Recieved the Hayes manual for My project car today. It states that the rear suspension/strut repair is best left to a Dealer/independent mechanic...?

Ok, so I just want to replace them, and not repair them, How do I get to the top of the shock/strut? Is it done by pulling the carpet off the wheel wells?

thanks,
Jason

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46 WDX Power Wagon

84 300TDT daily driver

Part of that system is under pressure all the time...
You really need to get a copy of the MB Factory Shop manual and read up on it even to just take it apart safely...
Always wear safety goggles also....

Also, if you do a search a whole lot of info is available already posted...

On the wagon just behind the second seats there is a horizontal panel, covered with carpet, that needs to be removed. There are 2 screws on the top of the panel they will apear "buried" in the carpet. Unscrew these and then pull the panel up and out of the car. You can now see the top access ports to the strut tops. Remove the plastic covers and you wil use open end wrenches to remove the hydraulic line and unbolt the strut. Then the bottom 2 bolts must be unbolted and the strut removed from below.
Rebuilding the strut is not done. replacing yes. But very expensive.
$275 each at Performance Products.
The struts very rarely fail. But the accumulators and control valve can and do give problems.
Do a search on the strut system and figure out what is wrong on your car.

Go here and review the 32-500 series of jobs.

http://skinnerbox.steaky.org/Service/W123/Index/Groups/32ShocksSprings.htm

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Thanks dave,

The struts are leaking.... which is why the previous owners let the car go.(my guess any way) so I ordered a pair of used ones, working on the assumption that if they rarely go bad, I might get a good pair. now to read up on the link you posted. I must not be using the search button correctly, as listing "shock installation" was informative for over an hour worth of reading, but it did not answer the how to get it apart question.
Jason

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46 WDX Power Wagon

84 300TDT daily driver

You are probably experiencing the prime drawback to not having PAPER manuals handy.... with electronic retrieval you kinda need to know what to ask for....
But with paper you can just sit down and read them from front to back...in your spare time of course....

Too bad, the Haynes manual is one of the absolute worst excuses for technical documentation I've ever come across. Some of the graphics showing the injection pump and the automatic transmission's Bowden cable adjustment are shown in MIRROR image.

Before replacing those struts, it might be worth a try to use differnt fluid in the system. Go here or here to read all about using tractor fluid in this system because of leaking struts. And, before any one tells you that it will ruin everything, know that the car we put replacement fluid in has been from Austin to New York back to Austin, up to Oregon and on up to Skagway and back to Oregon without a single leak in the system and is working fine.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Tractor fluid...
would there be a cause for concern as to the viscosity of tractor fluid at below zero tempatures?

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46 WDX Power Wagon

84 300TDT daily driver

I doubt sub zero temps affect it much since equipment with hydraulic cylinders (basically the same thing as the struts) frequently sits outside in all kinds of weather w/o ill efects. The car I mentioned above was in Rocky Point, NY (on Long Island near Port Jefferson) all year and made several trips to New England and upstate NY in the coldest temps of last year's winter.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

This is to add to the removal of the horizontal panel to access the rear hydraulic struts. This is what I found on my 85 300TD wagon. Remove 2 screws in the carpet on the horizontal cover. Remove the cargo area deck panel. Under the edge of the plastic pan there are 3 more screws to remove from the panel towards the rear of the car. Lift the panel from the passenger side of the car. It seems to clear the wheel well cover on the passenger side as the drivers side of the cover tucks under the wheel well cover on the drivers side. I just spent ½ an hour searching for this process on the mbz forums so I hope this helps someone else like me who has not accessed the rear shock mounts before.