air springs are simply tough rubber and plastic bags inflated to a certain pressure and height to mimic the coil springs. But the similarities end there. By adding in an on-board air compressor, sensors and electronic controls, today's air suspension systems provide several advantages over all-metal, conventional springs, including near-instant tuning, and the ability to adapt handling to different situations and vary load capability.
Whether the system is manual or electronic, or installed by a weekend mechanic or a seasoned tech, air suspension can lower a car to improve its street cred, even out a heavy payload, or simply improve the ride of a vintage Detroit metal street monster.
