1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SL suspension and roof-hydraulic refresh
RTHLSS1 documents a 1991 R129 500SL brought from California to Slovenia, with body and interior work, suspension and steering renewal, and roof-cylinder repairs. The roof required further work by a hydraulic shop after the initial rebuild. It then operated, while the owner still planned a several-day leak check.
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A 1991 500SL arrives in Slovenia
RTHLSS1 introduces a 1991 R129 500SL bought in California and exported to Slovenia. The owner reports 70,300 miles and describes replacing worn brake pads, an oil-pressure switch that resolved a gauge issue, and a belt with tensioner before listing suspension bushings and roof-cylinder seals among planned work.
Body and interior work
The owner replaced the antenna grommet, hood insulation, driver-door check and speedometer gear and bulbs. Cracked front-bumper and headlight-wiper trim pieces were repaired and painted, and the headliner was replaced. A 3D-printed visor cover broke during fitting; he considered metal replacements rather than reporting that issue resolved.
Suspension and steering refresh
The owner reports replacing rear suspension bushings, one failed hub bearing and front-arm bushings, followed by tie rods and the steering center drag link. A Lemförder idler-arm bushing did not fit this car, so he bought the Mercedes part. He had purchased differential and frame bushings and flex discs but had not installed those replacements; he had only visually inspected the existing parts.
Working through the roof cylinders
The owner found a small leak at both main cylinders and a severe leak at the passenger-side tonneau-cover cylinder. He began with the accessible tonneau-cover cylinders, then described the rear lock and tonneau lift, followed by the front lock/distributor and harder-to-reach main and bow-extension cylinders. In a later post he says the main-lift seals were badly degraded and describes rebuilding the main and bow-extension cylinders. The posts do not provide a complete step-by-step procedure.
A second repair and an unfinished leak check
After rebuilding the cylinders, the roof stopped during opening and closing. The owner says a BenzWorld member helped him test the microswitches and all tested as working. The top moved when assisted, leading him to suspect an internal leak. Both main cylinders still leaked slightly; reopening them revealed one broken piston ring. He took the cylinders to a hydraulic shop for replacement rings and newly made rod seals. He then reported that the top worked, while planning several days of leak testing before final reassembly. These updates do not report the result of that leak test or establish why the ring broke.
Later work on the car
The owner later reported installing new seat leather and headrest gears, fitting lowering springs, completing an alignment and mounting 18-inch wheels and tires. Further work included interior cleaning, transmission fluid and filter, spark plugs, and power-steering and fuel filters. He said another approval process for the changed wheels, tires and springs was still planned before road use. This later update does not explicitly confirm the multi-day roof leak test.