You can get the entire assembly all in one unit for $288 from parts.com.
No need to insert the biltseins. MB does not sell the springs as a separate item so I am guessing that the springs on ebay are a take off from an upgrade or not really OEM MB.
I have no idea how the seller huliganka1 on eBay got just the springs. I would put my money on the whole assembly for $30 more per side. You will get an even ride. The Bilsteins are a harder riding shock.

If you check that part number 163 320 23 13 at any online MB dealer that sells parts you will see it is the complete coil over spring and shock. The shock used in that part from MB is a KYB.

Have done the fronts yet? If not they are due and I strongly recommend the Sachs units. They have served me very well and also have a lifetime warranty.

 

I too would recommend the KYB shock in the complete assembly. I changed mine out about five years ago and they are still going strong. It's not a difficult job, but if you have a shop that will swap them both out for $50.00, that's a GREAT deal !! I used the Bilstein's upfront and have been very happy with them, but the Sachs are excellent also.

This is another one of those projects that gives you a lot of bang for the buck and you will not believe how much improvement it makes to the ride and handling of the heavy ML's...

 

again you guys are very will informed here. no have not done the front shocks yet but going to do the complete job soon been narrowing down witch way to go. looks to me like im going w the complete set at part.com just need to see witch front shocks im going to use. i like bilsteins used them in my race cars and really liked them but this is not a race car its a tank on wheels. will look at the Sachs units also. i replaced my spark plugs last month now getting almost 20 miles in city what a improvement. i dont believe any body should wait 100k to replace your plugs 3 miles per gal does add up quickly. like your post noodles thanks

 

I re-did my fronts with kyb and did the whole assembly in the rears with oem from an ebay retailer. Not a difficult job for fronts or rears, but I was quoted almost 1400.00 for the rears alone with install. 50.00 is a hell of a deal. Its almost 3 hours shop time to do both sides!

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sorry the 50.00 was to put the shocks and springs together each and i would install the springs dyi me, but my info is im not sure if e bay sells the real mb part looking into it.

 

The seller huliganka1 on eBay is where several of us got the complete rear assemblies from.
He does sell Genuine.
I have looked at all the rear complete assemblies on Saturday and found nothing I would
trust at this time as genuine.
That is why I posted the price from parts.com of $288.00 apiece. You really can't go wrong and have what the truck was built with from the factory.
Plus you do not need to have shop load the new dampers into the new springs.

 

thanks for your input i did find at pelicanparts.com have complete kit with bilstein shocks not the 4600 hd probley the tc ones. would think they would be better than kyb shocks? also looking into the sachs springs might of found them here in the us but need to talk to my mechanic friend to know more. If not kyb in the back sachs in the front

 

"Better" would be in the eye and feel of the driver. The Bilsteins will be a harsher ride then factory. Will ride like an offroad truck. I stuck with KYB front and back because it was what the truck was supposed to feel like from factory.
I love the KYB for the rears, but would go with sachs for the front next time. KYB's are a little....."bouncy" for me.

 

sorry guys had to replace all my motor mounts on my sel amg what a pain in the a**. who makes motor mounts w/hydrolics and oil only mercedes. has any body looked at adsitco.com they are in Indiana. they sell the super gas sachs w/ spring under special version shocks and struts original equipment sach part 032-6310. they sell for 355.50 each. i know kyb were selling for 288.00 but this is a upgrade and looks to be of better quality than oem stuff. also found at eaceuroparts.com replacement bilstein w/spring chassis # a093894 for 282.05 out of stock right now i believe there the b3 shock. they also have a 800 no to call

 

ok found out some info eaceroparts.com witch are out of stock are bilstein b4 shock and its w/coil spring.talked to bilstein they said when in complete set like this its w/ their b3 spring manufactured for them. the spring has a yellow,blue,and white dot on them trying to verify w/them on this. they sell them for 282.50 complete part no 163 320 23 13. original replacement. i haven't seen in these posts if anybody has tried them but believing they would be better than kybs {they are Japaneses} but made in Europe and the USA. i still prefer bilsteins European made and actually dollars less than their counter part. yes i know e bay sells them but every body says their springs are very likely made in china, and these would be Superior to those units. does anybody have a opinion on this

 

Can you please post the actual Bilstein part number? 163 320 23 13 is a proprietary Mercedes part # not a Bilstein part #.

 

Be careful buying Bilsteins for a 1999!

Ran into this with my 430, so the 320 may well have the same issue. There was a running change in mid-'99 and the Bilsteins will only fit the later version with the larger mounting hole, at least not without modification. Make sure the Bilstein will fit your vehicle by checking for date of manufacture. After my troubles with it, Tire Rack changed their fitment advice to make their Bilsteins only for late '99 vehicles.

 

1st the part no i gave 163 320 {23} 13 the 23 is the hole dia and the 24 is the bigger hole dia if im correct on that. 2nd sorry about that noddles reading your post you allays ask that question my bad. as for the shock its the black paint b4 41-173435 bilstein says all rear or front shocks in black are the b4s. as for the rear coil b3 is the 36-134335 but im still going to verify w bilstein and then with aeceuroparts to make sure about the coil spring. i know the shouk is the part no i gave you thanks

 

I love the fact you are researching this with Bilstein. Just did want members getting confused over the OEM MB numbers vs the Bilstein numbers.
No need to apologize. Your info is valuable to the forums and its members.

 

thanks for the pat on the back and im still waiting for a return e mail and i will keep you posted. as for bilstein when i talked to them they told me if it was bought from them then the spring is manufactured for them and it is the complete setup bilstein spec for that model. that would be the 36-134335 witch is the replacement for just about all mls from 1998 to 2005 and they only sell this spring by it self only in Europe as you cant find it here,witch is confusing as they would sell alot here i would think. I was never a big fan of kyb witch is why im looking at bilsteins or the sachs units. but 282.05 is a great price if they could get more in will keep you updated

 

I wouldnt get overly concerned with the hole diameter change. It is so minimal of a change that it can be changed with a round file and 5 mins of time. The ebay ones many members (myself included) have used has a note on the Ebay page stating the same thing.
As long as the shock assembly is made for a w163 ML, it can be put in. For MY 98, AND 99, the mounting hole will have to be enlarged a very small amount.

 

OK just a quick update been to busy but did find a place http://www.importecautoparts.com[/URL] out of Dallas TX. that sell bilstein shocks w/coil springs for 274.56 of coarse out of stock. they are b4 rears w/ what i believe to be kraemer & freund oem springs part no 319-812-00 i have a e mail in to them now but wont know anything until Monday after noon. they are buying them from Europe and come complete from bilstein. k&f are part of bilstein group and the thysssenkrupp co. will keep up with this for people who like German made parts.

 

Great follow up. I hope they can come though on these for you.

I am sure they are quality units.

 

everyone is out of stock, but they are on Ebay? Anyone deal with this seller? Same MB part number appears in ad.
Pair New Rear Shock Absorbers Struts for Mercedes W163 ML320 ML350 ML430 ML500 | eBay

 

They are a scam. I had to actually fight them with AMEX and it took six weeks to get a steering pump refunded to my card. Those shocks are junk. They are slick in the way they word things so you think you are getting OEM. They sent bold lies to AMEX. They forgot to change the page. I emailed AMEX a copy of the ebay page and then AMEX refunded the money to my account.

The Genuine OEM MB ones are $271 apiece from parts.com. So for $45 dollars more you can have the peace of mind of having the real McCoy.

 

thanks i did call them before i started doing my research they couldn't tell me any thing about them count tell me if they were kyb original buy they did say they were better than oem. o yea you wise man, :bowdown:i will take your advice. ill keep you posted im calling the other guys tomorrow

 

I just ordered a pair of rear oem shock/springs from parts.com so will let you all know what I find out with regards to availability. I'm nervous because the dealer was backordered for 2 months until I cancelled my order and started looking online. Shipping was $86.00 to Md via parts.com just FYI. Thanks for the help on this forum. I rarely post but read the threads a lot. Btw...I have a 2005 ML500.

 

They are very heavy units on the shipping bill plus they have a few dollar handling fee from parts.com.

If they are back ordered you will get an email very shortly.

 

Rear Struts by Sachs (A-KYB)

Just FYI guys,
I'm not sure if they still do, but I have mentioned it here previously, I'm sure Noodles remembers because he comes thisway to visit.
A-KYB used to make the rear struts here in Chicagoland for Mercedes, with the star stamp on the shock and packed in Sachs boxes!
In 2005 these sold US wide for $59 each part # 1633203213 and many ML owners got lucky, sice dealer quotes ranged $1200 to $1400 at that time.
Here is the proof:

 

a think i was these at adsitco.com sach w/spring part #032-6310 now 355.50 you cant see the kyb sticker but it is a blue tag that you do see. what a great steel. OK checked up on the bilsteins w/springs they are ordered from Europe. the spring as i know from my friends in kitzbuhel Austria,they our made by kraemer & freund which is part of bilstein group and thysenkrupp co. a 110-215kw 1998 to 2005 but could also be made by sach or suplex, {bilstein does not make springs} as they also sub out to bilstein as the dealer told them. they sell here for 274.50 in Dallas TX which i will hopefully get a email to let you all know when in stock. OK why the research i have been racing dirt bikes since i was 15 enduros & hair scrambles and kyb makes all of the springs for jap bikes and the 1st thing you did to them was replaced the rear shock crappy springs.when i started w/ ktm as a support rider all we did was revalve the shock the spring was quality,you didn't crack the spring like the kybs. FYI i like German springs and for the price of oem kyb the same price ill go w/the bilstein/spring combo. any body bought these type before would like your input thanks.

 

Just saying, but many members including my own original kyb shocks lasted 200,000 km or more. I definitely wouldn't consider that junk.


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+1 here!
A-KYBs are not junk, Mercedes factory have more choices in brand names then we do now on replacement.
I got 202,500 miles (not kilometers) on factory original set and just replaced the fronts yesterday with pictured oem 2001 take-offs. I didn't noticed much difference in ride quality yet, maybe after I'm done with rears...
Word of advice for other DIY guys, before removing the top nuts on front shocks, run a 10x1.25 mm threading die over the 13 years of rust on threaded rod to clean it off and you don't need a second wrench or pliers to keep it from spinning. When I used the jack to bring the lower arm with shock up to position, I noticed a big play in my lower ball joints and they definitely need asap replacement.
My 1999 factory fronts were made by Arvin and rears by KYB but the 2001 take-offs are all four KYB brand.

 

Have you seen the size of the springs on an ML. These are not toy cars. KYB are a huge company and supply quality parts. I for one am very happy with the products made by KYB that i have used.