Yeeks! Changed out Rear Coil Springs and now my W123 looks like a 60's musclecar!

[Carrameow]

Yeeks! Criminey! I changed out the Rear Coil Springs and now my W123 looks like a 50's musclecar! The butt end sits so high, it looks like one of those Camaro's or Transams that the kids in my high school had where they raised the rears because it looked cooler that way.
I used the stock Lesjofors Springs from Shop Forum FASTLANE. I thought they would settle out Saturday night but after piling my entire collection of heavy tools and 45 pound weight plates into the back seat and trunk and driving the car for 4 hours nothing has changed.
If anything, i thought the car's butt would ride even lower because of these springs. But actually now the Tails sits some 2 inches higher!
Has anybody used these springs before?
Do they eventually settle out?
THIS IS ONE GOOFY LOOKING MERCEDES!

[boneheaddoctor]

New springs do settle over a period of months.........

[RUN-EM]

With the nose down attitude, you are now ready to go Bonneville Salt Flats racing...just add a little duct tape for streamlining and run it

Regards

Run-em
1983 300 S D-aka.-SPARKY THE DIESEL

[Brian Carlton]

Richard, sometimes that happens with brand new springs. The SDL is sitting a bit high in the back...............with no fuel and no load.

If it really bothers you after a month or two, you can reduce the thickness of the rubber spacers above the spring. I believe the W123 had three different thicknesses available.

[Carrameow]

If it really bothers you after a month or two, you can reduce the thickness of the rubber spacers above the spring. I believe the W123 had three different thicknesses available.

I considered that but 19mm- 5 mm= 14 mm;
there are 10 mm in one centimeter; so that gives me 1.4 cm
there are 2.54 centemeters in one inch; 1.4/2.54 = approximately 5/8 "

Also the new springs looked exactly the same height as the old springs, so I guess I will use the GRAVITY technique. I'm not repeating that job again! The second time, I couldnt get the spring seated correctly and I had to redo it 2 or three times to get it to sit in the spring cavity perfectly....There was no way I was using a pneumatic wrench out of respect for your tool so I had must have cranked that rachet some 1000 strokes...Finally on one side I got the spring out, but I couldnt get it out from underneath the car! It took me 1 hour to remove the rear brake hub...what a job!!

[boneheaddoctor]

Put a set of big meats under it and say you are going retro.......EG Starsky and Hutch.....

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Carrameow

I considered that but 19mm- 5 mm= 14 mm;
there are 10 mm in one centimeter; so that gives me 1.4 cm
there are 2.54 centemeters in one inch; 1.4/2.54 = approximately 5/8 "

Also the new springs looked exactly the same height as the old springs, so I guess I will use the GRAVITY technique. I'm not repeating that job again! The second time, I couldnt get the spring seated correctly and I had to redo it 2 or three times to get it to sit in the spring cavity perfectly....There was no way I was using a pneumatic wrench out of respect for your tool so I had must have cranked that rachet some 1000 strokes...Finally on one side I got the spring out, but I couldnt get it out from underneath the car! It took me 1 hour to remove the rear brake hub...what a job!!

The ratio of spring length to body height is approx 2:1. So, if the spring is 5/8" shorter, the body will drop by double (or more) of this amount.

The trick to all that work is to get the vehicle as high as possible. Otherwise, you struggle with the shock, you struggle with the spring and it generally makes the job a PITA. I get the SDL up at the full height of the jack (19" on the diff).

[Nate]

Do you have any pic's of this? Looks like it would be fairly intereasting to see

Sorry I dont have any added tech, but I think pic's would be a nice touch

~Nate

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Nateid15

Do you have any pic's of this? Looks like it would be fairly intereasting to see

The SDL is sitting on the jack as we speak. Do you want a photo of the vehicle up in the air, or are you wishing photos of the spring R & R?

[Carrameow]

The ratio of spring length to body height is approx 2:1. So, if the spring is 5/8" shorter, the body will drop by double (or more) of this amount.

The trick to all that work is to get the vehicle as high as possible. Otherwise, you struggle with the shock, you struggle with the spring and it generally makes the job a PITA. I get the SDL up at the full height of the jack (19" on the diff).

In the spring I will do the Fronts. I never thought changing the rear springs meant much but the new ones defintely removed that jalopy like ride I have on my car.
I am sure the rears will settle out in a few months. This is a pretty tiring job, and I have other cars to fix, so I am not doing the fronts until the Spring.
Those front springs are probably 50% Harder, and I am not rushing the job.
Thank G__ Brians tool is very rugged and safe, because you are really working at close quarters with that spring.
I've done at least 20 MacPherson struts spring jobs, and I always cringe a liitle when I think how much power those springs have. They are definitely Explosive, dangerous SOB's.
You have to be very ALERT and watch at all times the Top of the Spring Tool Ratcheting Arm is properly seated in the four grooves of the Top Spring retainer.

[michael cole]

Great website rich! looks like your next house will need a bigger driveway.i see you have an interest in the volvo d24t engines.i used to own a 84 760 gle turbodiesel.a nice car in its time but rare and seldom understood.the compression was getting low so we did the "beirut rebuild" new rings which extended its driveability for several years.but my wife insisted it go.too many complaints from drivers following her.some say it resembled a coal fired locomotive.LOL

[bhanson]

I'd weigh in with the following. It's about winter time. Put a couple of bags of sand in the trunk. You'll have awesome traction and be ready for the snow. The rear end will be lower and settle faster, and look more like a Mercedes. If you get stuck, you're ready with some instant traction to pour out under the tires, not that you'll get stuck with all that sand in the back.....

[andmoon]

I don't mind the raised rear as much as the positive camber...makes the car look knock kneed

[Nate]

I was hoping for a pic of the car on the ground. To be specific, I want it at a 45 degree angle, ABOUT 10 feet out from the drivers side fender, and proper lighting is a must


Just a pic of it on the ground, to show how funkey its sitting (or not so funkey)

Thanks alot
~Nate

[Glinko]

This thread is useless without pics!