@WH: Great DIY on the removal of Shocks/Springs in your W126. I just replaced the rear actuators (shocks) & accumulators in my '85 300TD. The ride is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much smoother now. WOW! However...my ride height is still too low. I believe my rear fender well should clear the tire by at least 1", and I'm nowhere near that currently. I know I can correct for this by manipulating the SLS valve itself, but I don't want to risk adding any add'l (i.e. unnecessary) stress on the SLS by doing so. I figured the best bet was to replace the springs and/or any shims in order to improve the ride height back to OEM standards. All that having been said though, I'd rather NOT have to remove the rear shocks if I can avoid it, seeing as I just completed that process recently. So, I guess my question is if I merely unbolt the two 17mm bottom shock bolts, as well as any other relevant trailing arm attachments, can I literally just drop the spring out the bottom without having to remove the shock first?