New Rear Coil springs (85 300D) ride way too high, will new tires wear incorrectly?

[Carrameow]

I changed out my Rear Coil springs on my 85 300D and a year later, they still have not "settled". I even had a heavy jack and transmission in there a couple of weeks. My guess is the springs aren't going to settle or are just the wrong one's.

The rear looks High and knock kneed. Will my rear tires wear incorrectly? Meanwhile my cars rear looks like a Muscle car, and the tires bow outwards (looking coltish) corresponding to the excessive curvature of these springs(which are Lemforder by the way)

I am going to change out these springs to my old one's ASAP!

Meanwhile, my wife surprised me by buying 4 new tires . This car is my daily driver now! Any advice....will the rear springs being out of spec ( i.e too high and strong, causing outward bow of rear tires) ruin my new expensive tires...

[Brian Carlton]

Richard,

The higher the rear gets, the less the negative camber.

In your case, it sounds like the rear is so high that you have positive camber.

If you have a 24" level, place it against the face of the tire and move the bottom outward until the level is plumb. Use a ruler and measure the distance between the level and the tire face on the bottom.

Report back with the number.

[dieseldiehard]

You could use try using the thinnest spring pads rear, or have the springs cut professionally by Coil SPring Specialties, or get the right springs. I believe wear will occur on the outer edges pretty soon if not already, and handing will be compromised compared to the way it should feel with the right camber.
Oh here's an idea!! you could put sacks of concrete mix in the trunk until it sits level

[leathermang]

How did you determine which springs to order ? and from whom ?

Perhaps you just need new front springs to level it out ?

That may not be an unusual wear pattern... look at the pictures of normal wear for a MB in the MB Chassis Manual .... that info surprised me when I first saw it ...would have sworn there was something wrong with my front end before that..

[winmutt]

For a $5 fix you could always get spring clamps from jc whitney.

[Carrameow]

I wish I had never messed with this!
I order the coil springs brand new from Worldpac,which supplies MERCEDES SHOP and they supply Lemforder's, a reputable brand. I also installed 19mm shims, as opposed to 9mm or 14mm shims. I figured 19mm-10 mm = 9mm which is less than 1 cm.
I thought the car looked ass heavy before I changed them but thats the way all 300D's look now that I check everyone I see.
I would just like to put the old springs back. Sure the new ones might lower eventually, but I dont want to wait until 20 years from now (2026 AD)

Finally every car I own (4) has is 13 to 20 years old with 150 to 250K miles and they dont need coil spring change out, so either did my BENZ.

[mplafleur]

Carrameow,

I just looked at your website. My son just finished painting his RX-7 with 7 coats of wetsanded white enamal. Cost him $28.

Looks pretty good too. It's a 5 footer. Needs more wetsanding though.

I also need to replace my rear springs. My '85 SD doesn't look too bad without rear weight, but yesterday I picked up a load of heavy electronic equipment in the trunk and rear seat. The back end was so low that I thought the rear tires were going to bottom out. I have new Lumforder (sp?) springs and a couple sets of shims.

It's not at the top of my list of things to do, but it's up there. I noticed yesterday that the right rear of the car is slightly lower than the left also.

[Carrameow]

I replaced my mutant SPRINGs I got from Worldpac with the original models (from a younger Mercedes with 200K on it.They may have been new because the shims were fresh clean rubber!)BOY it was the best thing I did. My car looks normal now and not like some wierd street racer. The tires in the rear no longer have reverse camber from the force of the Lesforjours Springs I got from Worldpac. I even used the 19mm shim. I must have had the wrong springs, if you want them they are in my trash.

[rs899]

I had a similar (too tall) experience with front springs from Worldpac, also Lesfjord (swedish) springs. I ended up going back to the originals. Beware!

Rick

[BIGRED]

There are specs for the spring height both new and acceptable. The shim is based on the spring, which is identified by a color pattern brushed on.

Being that they are out, you can check your old springs height.

Someone that I think would know, once said in a posting, that he has never seen the springs on a Mercedes need replacing. There are however body to sub-frame bushings and shims that do wear out overtime. In most cases these are the parts that effect ride height.

Don

[scout8004by]

Thanks for all the info. (knock kneed and pidgon toed) I think I'll try the 19mm spacers on my 1983 240D. My wheels are in at the top.
Gary