How to Replace Mercedes S500 Struts

1. Drive the Mercedes S500 to a flat area like your driveway or a garage. Place the Mercedes into 'Park' and engage the parking brake so the car does not shift when you are jacking it up. Turn the car off and empty out anything from the rear and trunk so that nothing moves around while jacking the car.
2. Jack the front of the car up first. Wheel the car jack under the right front of the car frame and then slide a jack stand in to hold up the frame. Repeat this process for the front left, the left rear, and then the right rear corner. Make sure to jack the car high enough that the wheels lose contact with the ground. Remove all four wheels from the Mercedes by unbolting the lug nuts from the tires with a tire iron. Pull the wheels off carefully, as they are heavier than they look.
3. Unbolt the front right strut with a wrench first. The strut will be supported by a bolt on the top and bottom of the strut. The bottom of the strut is attached to the top of the steering knuckle. Unbolt the bottom first, but keep the bolt in, then unbolt the top of the strut from the car frame and leave in the bolt. Pull the bottom bolt out while supporting the strut with your other hand. Then pull the top bolt out and pull the strut out from the wheel well. Slide in the new strut and bolt it into place, the top first, and then the bottom. Repeat this process on the front left strut.
4. Unbolt the rear right strut. The strut will be supported by a bolt on the top and bottom, like the front, but the bottom of the strut will be attached to the top of the control arms, since the rear wheels do not steer. Unbolt the rear right strut like you did with front, carefully supporting the strut so that it does not fall. Slide in the new strut, bolting in the top then the bottom. Repeat this process for the left rear strut.
5. Reattach the wheels and tighten down the lug nuts with your tire iron. Lower the Mercedes from the jack stands and then take the car for a test drive to see if the struts provide ample cushioning.