Peterac, I cut the plates using an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel.

Diesel911, on that hooked tool, how thick is that rod? Looks like 1 inch. I've seen a similar tool with thinner rods used on a Benz and they bent like wet noodles. Yours looks beefy! I have a heavy duty macpherson strut spring compressor which I use on all my other cars. It is really robust but the hooks are a bit too thick to fit between the coils of the Benz springs.

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo