Mercedes-Benz W221 Active Body Control Strut

Mercedes-Benz W221 Active Body Control Strut

Mercedes’ Active Body Control (ABC) system resolves the traditional conflict between responsive handling and ride comfort by adjusting suspension and damping in response to different driving situations.w221 abc strut The system utilizes sensors and hydraulic servomechanisms to monitor the chassis level and adjust the suspension height in milliseconds to eliminate body roll, while maintaining vehicle stability and a comfortable ride.

Each strut, like standard struts, consists of a steel coil spring and shock absorber that provides support to the vehicle’s weight while absorbing bumps on the road and keeping the car from oscillating or “bouncing”.w221 abc strut The ABC strut takes it one step further and includes a hydraulic fluid chamber that allows the height to be adjusted as fluid is added or removed from the strut. The ABC system controls the struts by sending signals to them from the control module, which translates the sensor information into control commands that are converted to precisely metered oil flows by the hydraulic servo valves in each strut. The ABC system is designed to adjust the strut height in 1/10 of a second.

Unlike conventional air suspension systems that use a large tank of air and a reversible valve that allows the air to be pressurized or depressurized, the struts in the Mercedes ABC system contain a series of small pistons inside a hydraulic fluid chamber.w221 abc strut The pistons are driven by a reversible hydraulic servo valve that can be switched on and off. When the strut is off, the servo valve is closed and there is no fluid flow through the cylinder. When the strut is activated, the pistons move into the servo valve and pressurize the ABC system fluid in the accumulator and the strut.

The struts also have a pressure check valve that maintains the return side pressure at 10 bars, and the accumulators are supplied with fluid from a reservoir that stores extra fluid for when the struts are compressed.w221 abc strut If the system is leaking or not properly operating, the control module will display a blue or white error message on the dash that indicates an issue with the strut. If the strut is visibly leaking or the fluid level is extremely low, the error message will remain on the dash and the vehicle may be considered undriveable.

If the ABC system is displaying an error on the dashboard, the best course of action is to replace the faulty strut with a rebuilt OE strut from Arnott.w221 abc strut The rebuilt OE ABC strut will provide superior ride quality and is backed by Arnott’s exclusive limited two-year warranty. The redesigned strut is painstakingly tested, disassembled, painted and assembled in the USA from the ground up. The new strut features a precision engineered seal, created in partnership with one of the world’s largest seal manufacturers, that is nearly indestructible and provides a much longer life than the original Mercedes-Benz part. The struts are topped with an OE-quality coating to protect against corrosion. The ABC struts are compression-tested to ensure that they are able to perform as the original OE part.

Tags:w221 oil abc strut | air spring strut | air strut replacement